GoogaMooga 2012: Hamageddon, Fried Chicken Fist Fights And More (PHOTOS)

If you managed to make it out to the Great GoogaMooga this weekend in New York City, then you need no help painting the scene: Bustling, can't-move-three-inches crowds; hour-long waits and winding lines for food and drink; and an astounding collection of dishes from the city's best and most interesting restaurants.

The free two-day festival was notably more insane on Saturday -- tensions bubbled over in an actual fist fight at the Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken event -- but there was still much to enjoy, assuming you kept your cool.

On the upside, people were quite fashionably dressed.

The design of the whole thing was breath-taking, especially the giant metal pig-shaped roaster emblazoned with the word "Hamageddon." There was an actual pig cooking inside!

The music, too, was a highlight. And, of course, the Extra Mooga section (the only place with an admission, a whopping $250) welcomed a slew of guests who weren't afraid to speak their minds, like LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, comedian Aziz Ansari, Momofuku chef David Chang, famed lady-butcher April Bloomfield, food writer Ruth Reichl, the always controversial Anthony Bourdain and plenty others.

Experience the magic and insanity in the gallery below, complete with some serious food porn.

Loading Slideshow

• Our first dish of the day: Pork belly tacos from Colicchio and Sons.

• The tacos were made with meat roasting on this vertical spit. Can we say delicious?

• Artists performed on the GoogaMooga stage all day long.

• L.A.-based Umami burger showed off some patties in the ExtraMooga area. The chain plans to arrive in New York City sometime this year.

• GoogaMooga-goers nosh on grilled corn.

• An enticing looking dog and grilled corn on the cob.

• A diner chows down on some mac n' cheese.

• Patrons eat Dirty Bird chicken fingers and swill beers.

• Brooklyn Soda Works serves up fruity drinks.

• Roasted corn nachos from Calexico.

• Grilled onions serve as a hand-held snack.

• More GoogaMooga-goers enjoy lunch.

• The field in Prospect Park quickly filled up with hungry patrons.

• Shade was a rare commodity at the sun-soaked event.

• This sculture, aptly titled "This Little Piggy...," was designed by sculptor Charlie Smith and crew at Sparseland Studios in Atlanta, Georgia. And look! There's a whole pig roasting inside.

• Burger options abounded.

• The wine tent was gloriously draped in fabric overhead.

• Get a load of these carved watermelons.

• Cocktails abounded in Extra Mooga.

• Check out this all-star line up at Extra Mooga: LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy, comedian Aziz Ansari, Momofuku chef David Chang and food royalty Ruth Reichl. The unmoderated panel was basically just the four gabbing and eating.

• Anthony Bourdain had an interesting proposal from fans in the audience: Spin the wheel, and ask a question on the category it lands on.

Comments

[tdlake5]

08:16 PM on 05/21/2012

Eating all that meat is crazy. And it's harmful to the animals too... have you been to a slaughterhouse lately and seen how the cattle are treated? Have you seen how chickens are "mass produced" for you to eat? It is all so unbelievably cruel, especially since you have the choice not to eat them, or not eat them as often. I doubt if you'll change because people generally don't, but maybe you could consider eating more fruit & vegetables and grain and a little less meat? You'll feel better, I swear. And you'll look better, not to mention thinner too.

[BuckyJamesDio]

04:59 PM on 05/21/2012

I saw Fried Chicken Fist Fight open for Wilco a few years ago. They were okay.

[HowlingVoyager]

01:34 PM on 05/21/2012

'Hamageddon'

I am SO down with that.

[giono]

01:27 PM on 05/21/2012

Anthony Bourdain ripping off Elvis Costello with the spinning wheel concept...Elvis would likely approve.