You may have heard that L.A. Weekly is launching a Burgers and Beer festival this year. To coincide with that, we on the food team have some burger and beer fun we're planning, and we'd like your help.

Over the summer, we'll be holding a burger smackdown, a tournament modeled on the NCAA, complete with a burger bracket. We'll pick 16 of the city's best burgers and pit them against one another, one round at a time. You will be able to vote alongside our team of burger experts — there will be judge's winners and people's choice winners in each round. And, just as with a basketball bracket, if you pick correctly all the way through, you'll be a winner. Prizes and more info on that process to be announced shortly.

The tournament, beginning with the Sweet 16, will commence in early July. 

In the meantime, we need your help! In this city of amazing burger wealth, narrowing it down to 16 is going to be a hard task. Which burgers should be competing in the first place? Share your thoughts in the comments, or let us know on Twitter by using the hashtag #LAburgerbracket, Once we've taken your suggestions, we'll reveal the bracket and the games can begin!

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