Barbecue, What's Cooking?

Every year I look forward to the time when the Rodeo rolls into town. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo runs for several weeks starting the last weekend of February. The fun starts with the world's largest barbecue cook-off. Several hundred bbq teems come together and throw one big party. Trust me it is one big party.

This party is like no other. It is held on the grounds of the Reliant Park. More specifically the parking lot is turned into a tent city. What goes on under those tents is a Texas size party with all the trimmings. Most of the teams our sponsored by corporations, companies and businesses. Thus most of the tents are private booths. However there is public serving of bbq plates, live music provided and beer sales for the price of one ticket.

Attendance to the cook-off for this year was a record setting 218,000 people. All these bbq goers fought to find a place to park, battled high winds, braved cold temperatures and the constant search for the elusive wristband. The cheap little paper wristbands are the key to getting access to some of the booths. The waiting in line to get into a booth, to get a plate to eat or drink, and of course for the port-o-potty is all a part the BBQ cook-off experience.

Now this may not sound like fun for some but for others it is a must do. There is no other place where you can enjoy live music or dj, dancing or talking and of course the people watching. I am already looking forward to 2011. Are you?