Texas BBQ Blowout Weekend at Love Civic Center
Paris kicks off December with smoke, spice, and a whole lot of briskets. The 5th annual Texas BBQ Blowout fills the Love Civic Center grounds on December 4 and 5 with a sanctioned-style cook-off, a hefty payout, and plenty for the family.
Event Details
Dates
Friday and Saturday, December 4–5, 2026
Hours
Cook-off and family activities across both days; judging Saturday
Venue
Love Civic Center
2025 S Collegiate Dr, Paris, TX
Admission
Free to watch; tasting tickets and family activities available
The Texas BBQ Blowout is Paris's own barbecue championship weekend, hosted by Visit Paris Texas every first weekend in December. Competition teams set up around the Love Civic Center and spend the weekend smoking chicken, ribs, brisket, pork butt, and turkey for a guaranteed prize pool led by a $10,000 payout, with a separate turkey smoke competition running alongside the main categories.
What to expect
The weekend is part competition, part community party. Spectators wander the pit area and watch the pitmasters work, tasting tickets open up samples from the competing teams, and family-friendly activities keep younger visitors busy. Past editions have included a Kids Q pork chop cook-off, and the weekend traditionally opens with a Friday welcome gathering before judging takes over the BBQ arena on Saturday.
A full holiday weekend in Paris
The Blowout shares its weekend with Christmas in Fair Park at the Lamar County Fairgrounds and late-night holiday shopping downtown, which makes the first weekend of December one of the busiest of the Paris calendar. Between smoked meat, crafts, and the downtown lights, it is a strong answer to the "what is there to do in small-town Texas" question.
From 3870 County Road 45080, the Love Civic Center is about a 20-minute drive. If you are house hunting in the area that weekend, it is a perfect chance to see the community with its boots on.
Questions
Exploring Northeast Texas living?
There is more live music, land, and community around Paris than most outsiders expect. If you are exploring homes or acreage here, we would love to give you the real picture.
Contact Shannon Miles Group