It’s a Stockyards takeover. On Sunday, April 18, the Syndicate Smokedown barbecue competition and country music festival will return for its fifth year, filling the historic Fort Worth Stockyards with some of the country’s finest barbecue, country music hitmakers, and more than $20,000 prize money, all benefitting Texas students.
A star-studded lineup of pitmasters will fill the air with the rich, smoky aroma of perfectly rendered brisket during BBQ Time, Syndicate Smokedown’s all-you-can-eat tasting event and North Texas barbecue showcase. The experience will feature 24 pitmasters, including two-time Michelin Guide-recognized Panther City BBQ.
“For our fifth anniversary, we wanted BBQ Time to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the music lineup, meaning it has to be big, bold, and unmistakably Texas,” says Andy Eldridge, festival director of the Syndicate Smokedown.
Joining Panther City BBQ in showcasing Texas’ best is Texas Monthly 2025 Top 50 pick Bar-A-BBQ; Aledo’s Dayne’s Craft Barbecue; Lubbock’s Jimenez y Friends BBQ; Addison’s Lane’s Oak’d BBQ; legacy pitmaster the Original Roy Hutchins BBQ; and famed Terry Black’s BBQ. Florida’s Blueline Q and Montana’s 406 BBQ will also join the pack.
“One of the greatest things about barbecue is the tradition behind it—the pits we use, the seasoning we choose, the cuts of meat we respect, and the lessons passed down from those who taught us the craft,” says Blueline Q owner Matthew Davis. “What makes it even more special is that you can be hundreds of miles away and still honor those traditions. At Blueline Q, we’re proud to be serving authentic Texas-style barbecue all the way from the Sunshine State of Florida.”…