We are surprised by the fact that it is pretty slim pickings at the moment regarding family friendly July 4th events. Maybe it just snuck up on everyone and venues have yet to finalize their arrangements. This succulent event, however, is the exception.

If you are looking for the perfect combo of a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet along with a savory side of live music to get you in the Fourth of July spirit? Then look no further than Sanlitun’s Home Plate BBQ for an insane amount of American themed fun for the whole family.

Things will get started at 6pm with a gigantic spread consisting of a whole hog buffet and smoked chicken wings, along with all the fixings like potato salad, cole slaw, Texas Ranch Beans, and green beans. If this combo hasn’t ignited hunger deep within, then you aren’t American or maybe just a vegetarian. Best of all it’s only RMB 138 per person.

While there likely won’t be any fireworks, because if it’s not Spring Festival, they are strictly prohibited, but you can expect the live musical stylings of Stevie Mac & the Mac Daddies to keep you and the fam dancing to work off some of that hog you consumed. This group of young musicians are known for their skillful ability to jam the classics and classics in the making to help the masses around Beijing cut a rug.

This is only the tip of the iceberg for what you can expect to happen on this particular day celebrating American Independence from colonial rule… in China!

photos: Home Plate BBQ

After one huge party and over 20 days of cut-throat voting between 64 of the capital’s top patty slingers, here we have it, the Final Four masters of meat in our 2015 Burger Cup competition. Based on the frequency at which we often find ourselves at these four establishments it may come as no surprise that they’ve worked their way to the top, testament to the consistently mouthwatering grub that they make and an atmosphere that we yearn for after a grueling day at the office, dreaming of nothing more than belly-shaped bun (and an ice-cold brew).

In the end it was Home Plate BBQ that flipped Let’s Burger, whereas Slow Boat Brewery shunned Union Bar and Grille, and Great Leap Brewing took Big Smoke Bistro by storm, securing the place of three of the same competitors that entered last year’s final. The big difference this year is that The Local squeezed by Blue Frog, compared to 2014 when they were eked out Big Smoke Bistro. We’ll put that down to them putting extra creamy avocados on their dry rub burgers over the past 12 months.

Now the big question is, can Home Plate make it a whopping four years in a row? If you haven’t voted yet, this would be the time to show your allegiance to one of these four Beijing heavyweights by voting at www.thebeijinger.com/2015burgercup – you have until noon on Monday (Sep 14) to cast your vote before we move into the The Finals on the same day at 4pm. The ultimate winner will be announced shortly after The Finals polls have closed at noon on Wednesday (Sep 16).

Check here for the updated brackets to see exactly where each of the top 64 seeds fell.

This post first appeared on thebeijinger.com on September 10, 2015