WHERE THERE'S SMOKE

Houston's hottest pitmasters star in 2023 Texas Monthly BBQ Fest returning to state's barbecue capital

Houston favorite Feges BBQ is part of the hot lineup.

Courtesy of Feges BBQ

For Texas barbecue fans, sampling the best can be a daunting job. There are the gas costs, of course, and all the waiting in line. Then road warriors must consider lodging. Rural towns may produce exceptional brisket, but few are well-known for luxurious linens.

Carnivores with less cultish levels of devotion know the best way to check out the scene is through a yearly pilgrimage to the Texas Monthly BBQ Fest.

The annual meatopia will blaze into Lockhart November 4-5. The juicy 2023 lineup, dropped on August 22, includes some of the most celebrated pitmasters in the state.

Drawing from barbecue editor Daniel Vaughn's "Top 50 BBQ Joints in Texas" list and the September "25 Best New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas" update (which featured four Houston spots), the invitees reflect Texas' deep culinary traditions and growing diversity.

The shindig kicks off on November 4 with the BBQ World's Fair, a free street fair featuring live music, artisan vendors, cooking demos, and an array of vendors from Texas Monthly's barbecue lists and Taco Trail. Those wanting a more VIP experience can purchase an "Around the World" punch card entitling guests to exclusive bites from featured barbecue joints.

The honor roll includes the following, with more to be announced soon:

Barbs-B-Q (Lockhart)
Brix Barbecue (Fort Worth)
CM Smokehouse (Austin)
GW's BBQ (San Juan)
KG BBQ (Austin)
Khói Barbecue (Houston)
The Original Black's BBQ (Lockhart)
Sunbird Barbecue (Longview)

The weekend continues on November 5 with the giant Top 50 Picnic, a celebration of the finest craft makers in the state. The stellar lineup adds:

1701 Barbecue (Beaumont)
2M Smokehouse (San Antonio)
Baker Boys BBQ (Gonzales)
Blood Bros. BBQ (Bellaire)
Brett's BBQ Shop (Katy)
Brett's Family BBQ (Rockdale)
Brotherton's Black Iron Barbecue (Pflugerville)
Burnt Bean Co. (Seguin)
Cattleack Barbeque (Farmers Branch)
Convenience West (Marfa)
Dayne's Craft Barbecue (Fort Worth)
Desert Oak Barbecue (El Paso)
Eaker Barbecue (Fredericksburg)
Evie Mae's Pit Barbecue (Wolfforth)
Feges BBQ (Houston)
Goldee's Bar-B-Q (Fort Worth)
Guess Family Barbecue (Waco)
Hays Co. Bar-B-Que (San Marcos)
Helberg Barbecue (Woodway)
Hurtado Barbecue (Arlington)
Hutchins BBQ (Frisco)
Interstellar BBQ (Austin)
Killen's Barbecue (Pearland)
LaVaca BBQ (Port Lavaca)
LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue (Austin)
LJ's BBQ (Brenham)
Micklethwait Craft Meats (Austin)
Miller's Smokehouse (Belton)
Mimsy's Craft Barbecue (Crockett)
Panther City BBQ (Fort Worth)
Rejino Barbeque (Olton)
Slow Bone (Dallas)
Smokey Joe's BBQ (New Braunfels)
Snow's BBQ (Lexington)
Teddy's Barbecue (Weslaco)
Tejas Chocolate + Barbecue (Tomball)
Terry Black's Barbecue (Lockhart)
Truth BBQ (Houston)
Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ (Buda)
Zavala's Barbecue (Grand Prairie)

Although VIP tickets and weekend bundles have already been gobbled up, a few general admission tickets and punch cards remain for the weekend events. Snag them at texasmonthly.com.

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only the best in HOU

Houston's IAH soars as 4th best airport for holiday travel in 2024

George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston

George Bush Intercontinental Airport/Facebook

Houstonians are in safe hands at George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Houston's punctual and award-winning George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) has just been rated the fourth best airport in the country for the upcoming holiday travel season, so says a new report by travel experts Locals Insider.

The study examined the percentage of on-time departure flights at 50 of the biggest airports in America to discover the 10 best and worst airports for traveling during the holidays. Departure statistics and reasons for delays were analyzed from November 17, 2023 to January 3, 2024.

According to the report's findings, IAH had an on-time departure rate of 85.8 percent during the 2023 holiday period. That means out of the 13,921 total scheduled flights departing from the airport, only 1,976 flights were delayed. That's a pretty good track record.

IAH has been working hard to deliver the best travel experiences for its passengers, including opening its new Terminal D, investing in much-needed bathroom upgrades, showing off its award-winning art and entertainment program, and providing top notch dining experiences.

Though IAH appeared on Locals Insider's top 10 best list, Houston's William P. Hobby Airport (HOU) descended onto the travel guide's 10 worst U.S. airports for holiday travel this year.

Appearing at No. 8, HOU isn't the worst offender on the list, but its holiday season delay and cancellation rate in 2023 was 22 percent.

"Although Houston’s William P Hobby experiences fewer departing flights compared to other airports on our top 10 list, it’s still prone to disruptions," the report's author wrote. "Overall, more than one in five (22 percent) of departing flights are either delayed or canceled during the holidays."

The study's data found 1,178 holiday flights at HOU were cancelled in 2023, and only 19 were delayed.

Ranking as the No. 1 best airport for holiday travel is Washington Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C., which had an 88.6 percent on-time departure rate.

For Houstonians that will be traveling this holiday season, Locals Insider recommended five best-practice tips for a smooth travel experience: Book an early morning flight as those are less prone to delays (additionally, book a direct flight), apply for TSA PreCheck to avoid long screening processes, and budget more time to arrive early to the airport.

The report also suggests packing light and shipping gifts to their intended destination ahead of time.

"Even the TSA recommends shipping your wrapped gifts rather than packing them in your luggage or carry-on," the report said.

The top 10 best U.S. airports for holiday travel in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Washington Dulles International
No. 2 – Minneapolis-St. Paul International
No. 3 – Salt Lake City International
No. 4 – George Bush Intercontinental
No. 5 – Ronald Reagan Washington National
No. 6 – Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
No. 7 – Newark Liberty International
No. 8 – Detroit Metro Wayne County
No. 9 – Chicago O'Hare International
No. 10 – Charlotte Douglas International

The Bureau of Transportation Statistics defines the Thanksgiving travel period from November 17-28, and the winter holiday travel period from December 14 through January 3, 2024. The study included data from both holiday travel periods, sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and Airline Service Quality Performance System (ASQP).