Texas Monthly announces its 2022 plans to expand and relocate its thirteenth annual BBQ Fest. To accommodate a larger-scale, two-day festival, the media company will host two, unique barbecue-inspired events in Lockhart, Texas on November 5 and 6.
For a decade, the annual Texas Monthly barbecue festival attracted thousands to Austin, Texas. After a successful, virtual 2020 festival and 2021 “road trip” edition of the event—which brought the festival on a three-stop tour of the Lone Star State—Texas Monthly is exploring a new location for this year’s festivities. And what better place than the Barbecue Capital of Texas: Lockhart?
“I am very excited to have Texas Monthly’s BBQ Fest come to Lockhart,” said Lew White, Mayor of Lockhart. “Our barbecue attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists each year, and we are proud to host the next generation of pitmasters. It’s a great opportunity to showcase that Lockhart is not only a great place to visit, but it’s also a great place to raise your family or locate your business.”
The festival weekend will bring together a wide range of barbecue joints, whether they’re newcomers to the Top 50 list or historic classics, like the ones Lockhart is known for. The festivities will begin Saturday, November 5, with a BBQ World’s Fair open to the public. The fair will be incorporated as a distinct, additional event featuring experiences and activities that showcase the wide, eclectic world of barbecue, its different aspects and flavors, the array of techniques behind the craft, as well as the people and culture surrounding it. On Sunday, November 6, attendees can expect the classic, ticketed Texas Monthly Top 50 BBQ Fest that they’ve come to know and love, featuring pitmasters from Texas Monthly’s latest quadrennial list of the Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas, published in November 2021.
“Before we even wrapped the BBQ Fest Road Trip in 2021, we were already brainstorming with our barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn about how to bring back the big, in-person festival,” said Melissa Reese, Texas Monthly’s director of video and events. “There’s a lot to celebrate with this new format—a new Top 50 list, the rich history and culture of barbecue, and the ability to gather more safely. For a handful of reasons, Lockhart became apparent as the ideal setting. We’ve got some ideas in the works, and we’re looking forward to creating a fun, memorable weekend for anyone and everyone with a love for Texas barbecue.”
More details about ticketing and event programming will be released in the near future. To stay updated on event news, join the Texas Monthly barbecue newsletter, like the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest Facebook Page and follow Daniel Vaughn on Twitter and Instagram: @BBQsnob
