If you’re already bracing for 90º weather this week, get ready, Austin: the rest of May is about to get even hotter.
The Hot Luck Festival returns on Memorial Day weekend, and it’s sure to feature some saucy, smokin’, sizzlin’ eats. Our mouths are already watering, so let’s get to it.
Wait, wait: who’s running this festival?
An Austin power team, of course. The trio behind the Hot Luck Fest includes:
- Aaron Franklin, James Beard Award-winner and founder of Franklin’s Barbecue
- James Moody, owner of Mohawk Austin and co-founder + CEO of Guerilla Suit
- Mike Thelin, cofounder of Feast Portland
So, what happens during the fest?
Lots of cooking — and lots of eating.
The daytime includes events such as a pizza party, backyard barbecue, and flame-fueled cook-off, all featuring delectable dishes from the world’s best chefs. These include Austinites such as:
- Fiore Tedesco of L’Oca d’Oro
- Tyson Cole of uchi
- Edgar Rico of Nixta Taqueria
- Evan LeRoy of LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue
- Yoshi Okai of Otoko
- … and Aaron Franklin himself, of course.
There are dozens — literally, dozens — more chefs participating from around the country. Check out the full lineup here.
At nighttime, attendees of the four-day festival will dim the lights and turn up the amp for a series of concerts around town. Performances include:
- Shannon and the Clams at Mohawk on Sat., May 28
- Joe Marchinek Band at Antone’s Nightclub on Sat., May 28
- Colleen Green at Hotel Vegas on Sun., May 29
Okay, how can I get tickets?
Unfortunately, “Whole Enchilada” passes that give you the green light for every festival event are sold out. But you’re in (hot) luck: There are also single-event ticket options for all of the festival’s concerts + food events.
Concert tickets start at $10, and food events start at $175. Go ahead and click this link to plan your weekend — and save us some leftovers, if you don’t mind.
