It was the first weekend of May when the iconic AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, hosted the Lone Star Smokeout’s debut, a wonderfully curated fusion of Texas BBQ and country music. 

As the stadium grounds permeated with savory smoke around every corner, the echo of twang from country’s hottest stars reverberated throughout the festival. It was a weekend long celebration of Texas country and bold flavors that the first day’s thunderous rainstorm would delay but never dampen. Afterall, you can’t keep a good Texan from their tunes and ‘que.

Here, at the home of the Dallas Cowboys and in the heart of Texas’s leading entertainment destination, it was the perfect place to host such an event. After much success from Chicago’s own Windy City Smokeout, the team behind Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants brought the festival to its rightful place in North Texas, home to many nationally-renowned barbeque joints. And with a star-studded lineup of country artists, pitmasters, and pop-ups from Tecovas, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, and Hale House Boutique, the inaugural festival ignited a new Texas tradition.

The Best in the BBQ Biz

Matt Pittman, Founder and CEO of Meat Church BBQ and the Official Pitmaster for the Dallas Cowboys, emceed the festival’s inaugural year at AT&T Stadium. Serving as the conduit between acts, Matt kept the energy flowing while introducing many of the pitmasters. In doing so, Matt helped the festival capitalize on its namesake and deliver on its promise to showcase the best of BBQ. This specially curated list of pitmasters featured 10 of the most celebrated pitmaster teams from Texas and across the nation, including a few James Beard and Michelin-recognized BBQ teams.

As the leaders of BBQ united on one common ground, the festival bustled with excitement. Each pitmaster offered two courses, making it easy to hop between booths to sample bites without getting too full. Led by my nose, I and many other guests waited patiently in front of the pitmasters’ booths, anxiously anticipating the rich and bold bites from a diverse range of flavors.

Standout courses from the event included Brisket Elote from Michelin-recommended Panther City BBQ in Fort Worth, and Asian Sweet & Sticky Pork Belly from two-time James Beard semifinalist Curry Boys BBQ in San Antonio. Other memorable hits included the Lockhart Quail Poppers from The Original Black’s BBQ in Lockhart, and an exquisitely packed burrito from Little Miss BBQ in Phoenix, Arizona.

Local favorites like Hurtado Barbecue, located just down the street in Arlington, and Slow Bone BBQ from Dallas delighted with a couple of chicken courses to balance out the heavy beef options. Many out-of-town pitmasters also descended onto the festival, including Dayne’s Craft Barbeque from Aledo, Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue from Harker Heights, The Salt Lick BBQ from Driftwood, and even some non-Texas hits like Pappy’s Smokehouse from St. Louis, Missouri, and Wright’s Barbecue from Fayetteville, Arkansas, each bringing with them a local flare inspired by traditional Texas BBQ.  

Sharing the Stage with Chart-Topping Talent

As the home of the Dallas Cowboys stood mountainlike in the backdrop, headliners Cody Jinks, Jon Pardi, and Midland closed out each night respectively. Their performances were electric, each paying tribute to a sense of nationalism that also included the Lone Star State and the wonderful cuisine it gives the world. Even with much of the festival grounds consumed by pitmaster booths, pop-ups, and bars, the area was wide enough to hold thousands of energetic guests, shoulder to shoulder and satiated with BBQ, while still close enough to spur interaction between the guests and live acts. It was truly a spectacle of music not only from Grammy-nominated acts and arena sell-outs, but raw, local talent.  

Leading the curation of talent was ACM-award winning promoter and festival co-founder Ed Warm, who hand-picked homegrown Texas music such as Frisco-native Grace Tyler and Randy Rogers Band along with rising stars like Tucker Wetmore, Dylan Gossett, and Wyatt Flores. A bit of a change in tempo was DJ Pauly D, who on the festival’s third day kept the vibes alive and sparked new energy among the bellies full of brisket.

Smoking for a Cause

Not only did the festival fill guests with harmonious tunes and heavy barbeque bites, it also fulfilled a commitment to the local community. In addition to supporting independent BBQ joints and the local economy, a portion of Lone Star Smokeout ticket sales went directly to charitable partnerships with the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation and ACM Lifting Lives®. By merely attending this inaugural event, guests helped support these foundations’ missions to honor American heroes and uplift lives through the power of music.

Returning for Seconds

Without a doubt, the Lone Star Smokeout will return with more great BBQ, music, and drinks for generations to come. Follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to see all the latest updates and recaps from their inaugural event. Keep an eye on lonestarsmokeout.com/tickets for future shows as passes will go fast. Until then, keep the fire going.

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Cover Photo Corey Wernecke

 Martin Ramirez is a brisket-eating, Shiner-loving, road-tripping enthusiast of all things Texas. This Dallas-born writer / adventurer is ready to take his ‘78 El Camino to find the best in food, fun, and fitness throughout the Lone Star State.