It's blues and barbecues -- two of life's essential elements -- Saturday at downtown Orlando's City Hall Plaza. It's an eight-hour celebration of smoky music and smokier meats. It's a free event -- well, the music part of it anyway; the food is available for purchase.

The festival kicks off at 2 p.m. in front of city hall. Scheduled to appear are John Mayall, Shemikia Copeland, the Lengendary JC's, the Kevin Maines Band and Kaligh Baker. (Sorry, the city doesn't provide a time schedule.)

Barbecue vendors include Porkie's Original BBQ (winner of the flog's poll for best barbecue in Central Florida); Four Rivers Smokehouse; Bubbalou's Bodacious Bar-b-que; Sonny's Real Pit Bar-b-q; and Mike's BBQ.

(Where is Mike's from? I have no idea. The official Web site doesn't give any qlue, um, I mean clue, and the only Mike's I can find online is from Tampa. The City of Orlando wouldn't bring in a Tampa 'cuer, would they? Anyone have any info on Mike's?)

With temperatures expected to hit the 70s tomorrow, this event will be an ideal way to shake the cabin fever syndrome.

The free Lymmo will be operating tomorrow, so find a place to park and hop on for city hall. (There is an event at Lake Eola Park tomorrow, too, so avoid that area.)

City Hall Plaza is at 400 S. Orange Ave., Orlando. The event is from 2 to 10 p.m.