Food and live music take center stage in DFW with Crawfish Fest, Syndicate Smokedown
April 22,2022
See full Fort Worth Star-Telegram article by Roger Pinckney here.
Sure, there are plenty of great barbecue and burger options around town, but don’t forget to dig in to some mudbugs to celebrate crawfish season in North Texas. You can join the fun during the first Cowtown Crawfish Fest, Saturday, April 30 from 1-7 p.m. at Wild Acre Brewing Company near downtown Fort Worth. And you can wash it down with some of Wild Acre’s craft beers and spirits on site at 1734 E. El Paso St., #190.
The grooves will be flowing as well as big daddie THE DJ, three-time Grammy Award nominee Sean Ardoin and Unfaded Brass Band take the stage at Wild Acre Live. Admission is free, but event organizers recommend that you reserve crawfish plates ahead of time because they can’t be guaranteed on the day of the event.
Crawfish wristbands are available for purchase online in 3-pound and 5-pound amounts, plus a side of corn and potatoes. You can also buy beer bands pre-loaded with three Wild Acre brews to avoid transactions at the event. Not a fan of the mudbugs? No worries, food trucks will be on site with other options. The family-friendly event also features a Wandering Roots artisan market with dozens of local vendors to visit. For crawfish/beer tickets and other information, go to wildacrelive.com/crawfish-festival.
Are you more into barbecue? Then you should check out the Syndicate Smokedown, a barbecue competition and live music festival on Saturday, April 30 at Panther Island Pavilion along Trinity River near North Henderson Street. The smokedown offers award-winning barbecue and live tunes, and it’s for a good cause. The first-time event, presented by the Fort Worth Stock Show Syndicate, will help raise scholarship funds for young livestock exhibitors. All proceeds from the smokedown will go to the syndicate’s Jim Bob Norman Scholarship fund.
The smokedown offers a range of three ticket sales: $25, Smokedown GA: Includes admission to the smokedown and access to live music performances $40, BBQ Time: Admission, BBQ plate, two drink tickets and access to live music $150, VIP Bone: Admission, BBQ plate, open bar, VIP free parking and VIP viewing area for live music Go to syndicatesmokedown.com/attend/ to buy tickets.
The music lineup includes Cory Morrow, Lauren Corzine, Topo Chico Cowboys and more. As part of the barbecue competition, pitmasters will compete for a $12,000 prize purse in three categories: chicken, pork spare ribs and brisket. Go to syndicatesmokedown.com for more information.
MUSIC LEGEND JOHN FOGERTY PLAYS BILLY BOB’S
For more live music, and to see a legend, check out John Fogerty on Saturday, April 30 at Billy Bob’s Texas.
Fogerty, who is making his Billy Bob’s debut, will be taking the stage at 10 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. The singer-songwriter, now 76, founded the popular rock band Creedence Clearwater Revival in 1968. Fogerty was the lead singer and guitarist for CCR before taking off on a wildly successful solo career in 1972. Some of his most well-known hits include “Centerfield,” “The Old Man Down The Road” and “Rock and Roll Girls.” Will he play any of the popular CCR tracks such as “Fortunate Son,” “Born on the Bayou” and “Proud Mary”? To buy tickets and find out, go to billybobstexas.com/events/john-fogerty. General admission (standing) tickets are $40, with reserved table tickets from $150-$200.