get ready for cook-off

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo fires up dates for 2023 World's Championship Bar-B-Que Contest

World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest houston rodeo

It's Cook-off time, y'all.

Photo courtesy of Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

Now that fans know the entertainers who'll take the NRG Stadium stage or the 2023 Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, it's time to turn attention to the unofficial kickoff of the rodeo run.

The 2023 World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest will run Thursday, February 23 through Saturday, February 25 on the NRG Stadium grounds. The wildly popular event sees more than 250 teams from around the world will compete for best in show in sections like brisket, ribs, chicken, Go Texan, Dutch Oven dessert, and the Open Contest category.

Cook teams show up and show out in pits disguised as fire engines and covered wagons, from airplanes to armadillos. The more than 700 entries compete for best overall barbecue and other categories on Saturday, February 25, with results announced at The Garden Stage at 7 pm.

As always, team tents are invitation-only. But rodeo visitors can enjoy several public venues, including The Garden, Rockin' Bar-B-Que Saloon, and the Chuckwagon. More fun and wild rides can be found at the carnival. The private tents are a see-be seen affair with presenting sponsor Cotton Holdings sure to unveil yet another over-the-top tent that's as big as Texas.

Young grillers and smokers can compete in the Jr. Cook-off contest on Friday, February 24. Kids between the ages of 8-14 will be given a single steak to prepare that will be judged on appearance/presentation, tenderness, and taste. Awards will be presented to the top three contestants.

The party continues at The Garden Stage, where Texas Country acts strum their stuff, while the Rockin’ Bar-B-Que Saloon also features live music, a DJ spinning tunes, and a large patio.

Visitors should consider ride sharing or look for parking at these lots:

Yellow Lot

Location: 610 to Main St., enter Gate 16 off Main St.
Hours: 6 am to 10 pm
Price: $25

610 Lot

Location: West Bellfort and Kirby.
Hours: 10 am to 10 pm
Price: $25

Tickets can be purchased online or at the contest gates and start at $20 for adults, $5 for children, and free for kids aged 2 and under. Admission to the World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest includes a complimentary sliced barbecue brisket and sausage plate, access to live music areas, and admission to the carnival. (Importantly, admission does not include access to private cook-off tents.)

Fans can also score a Grounds Season Pass allowing access to all Cook-off events for $50.

Event times are Thursday, February 23, 5 pm to 11 pm; Friday, February 24, noon to 11 pm; and Saturday, February 25, 9 am to 11 pm. More information can be found at rodeohouston.com or on the official RodeoHouston app.

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest rodeo rodeohouston

Concert New

British pop star Niall Horan invites Houston to his Dinner Party tour

Photo courtesy of Niall Horan

Pop singer Niall Horan will play at Dickies Arena on May 2, 2027.

British pop singer Niall Horan will go on the road with the North American leg of his Dinner Party Live On Tour in 2027, which will include a stop at the Toyota Center in Houston on Saturday, May 1.

The all-arena tour will travel to 26 cities in the United States and Canada over the course of two-plus months, starting in St. Paul, Minnesota on March 27 and ending in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 29.

The tour, which will also go to Fort Worth on May 2 and Austin on May 14, is in support of his Horan's new album, Dinner Party, which will be released on June 5, 2026.

It officially kicks off in England on September 22, 2026 with a 25-date U.K./Europe leg lasting until November 16.

Horan is also co-headlining two stadium shows with Thomas Rhett this summer: At Nashville’s GEODIS Park on July 9 and Hersheypark Stadium in Hershey, Pennsylvania on July 18.

Since One Direction broke up in 2016, Horan has released three solo albums, with each making the top 5 on album charts in the U.S., the U.K., and his native Ireland. His biggest hit in the U.S. remains "Slow Hands" in 2017.

Tickets for the tour will be available starting with a Citi presale on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 am, followed by an artist presale on Wednesday, May 13 at 10 am.

Additional presales will run throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale beginning on Friday, May 15 at 10 am at livenation.com.

NIALL HORAN DINNER PARTY LIVE ON TOUR – NORTH AMERICA 2027

3/17 – St. Paul, MN – Grand Casino Arena
3/19 – Detroit, MI – Little Caesars Arena
3/20 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
3/23 – Chicago, IL – United Center
3/26 – Indianapolis, IN – Gainbridge Fieldhouse
3/27 – St. Louis, MO – Enterprise Center
3/30 – Toronto, ON – Scotiabank Arena
4/2 – Montreal, QC – Bell Centre
4/4 – Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
4/8 – Baltimore, MD – CFG Bank Arena
4/12 – Boston, MA – TD Garden
4/13 – Hartford, CT – PeoplesBank Arena
4/15 – Raleigh, NC – Lenovo Center
4/17 – Orlando, FL – Kia Center
4/28 – Atlanta, GA – State Farm Arena
4/29 – New Orleans, LA – Smoothie King Center
5/1 – Houston, TX – Toyota Center
5/2 – Fort Worth, TX – Dickies Arena
5/14 – Austin, TX – Moody Center
5/16 – Denver, CO – Ball Arena
5/18 – Salt Lake City, UT – Maverik Center
5/20 – Phoenix, AZ – Mortgage Matchup Center
5/22 – Los Angeles, CA – The Kia Forum
5/25 – San Francisco, CA – Chase Center
5/27 – Seattle, WA – Climate Pledge Arena
5/29 – Vancouver, BC – Rogers Arena

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