The Southern Smoke Festival in Houston is Chris Shepherd's October chef tasting fundraiser at Discovery Green, with national chef bites, top bartender pours and a $1.7M-year raise.
Tip: Tickets sell out within a week of announcement. The VIP tier is worth it for the indoor air-conditioned hospitality area.
Address: Discovery Green, 1500 McKinney St, Houston, TX 77010
The World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest at the Houston Rodeo is the 250-team barbecue cook-off at NRG Park each late February, with public chuckwagon plates and a Garden Stage music lineup.
Tip: Thursday is the quiet day; Saturday is the big one. The Chuckwagon serves a free BBQ plate to ticket holders; the bigger team tents are invitation only.
The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at NRG Park is the three-week March rodeo and concert series with carnival food, livestock auctions, mutton bustin' and big-name concert headliners.
Tip: Buy ground passes online ahead of time. Tuesday and Wednesday are the quietest. Try a deep-fried Snickers and a turkey leg.
The Houston Barbecue Festival at the Humble Civic Center each April is the 25-vendor unlimited-sample BBQ event from the Houston BBQ team, with 1500 guests and a 4-hour window.
Tip: VIP ticket gets you in an hour early and the popular pitmasters' first cuts. General admission at 1pm is fine if you walk to the back booths first.
The Original Greek Festival at Annunciation Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Houston is the early-October Greek food and culture weekend on Yoakum Boulevard, with traditional dishes and dance performances.
Tip: Saturday evening is the lively shift with live music and dance; the pastitsio and loukoumades are the canonical orders.
