'Q Freebies

I went to the Safeway barbecue cookoff in DC today, near the Archives/Navy Memorial station.

Since DC law prevented the competitors from handing out free samples (or paid samples), it was mostly an opportunity to get free stuff from vendors. And did I ever:

FREE FOOD

• Smoked sausage and pulled pork sandwich from Stubb's barbecue sauce
• Sample of Kraft Homestyle Mac n' Cheese
• Sample of Safeway's "Rancher Reserve" beef cooked in pepper and olive oil
• Claussen's pickle
• A really, really tasty slice of watermelon
• GEICO Gecko Pez dispenser
• Sample packs of Mrs. Dash from the DASH NGO for prevention of domestic violence
• Margarita mix
• bloody mary mix
• 5 spice bloody mary mix
• two free packages of Kraft Homestyle mac n' cheese

FREE NOT FOOD

• Tote bag from winning Bingo from the DC Lottery
• Tote bag for taking a survey from Benjamin Moore paint
• Luggage tag from Greyhound Bus Lines
• Flimsy water bottle from Greyhound Bus Lines
• Magnets with a Clausen's pickle theme
• Magnets with the Dunkin' Donuts logo
• Magnetic shopping list with the Dunkin Donuts logo
• climbing-unsafe carabiner from Oscar Meyer Lunchables

All this, and plenty of coupons. I feel like I got my $11 admission's worth, even after buying some ribs with coleslaw and potato salad from the Midwestern place that played early Michael Jackson on a loop (and gave cups of free iced tea to people in line).