A contestant or team consists of one chief cook and no more than four assistants (but who’s counting). Contestants may check in and pickup turn in containers at

the judging tent beginning at 10 A.M Saturday Saturday, July 18, 2026. Space setup may begin at 8am.

🔴The City of Galveston will not be closing the street until at 8am.
🔴Categories for the 2026 Albatross Old Smokey Throw down Cook-off are as follows:

Chicken Wings (Wings and Drumettes only)
Beef Fajitas
Hot Dog

**ALL ENTRIES MUST BE COOKED ON A STOCK OLD SMOKEY.(Unmodified)

Teams may bring more than one Old Smokey pit to cook on.
Please only Old Smokeys.
Your official start time is as soon as you’re Setup.
SAUCE: You like it use it. Cook with it, pour it on your entry; we don’t care just make it delicious. NO garnishing or markers allowed.
No foil inside containers.

**EVERY TEAM IS REQUIRED TO HAVE A FIRE EXTINGUISHER.

Cooks are to prepare and cook barbecue in as sanitary a manner as possible. Cooking conditions are subject to inspection by the BARBECUE COOK-OFF COMMITTEE and/or County and State Health Inspectors. Conditions found to be unsanitary will be grounds for disqualification from this cook-off. Fires must be wood or wood substance, or charcoal.

NO gas or electric fires are allowed. No holes, open fires, or dug pits will be allowed.

JUDGING: Contest meats will be judged by the public on Saturday, July 18, 2026. Contest meats must be delivered to the designated turn-in point.

Turn in time listed below:

CHICKEN WINGS: 12:30pm to 12:40pm
BEEF FAJITAS: 2:20pm to 2:30pm
HOT DOG: 3:50pm to 4:00pm

THE OFFICIAL TIME WILL BE THAT ONE AS KEPT BY THE HEAD JUDGE & HIS/HER DESIGNATED REPRESENTATIVE. WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT 5:30PM.

DOUBLE BLIND JUDGING: You will receive 3 foam trays with lids. Each of these trays will have a numbered ticket affixed to the bottom and a matching numbered ticket inside. The Chief Cook is responsible for removing the inner ticket and putting it in a safe place. You MUST present this number matching inner ticket to claim any prize when the winning tickets are announced at the award ceremony.