BBQ News

BBQ fest Lone Star Smokeout to bring 14 pitmasters to Arlington

Slow Bone BBQ

Slow Bone

There's a new BBQ-fest coming to town: Called the Lone Star Smokeout, it's a 3-day event combining BBQ and country music that'll debut outside of the AT&T Stadium in Arlington in May as an offshoot of the Windy City Smokeout, an award-winning annual festival in Chicago from Chicago-based Lettuce Entertain You Restaurants.

According to a release, the three-day event will take place from May 2-4, with BBQ staples from 14 pitmasters, live music performances from country music acts, and other retail pop-ups and sponsor activations.

Of the 14 pitnasters, 10 are from Texas, and five are from DFW, as follows:

Dayne’s Craft Barbeque from Aledo
Hurtado Barbecue from Arlington
The Original Roy Hutchins Barbeque from Trophy Club
Michelin-recommended Panther City BBQ from Fort Worth
Slow Bone BBQ from Dallas
Rossler’s Blue Cord Barbecue from Harker Heights
The Salt Lick BBQ from Driftwood
The Original Black’s BBQ from Lockhart
two-time James Beard-nominated and Michelin-recommended 2M Smokehouse BBQ from San Antonio
two-time James Beard semifinalist Curry Boys BBQ from San Antonio
Little Miss BBQ from Phoenix
Meat Mitch Barbecue from Leawood, Kansas
Pappy’s Smokehouse from St. Louis, Missouri
Wright’s Barbecue from Fayetteville, Arkansas

Each featured BBQ vendor will be selling two items throughout the festival.

In a statement, Lone Star Smokeout Culinary Director Max Robbins says the festival is about highlighting the influence of Texas BBQ.

Featured in publications such as Rolling Stone, USA Today, and Forbes, the Windy City Smokeout was created in 2013 and is operated by Lettuce Entertain You, an independent, family-owned restaurant group based in Chicago that owns, manages, and licenses more than 120 restaurants nationwide.

Lone Star Smokeout already announced its daily music lineup, as follows:

Friday, May 2: Cody Jinks, Randy Rogers Band, Josh Meloy, Ian Harrison, Grace Tyler, JoJo DiSalvo
Saturday, May 3: Jon Pardi, Dylan Gossett, Tucker Wetmore, Tanner Adell, Lauren Watkins, Catie Offerman
Sunday, May 4: Midland, Wyatt Flores, DJ Pauly D, Eli Young Band, Hudson Westbrook, Kaitlin Butts, Kashus Culpepper

They'll also serve cocktails and beer plus pop-ups from Tecovas, Yellow Rose by Kendra Scott, Hale House Boutique, and a custom hat bar Flea Style.

General admission tickets start at $68, while a weekend pass is $177. The admission price does not cover food. VIP tickets start at $546 and get the food inclusive, plus amenities such as climate-controlled and shaded viewing areas, air-conditioned bathrooms, and reserved parking.

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Irish Pub News

Beloved downtown Dallas Crafty Irishman pub expands to Victory Park

Kennedy's Irish Pub

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A favorite Irish pub in downtown Dallas is expanding: The Crafty Irishman, which opened in downtown a decade ago, will open a spinoff location in nearby Victory Park at 2401 Victory Park Ln. #190, in the former Dibs on Victory space.

According to a release, it'll open in the next few months.

“Victory Park has been on our radar for many years,” says The Crafty Irishman founder Alan Kearney. “It’s a community in itself, with a great mix of residential, retail, and office. We will absolutely be geared for the games at Victory Park. Sports play a huge role in any pub back in Dublin, and that same energy will be part of what we do here.”

The new location will be larger than the downtown original and will feature a second-floor patio deck. It has been designed with the same characteristics and atmosphere as a great metropolitan city-center pub, the kind you would find in the heart of Dublin.

The menu will feature The Crafty Irishman’s staples such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and Scotch eggs, along with hundreds of whiskeys and a wide selection of European and local beers.

While the food may be the same, the vibe will not, Kearney says.

“This isn’t a copy and paste version of our downtown pub,” he say. “Every community is different and has its own personality. But one thing that never changes is our commitment to genuine hospitality, great food, and that warm, authentic Irish feel.”

Kearney is a native of Ireland who has emerged as a leading figure in Dallas' Irish pub scene, particularly in highly urban areas such as downtown and Bishop Arts-adjacent, with concepts that include Patrick Kennedy's Irish Pub, also in downtown Dallas and The Playwright Irish Pub located in Dallas' Arts District. He was the first to open an Irish pub in North Oak Cliff with Cannon's Irish Pub, which he opened in the cool Cannon's Village building in 2019.

He's shown a knack for being able to find an audience in locations that prior operators were not, such as the One Arts Plaza space where The Playwright is located — a space that saw a number businesses come and go before he came along.

The Victory Park location will offer lunch, dinner, happy hour, and late-night food, providing guests with a full-day dining and social experience. Validated parking and valet service will be available directly beside the pub.

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