The second ilani BBQ Fest starts Thursday and runs through Sunday

Getting hungry for the weekend? The folks at ilani have something special in mind, and that something special will get started even before the weekend.

The ilani BBQ Fest returns for its second year, with a variety of events from June 8 through June 11.

BBQ enthusiasts can watch famous chefs and pitmasters show off their chops, plus there were be cooking competitions, live entertainment, and more.

Among the headliners are:

Michael Symon, a James Beard award-winning chef and “Burgers, Brew, and ‘Que” host.

Jet Tila, ambassador of Thai cuisine.

Rocco DiSpirito, a James Beard award-winning chef and author.

Kevin Bludso, a BBQ expert and judge from the Netflix show “American BBQ Showdown.”

Christina Fitzgerald, award winning chef and barbecue competitor.

Damaris Phillips and Aaron May, Food Network stars.

These culinary luminaries, accompanied by numerous celebrity and regional chefs, will take the main stage throughout the ilani BBQ Fest, offering tantalizing dishes and interactive cooking demonstrations.

There are special events, too. Including Bourbon and Barbecue Bites Tasting on June 8; Party with the Pitmaster on June 9; BBQ Beer, Bubbles, and Bloody Brunch on June 10 and 11;,the Grand Tasting on June 10 and 11; the Lady Pitmaster Poolside Dine-Around party on June 10; Operation BBQ Relief; and more.

Last year’s ilani BBQ Fest was the first for the entertainment facility in Ridgefield. It was organized by Rick Browne, a former Ridgefield resident who has authored several cooking books and at one time had his own barbecue show on PBS. Browne is known throughout the BBQ community, and was a frequent guest on all the national morning shows. For more information on the ilani BBQ fest, including ticket information, go to: https://ilaniresort.com/ilani-bbqfest.html