Arkansas Times Heritage Hog Roast

Here's the recipe for the Arkansas Times' latest special event: Hundreds of pounds of slow-cooked, smoky, melt-in-your-mouth tender pork, cooked by a who's who of culinary experts from around Central Arkansas (and even one from Memphis). Craft beer and wine. And a veritable raft of great bands, including 2013 Times Musicians Showcase winners The Sound of the Mountain and the Grammy-nominated Cajun party-starters in Lost Bayou Ramblers. If that sounds like its up your alley, clear your calendar for Saturday, May 4. That's when the Arkansas Times and Argenta Arts District will present our first Heritage Hog Roast, at the Argenta Farmer's Market at Sixth and Main streets in North Little Rock. The cook-off involves 11 teams of local chefs, who'll be roasting 125- to 140-lb. heritage-breed hogs from Falling Sky Farm (see page 18) from the wee hours (or possibly even the night before) over specially constructed outdoor pits. Gates open at noon; music starts at 12:45 p.m. At 3 p.m. each team will prepare plates for celebrity judges and serve up portions of their hog and two sides to ticket-holders. Think of it as a buffet sampler of gourmet pork bites and fixin's. That'll last until 7 p.m., or until food runs out. The entertainment line-up includes Mandy McBryde, Davis Coen, Bonnie Montgomery, improv from The Joint, Riverboat Crime, The Sound of the Mountain and Lost Bayou Ramblers, who'll play a full set starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance or $30 at the door. After 7 p.m., tickets to hear music are $10. Get your tickets early. This will sell out!