It's finally stopped snowing, and it's time to douse those mud-season blues with Beaver Creek's venerable summer kick off, the 13th annual Blues, Brews and BBQ Festival. This year's event is notable for the quality of the entertainment, with Blues Hall of Fame musician John Mayall headlining things on Saturday afternoon.

Mayall will be joined by Shari Puorto and Gary Allegretto, an acclaimed harmonica player who has been nominated for a Blues GRAMMY and who is known for spreading the gospel of harmonica - his Harmonikds organization has taught an over 100,000 youth with special needs and formidable challenges around the globe how to play the harmonica.

Despite the top-shelf musicians playing this weekend, the focus remains on the food. The event is a festival of sauce, meat and seasonings. Expect to experience a wide variety of styles and flavors here, with over 15 vendors serving up the good stuff. Sample as much as you can and cast your vote for the "People's Choice" winner.

The amateur grillers also have their day in the sun, or at least on the grill, as the Big Green Egg Backyard BBQ competition returns. Featuring teams of three nonprofessionals, the contest is a cook-off for the rest of us, an ode to backyard feasts done right for friends and family and all the more reason to grab your family and friends and head up to the Beav while the sauce is still hot.

See the full schedule here.