The savory aroma of ribs, brisket and sausage, paired with the tangy sounds of country music, will soon fill the air at Old Celina Park in the heart of Celina. Enjoy all of this at the fourth annual Troubadour Festival.
“We bring together the best barbecue restaurants from all over Texas to one place and do the best Texas red dirt music on two stages for what we call the ultimate barbecue and music experience,” said Chase Colston, co-owner and promoter of Troubadour Festival.
At what organizers call Texas’ largest barbecue and country music festival, visitors will have the chance to taste barbecue from 40 of the state’s top barbecue joints. The event will also include three out-of-state vendors, from Tennessee, California and Connecticut.
With four levels of tickets, two will allow festivalgoers to sample barbecue from restaurants that include 1701 Barbecue, North Texas Smoke, Heritage Barbecue, Blake’s at Southern Milling and Hoodoo Brown Barbecue. Sampling will end at 3:30 p.m., but meat will still be available to buy. There are also two types of music-only tickets.
Colston created the family-owned festival business with his childhood best friend Cody Johnson in 2021 when they decided to give their dream of hosting a barbecue-music hybrid event a try.
“We have a unique opportunity to have this festival be a part of a town that’s been named the fastest-growing city in America,” Colston said. “We’ve kind of seen Celina grow around us as we do this event every fall.”
Colston said 6,000 to 8,000 people attend the one-day event each year, drawn not only by the barbecue but also by the musical acts.
This year’s headliners include Shane Smith and the Saints, along with Treaty Oak Revival. Jason Boland and the Stragglers will take the stage as part of the group’s 25th anniversary tour. Other performers include Tanner Usrey, the Wilder Blue, the Damn Quails, Logan Ryan Band and the Broken Spokes.
The four levels of tickets for this one-day event vary in perks: Troubadour VIP, Troubadour BBQ and music, Troubadour Music VIP and Troubadour Music. More details are on the website.
“People who come should expect to be around a really cool environment with a lot of great people from all walks of life who are passionate about barbecue and music,” Colston said.
Details: Oct. 19. Tickets start at $60. Old Celina Park, 12670 FM 428, Celina. troubadourfestival.com.
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