Your weekend planner: MD State BBQ Bash, Fiesta Baltimore and ZooBOO!

Maryland State BBQ Bash fires up Downtown Bel Air

The Maryland State BBQ Bash returns to Downtown Bel Air in Harford County on Friday, Oct. 9 and Saturday, Oct. 10, with free admission.

More than 25 competition teams will fire up their grills in the Maryland State BBQ Championship, competing for cash prizes and a spot at the Jack Daniel's World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tennessee and The American Royal in Kansas City, Missouri.

An additional 40 amateur teams will compete in the MD State BBQ Bash Tailgate Challenge to determine who has the best ribs and chicken, with winners walking away with cash, prizes and bragging rights.

For more than 20 years, the MD State BBQ Bash has grown into one of the largest and most anticipated events in Downtown Bel Air.

The Bel Air Downtown Alliance organizes the event. It is their largest annual fundraising effort, with proceeds reinvested locally.

Beyond the competition, visitors can enjoy food vendors and trucks, live music and family activities, including a cornhole competition.

Admission to the Maryland State BBQ Bash is free.

Fiesta Baltimore celebrates Latino culture at Patterson Park

Fiesta Baltimore returns to Patterson Park on Saturday, Oct. 10 and Sunday, Oct. 11, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., celebrating Latino culture with live music, food and family activities.

Organized by Nuestras Raices Inc., Fiesta Baltimore, brings together families, artists, musicians, performers and community leaders to honor the rich diversity of Latino heritage and culture.

The festival also includes youth programming zones and community resource tables connecting families to bilingual health, legal and social services.

On Sunday, the Parade of Latino Nations takes over Eastern Avenue in Highlandtown at 2 p.m.

Fiesta Baltimore is free and open to the public, with festival hours from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. both days.

ZooBOO! brings fall fun to the Maryland Zoo

The Maryland Zoo's annual ZooBOO! festival runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. this Friday through Sunday, with activities included with general zoo admission. The festival continues on select weekends throughout October.

Families can expect trick-or-treating throughout the zoo, a pumpkin patch, an inflatable corn maze, seasonal crafts, sack races, animal ambassador meet-and-greets, visits from zoo mascots, food trucks, vendors and special performances.

Costume contests take place on Saturdays and Sundays at the Stone Barn in Main Valley. A bounce house is available on Sundays. Face painting and fall-themed games are available for an additional charge.

This weekend's special performances include:

• Friday: Silly Goose and Val, an entertainer and ventriloquist, at 10:30 a.m.
• Saturday and Sunday: Bubble show at 10:30 a.m. and magic show at 1:30 p.m.

Halloween costumes are encouraged all month long.