It's rare to get a Houston evening with low humidity, crisp air, and cool breezes, but the stars aligned for The Tailgate presented by Verizon, CultureMap's third annual signature event, on November 11. The weather was absolutely perfect.

Held at 8th Wonder Brewing, the (mostly) outdoor event offered about 500 guests plenty of space to mingle, eat, and enjoy the laid-back vibe of sports-themed fun. Houston pride shone brightly with attendees donning their best Astros, Texans, Rockets, and Dynamo gear.

Courtesy of presenting sponsor Verizon, VIP admission gave guests access to a special meet-and-greet with two of the Houston Texans' most popular alumni — defensive stars Brian Cushing and Travis Johnson. The players handed out their autographs and snapped photos with fans to kick off the evening. Guests were also able to register for an exciting chance to win a VIP trip for two to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. And if you missed your chance, don't worry. There's still time to enter now.

Of course, no tailgate is complete without delicious food. Guests gobbled up generous samples from some of Houston's favorite restaurants, including:

• Adobo beef tacos from 1891 American Eatery & Bar
• White wings, gold fever wings, crawdaddy and mango habanero wings, and signature onion rings from Big City Wings
• Comfort Foodies' signature empanadas in four flavors: oxtail, beef and cheese, chicken and cheese, and spinach and cheese
• Shrimp ceviche shooters and brisket on a croissant from The Halal Guys
• St. Louis ribs with Comeback Sauce from Josephine's Gulf Coast Tradition
• Spicy and regular Layne's chicken fingers with dipping sauce
• Smoked salmon handroll from Kokoro
• Loro's smoked brisket tostadas with shishito salsa
• Ramen Frito pie from Ramen Tatsu-Ya
• Lobster rolls, corn and crab bisque, lobster bisque, and whoopie pies from Mainely Sandwiches
• Smoked pulled pork bahn mi pizza from Pizarro's Pizza
• House made bratwurst on a challah roll with sauerkraut and amber ale mustard from Saint Arnold Brewing Company
• Jerk lamb chops from Southern Jerks
• Spicy ranch wings from Taste Kitchen + Bar
• Laab chicken sandwiches with tortilla chips from Thai Tail
• The Waffle Bus' Hot Mess Fries: seasoned waffle fries topped with spicy buttermilk fried chicken bites, white cheddar mac and cheese, and Thunder Sauce
• 72-hour sous vide wagyu short rib from Uchi
• Wagyu meatballs and edamame fritters from Uchiko Houston

Big City Wings beat out 15 other competitors in a bracket-style tournament to take home the title as winner of the Ultimate Wing Showdown. And The Waffle Bus scored a repeat win as attendees' favorite dish of the night; they also took home the title in 2023. Sponsor East River 9 offered more delicious food at their booth.

Local sports organizations were well represented, with the Texans raffling off a coveted CJ Stroud-signed White Panel Football. The Astros showed off their Shooting Stars dancers, plus the 2017 and 2022 World Series Trophies. And Houston soccer stars the Dynamo and Dash raffled off team-signed jerseys.

Julia Morales showcased with her custom apparel line, Shop Baseball, Y'all. Attendees could also shop the great apparel selection from Mizzen + Main.

Every sports-themed event needs some friendly competition and awards to take home. Guests could putt putt for prizes, courtesy of Holey Moley.

And the night wound down with a spirited kolache-eating contest sponsored by Shipley Do-Nuts; the lucky winner received free doughnuts for a year.

At the end of the night, there was only one complaint to be made for The Tailgate: It had to come to an end for another season.

  

Photo by Daniel Fernandez

Guests donned their favorite Houston jerseys.