March is one of the busiest and most exciting months on the Texas BBQ calendar. Rodeo season is in full swing, spring weather brings larger crowds, and many of the state’s biggest BBQ cookoffs and festivals take place during this month.
Whether you are a competition cook, a backyard pitmaster looking for inspiration, or a BBQ fan planning a road trip, March offers no shortage of smoke-filled weekends across Texas.
This guide highlights the main types of BBQ events you will find in Texas during March 2026, followed by confirmed and historically recurring events to help you plan ahead.
Types of BBQ Events in Texas During March
Championship BBQ Competitions
Large-scale, sanctioned cookoffs featuring professional and serious amateur teams competing across multiple meat categories. These events often qualify teams for major national championships and attract hundreds of teams and spectators.
Rodeo-Attached BBQ Cookoffs
BBQ competitions that serve as kickoff events for major Texas rodeos. These weekends combine competitive cooking with concerts, carnival rides, livestock shows, and massive crowds.
Community and Charity Cookoffs
Local and regional cookoffs that support schools, scholarships, and nonprofit organizations. These events are often family-friendly and deeply tied to their communities.
BBQ Festivals and Food Events
Events focused on public tasting, live music, and vendor experiences rather than strict competition. These are ideal for BBQ fans who want to sample and explore.
BBQ Classes and Educational Events
Hands-on cooking classes, demonstrations, and meat science events hosted by pitmasters, culinary programs, or BBQ organizations.
Texas BBQ Events in March 2026
Sorted by expected start date. Events marked as expected are based on historical scheduling and prior-year announcements.
Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo World’s Championship Bar-B-Que Contest
Dates: Expected late February through early March 2026
Location: Houston, TX
Type: Rodeo-attached BBQ cookoff
Sanctioning Body: IBCA
Scale: National
Venue / Host: Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo
One of the largest BBQ cookoffs in the world, this event features hundreds of teams, massive public attendance, concerts, and scholarship fundraising. It is widely considered a bucket-list event for competitive BBQ teams.
Website: https://www.rodeohouston.com
BBQ Road Trip Tip: While in Houston, explore classic joints and rising stars in the ExploringBBQ Directory before or after the cookoff.
Rodeo Austin Barbecue Cook-Off
Dates: Expected early to mid March 2026
Location: Austin, TX
Type: Rodeo-attached BBQ cookoff
Sanctioning Body: IBCA
Scale: Statewide
Venue / Host: Rodeo Austin
A high-energy cookoff tied to the Rodeo Austin festivities. Teams compete while the surrounding rodeo grounds host concerts, carnival attractions, and youth events.
Website: https://rodeoaustin.com
San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo BBQ Cook-Off
Dates: Expected March 2026
Location: San Angelo, TX
Type: Rodeo-attached BBQ cookoff
Sanctioning Body: IBCA
Scale: Regional
Venue / Host: San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo
A long-running West Texas event that blends competitive BBQ with ranching tradition and rodeo culture.
Website: https://www.sanangelorodeo.com
Texas Monthly BBQ Fest
Dates: Expected March 2026
Location: Lockhart, TX
Type: BBQ festival and tasting event
Scale: National
Venue / Host: Texas Monthly
This festival brings together many of Texas Monthly’s top-ranked BBQ joints for public tastings, demos, and pitmaster interaction. Tickets typically sell out quickly.
Website: https://www.texasmonthly.com
BBQ Road Trip Tip: Lockhart is home to Kreuz Market, Smitty’s Market, and Black’s BBQ. All three are featured in the ExploringBBQ Directory and are worth visiting while in town.
Community and Charity BBQ Cookoffs Across Texas
Dates: Throughout March 2026
Location: Various Texas towns
Type: Community and charity cookoffs
Scale: Local to regional
March is packed with smaller community cookoffs tied to schools, FFA programs, and local nonprofits. These events are often announced closer to the date and provide a more intimate BBQ experience.
Website: Local organizer sites or sanctioning body calendars such as https://www.ibcabbq.com and https://www.cbabbq.com
Nationally Recognized BBQ Events Outside Texas in March 2026
Based on prior-year scheduling
Memphis in May World Championship Barbecue Cooking Contest
Dates: Expected March or early May 2026
Location: Memphis, TN
Type: Championship BBQ competition
Scale: International
One of the most famous BBQ competitions in the world, attracting elite teams from across the globe.
Website: https://memphisinmay.org
KCBS Sanctioned Spring Series Events
Dates: Throughout March 2026
Location: Multiple states
Type: Championship BBQ competitions
Scale: National
March marks the beginning of heavy competition season on the KCBS circuit, with contests across the Midwest, Southeast, and West Coast.
Website: https://www.kcbs.us
Why March Is Prime Time for BBQ Travel
March offers mild weather, packed event calendars, and access to some of the most iconic BBQ gatherings in the country. It is an ideal month to plan a Texas BBQ road trip, combining cookoffs, festivals, and legendary restaurants along the way.
👉 Looking for February events next? We’re tracking those now.
👉 Want to build a BBQ road trip? Explore the Texas BBQ Directory to find top joints near these events.
We want to hear from you
Are we missing a March cookoff or festival you love? Planning a road trip around one of these events? Let us know in the comments and help us keep the ExploringBBQ event calendar growing for the entire BBQ community.
