TYLER, Texas — Tyler’s biggest barbecue and music celebration - the inaugural Troubadour Festival - is on its way this weekend.
"A troubadour is kind of defined as a traveling songwriter and poet back in Western Europe hundreds of years ago," said festival co-owner Chase Colston. "We kind of went with the same concept as the traveling festival with music and barbecue."
Colston is no stranger to big shows. He also ran the Red Dirt festival, but this one is personal.
"I lost my job here in the pandemic like many people in my profession," Colston said. "Along the way, my best friend of more than 30 years and I decided to go into business for ourselves and said, 'Let's take this concept that has been a success.'”
This is the layout for Saturday’s shows.
Festival goers will enter through West Erwin Street and bask in the flavors of more than 40 of the best barbecue joints from across the entire state Saturday.
Country singer Gary Allan is headlining. He'll be joined by Flatland Cavalry, Mike Ryan, the Steel Woods and Chris Colston.
"It's been almost three and a half years since the last Red Dirt I did in 2019 and I just I can't say enough about my hometown," Colston said. "I live downtown, I work downtown and we are really excited to bring Troubadour Festival downtown."
Tickets are live for this year’s fest and there are four ticket tiers ranging from $60 to $225. The tickets also buy one get one free until Friday.
Children age 10 and younger get in free.