Barbecue and jazz at Providence April 19

Barbecue originated from a Caribbean island tradition and was brought to the United States by Spanish conquistadors and other European explorers.

Today, the practice of slow-cooking meat over indirect heat and hot smoke has become a billion-dollar industry with specialty restaurants, sauces and meats and popular activity for families and friends.

The public can enjoy this delicious pastime at the inaugural Smokin’ Notes barbecue and jazz outdoor festival from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. April 19 at the Providence master-planned community in northwestern Las Vegas. The free event will be held at the fast-selling community’s Knickerbocker Park, 10695 Dorrell Lane.

Smoken Sams’ barbecue masters will cook up a variety of barbecue and smoked meats to buy. All the companion fixins’ will be available, too.

Smokin’ Notes, presented by KXPT-FM (97.1), the Providence master-planned community and Providence Master Homeowner’s Association, also features live jazz from The Tommy Thompson Project.

“Smokin’ Notes will be great for jazz lovers and music enthusiasts,” said Ric Gould, host and producer of “Sunday Side Up,” the jazz program on KXPT. “Live jazz from Las Vegas’ own Tommy Thompson Project in an outdoor setting creates the perfect way to enjoy the day. We look forward to greeting everyone.”

Other festivities will include children’s activities, a safety fair and Knickerbocker Park amenities. Subaru of Las Vegas, the official event auto sponsor, will bring several models; Tireworks will do air-pressure checks.

The Southern Nevada Traffic Safety Coalition is sponsoring the safety fair to promote Nevada’s Zero Fatality campaign, and it includes motorcycle safety, beer goggle demonstrations on tricycles, mounted police, law enforcement and emergency vehicles, and other informational and interactive demonstrations and options.

The nonprofit group, composed of Southern Nevada emergency, safety and law enforcement entities, was created to increase road and pedestrian safety.

Coalition members will compete to make the best barbecue sauce; event attendees will get to sample the entries.

Children’s activities include an obstacle course, chalk drawing, and the CenturyLink Demo Depot, a 20-foot-long interactive mobile, digital unit with three flat-screen televisions, three laptops and an Xbox.

Event attendees are welcome to bring blankets, picnic baskets and well-behaved, leashed dogs.

For Smokin’ Notes information, visit www.providencelv.com or call 702-216-2020.

After the event, those interested in living in the 1,200-acre master plan can tour the community and variety of neighborhoods built by its nationally recognized homebuilder partners. They include: KB Home, Lennar, Pardee, Richmond American Homes, Ryland Homes, Warmington Residential Nevada and Woodside.

To learn about Providence, visit the information center from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, at 7181 N. Hualapai Way, Suite. 150, call 702-433-5084, or visit www.providencelv.com.