The highly anticipated Texas Monthly BBQ Fest returns to Lockhart, the Barbecue Capital of Texas, on November 2 and 3 for its fifteenth annual celebration.
BBQ Fest kicks off on Saturday, November 2, with the third annual BBQ World’s Fair—a free, event-filled street festival in Lockhart’s historic downtown. Festivalgoers will get to enjoy live-fire cooking demos, live music, and a bustling marketplace with a variety of artisan and apparel vendors. Attendees can also try delicious food from some of the state’s top barbecue and taco vendors, several of which have been recognized by the James Beard Foundation. Some of the restaurants that will be at the fair include Blu Lacy Smokehouse, Ana Liz Taqueria, and Lockhart’s own Barbs B Q and the Original Black’s BBQ. Another Lockhart favorite, Smitty’s Market, will join in on the celebration by offering menu specials at its brick-and-mortar location.
On Sunday, November 3, the popular Top 50 Picnic returns to Lockhart City Park. This ticketed event features 35 joints from the magazine’s most recent Top 50 BBQ list, proudly showing attendees why Texas barbecue is the best in the country. While the event’s VIP tickets are sold out, general admission tickets are still available. This year’s Top 50 Picnic will also have a new tray policy to help ensure that everyone has an opportunity to taste barbecue from their favorite Texas restaurants.
“Every year, the goal of Texas Monthly BBQ Fest is to celebrate all members of Texas’s big, wide barbecue community—from the pitmasters and pit crews to the attendees and vendors,” said Melissa Reese, Texas Monthly’s video and events director. An attendee once called it ‘BBQ fellowship,’ and I loved that. It’s a beautiful sight and a great celebration of what makes Texas special.”
To RSVP for the BBQ World’s Fair and purchase general admission tickets for the Top 50 Picnic, visit the 2024 BBQ Fest page. A portion of the picnic’s ticket proceeds will go to Feeding Texas and its network of food banks.
For a complete list of the event’s barbecue vendors, click here.
For a complete list of the featured taquerias, click here.
For a complete list of the live music lineup, click here.
Texas Monthly thanks its 2024 sponsors, Acqua Panna, Aviation American Gin, Balcones Distilling, Ben E. Keith, Bud Light, Casamigos Tequila, Chief Firewood, Cigar Box Wines, City of Lockhart, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, Finch Barbecue Sauce, Fredericksburg Cast Iron Co., Freshfields, Goodstock by Nolan Ryan, Jim Beam, La Vieille Ferme, Liquid Death, McCoy’s Building Supply, Mill Scale Metalworks, Nomad Grills, Ooni, Premiere Events, Republic Services, Ricos, Rodeo Austin, S.Pellegrino, Texas Tech University, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, True Texas BBQ, Turtlebox, YETI, and Ziegenfelder.
To stay updated on BBQ Fest news, subscribe to the Texas Monthly barbecue newsletter, follow the @tmbbqfest Instagram account, like the BBQ Fest Facebook Page, or follow Texas Monthly’s barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn on X and Instagram: @BBQsnob.
