RALEIGH, N.C. — Local barbecue, bluegrass music and side dishes from Chef Ashley Christensen. “Delicious” doesn’t quite cover the good times expected at the fourth annual Raleigh Public Record Pig Pickin’.

The public is invited to join in the fun, from 3 to 6 p.m. May 18. The event features whole-hog pork barbecue, slow-cooked on site and sourced from nearby Rainbow Meadow Farms. The big hit this year will be side dishes cooked by Chef Ashley Christensen, known nationally for Poole’s diner and known locally for great eats at Chuck’s and Beasely’s.

Beer from local breweries will be available, along with wine, Locopops, mini doughnuts from Sola Cafe and more. Tickets start at $25 and are available at raleighpublicrecord.org/events.

The event also features bluegrass music and a Southern Dessert contest whose judges include City Manager Ruffin Hall and WNCN’s Page Crawford. Contestants are still needed for the dessert contest, which is free to enter and offers prizes for first, second and third. Register: http://raleighpublicrecord.org/events/pie-contest-rules-and-registration/.

The Pig Pickin’ is the nonprofit news group’s main annual fundraiser. Proceeds directly pay for reporters to cover Raleigh news.

“While the event is a fundraiser, it has become a forum for discussing Raleigh issues, events and the future of news in our community,” said Record Editor Charles Duncan. “But on top of that, it’s just a lot of fun.”