Gator done!
Credit: Batch Fort Lauderdale
If you needed an excuse to spend an afternoon sipping bourbon and gnawing on slow-smoked barbecue, Fort Lauderdale just handed you one. Batch New Southern Kitchen & Tap is launching its first annual Bourbon, Blues & BBQ Festival on Saturday, March 28. And yes, there will be two whole smoked alligators on-site, because this is Florida after all.
Running from 3 to 8 p.m., the festival will take over Batch’s home base at 525 N. Federal Highway, transforming the restaurant’s footprint into a lively Southern-style gathering packed with whiskey tastings, blues music and plenty of smoky barbecue. The event is designed to become a new annual tradition celebrating Southern food culture, with bourbon, barbecue and live music at the center of it all.
Expect pours from some serious names in the whiskey world, including WhistlePig, Garrison Brothers, Michter’s, Maker’s Mark, Knob Creek, Sazerac, Hooten & Young and Ole Smoky, alongside Batch’s own house-made pecan whiskey. Tickets – starting at $36.38 – include unlimited bourbon tastings, a commemorative Batch glass and a BBQ tasting ticket to kick off the feast.
Food-wise, the spotlight goes to the smokers. Signature barbecue dishes will be served throughout the afternoon, and the festival’s most Florida-coded moment may be the pair of whole smoked gators being prepared and displayed on-site.
Live music keeps the vibe rolling into the evening with performances by Dottie T. Kelly and Billy and the Soul Junk, bringing a steady dose of blues to match the bourbon pours. Local vendors will also be set up throughout the venue, turning the event into a mini marketplace alongside the music and food.
This one is shaping up to be a smoky good time.
For tickets and more information, visit eventbrite.com.
