Firefighters Helping Firefighters (FHF) and Clear Lake Dodge will present the Firefighters BBQ Cook Off & Music Festival, a two-day festival at the Pasadena Fairgrounds. Proceeds from the event will benefit deserving firefighters and their families impacted in need.

The festival will feature live music, BBQ, chili, margarita and Bloody Mary contests, vendors, a special Kids Space with inflatables and obstacle courses, rock walls, bungees and roaming entertainment.

Festivities on Friday will include an inaugural Margarita Mix-Off Contest sponsored by El Tiempo Restaurants and Titanium Tequila. Local Houstonian celebrity judges help will select the winner whose recipe will be featured on El Tiempo restaurant menus throughout the Houston area.  The Brando Kingz (variety/rock band led by retired HFD Firefighter) will take the stage, followed by a special performance by local Texas country music artist, Seth Candan.

BBQ Team competition activities begin on Saturday and run from 9 am until 5 pm with the BBQ awards ceremony at 6 pm.  The International Barbecue Cookers Association (IBCA) will sanction the event and entry is $175/team and open to any participant. The public gates open at noon and the day will feature a concert lineup with a variety of artists including OGRE (classic rock band featuring an active HFD Firefighter), The Slags (variety) and Neil Austin Imber (Texas country). Event headliner William Clark Green (Texas country) will take the main arena stage at 9:30 pm.  A special presentation from Houston Fire Department’s Pipes & Drums and HFD Honor Guard is scheduled for 5:30 pm.

Local vendors will have indoor and outdoor booths throughout the facility all weekend. Multiple food vendors will also be on site offering savory, sweet and carnival food options. Children can enjoy a large indoor Kids Zone, sponsored by Texas Children’s Hospital, which will feature inflatables, face painting, strolling entertainers and balloon artists.  Additional kids activities will also be outdoors.