| AUSTIN, TX (July 3, 2025) – It’s a delicious year of Texas barbecue with Texas Monthly! After the release of the magazine’s new Top 50 barbecue list in the June issue, Texas Monthly has a fun-filled calendar of events that celebrate the state’s most beloved cuisine.
Starting this month, barbecue fans will get a chance to learn about the craft of Texas barbecue with Texas Monthly’s new ’Cue Course event series. The series features all-inclusive barbecue dinners with cooking demos at three Top 50 joints across the state—Louie Mueller Barbecue, in Taylor; Evie Mae’s Pit Barbeque, in Wolfforth; and Cattleack Barbeque, in Farmers Branch. Each joint’s pitmaster will share their passion and process with guests, and Texas Monthly barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn will lead a Q&A for an evening of community, delicious fare, and insight into the time-honored craft of barbecue. The event series is for attendees aged 21 and up. Tickets are $125 and include dinner and drinks. Tickets go on sale July 8.
The party continues in September with the Texas Monthly BBQ Family Reunion, in Grand Prairie. Texas’s barbecue community is like a family, and, as in many big families, members can go many years without seeing one another. This event will bring together top barbecue legends from across the state for an evening of community, two-steppin’, and smoky deliciousness under the stars on September 27! General admission tickets are $100, and VIP tickets, which each include a commemorative gift and access to an exclusive lounge, are $150. Tickets go on sale July 15, with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the food bank network Feeding Texas.
Rounding out our barbecue festivities is the sixteenth annual Texas Monthly BBQ Fest, in Lockhart! The fun two-day event attracts thousands of festivalgoers each year and begins with the free BBQ World’s Fair, which highlights the wide world of ’cue and a diverse range of barbecue flavors. On the second day, attendees will get the chance to try smoked fare and mouthwatering sides at the popular Top 50 Picnic. This year’s event will be the first-ever gathering of many joints from the new cohort of the latest Top 50 barbecue list. Both early bird general admission and VIP tickets for the Top 50 Picnic have sold out, with the VIP passes selling out in a record time of six minutes! Regular general admission tickets, which are on sale now, are $135, and VIP tickets are $200.
“The release of a Top 50 list is like the Olympics. It’s a special event celebrating those at the top of their game, and it sets the tone for our whole year,” said Melissa Reese, Texas Monthly’s video and events director. “We’re excited to bring barbecue fun, near and far, to any and all barbecue fans who want to celebrate with us all year long.”
Texas Monthly thanks the sponsors who help make BBQ Fest possible: Aviation Gin, Bud Light, the City of Lockhart, Coca-Cola Southwest Beverages, H-E-B True Texas BBQ, Jim Beam, La Vieille Ferme Rosé, Mill Scale Metalworks, Nomad Grills, Prasek’s Family Smokehouse, San Pellegrino, Texas Tech University, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, and Yeti.
To receive updates about these events, please follow @tmbbqfest on Facebook and Instagram.
About Texas Monthly
Texas Monthly has chronicled life in contemporary Texas since 1973 and publishes vivid, longform storytelling about the Lone Star State, along with reported analysis of its most important trends, and helpful advice on how to best enjoy the state’s many pleasures. Texas Monthly has expanded to serve its audience on multiple platforms, including TexasMonthly.com, live events, videos, and binge-worthy podcasts. It has won 14 National Magazine awards, the Oscars of its industry, and has an impressive total monthly audience of 31 million. Follow Texas Monthly on Facebook @texas.monthly.magazine, X @TexasMonthly, and Instagram @texasmonthly. |
