The Big Picture

Hot Luck Live Food & Music Festival is scheduled in Austin on Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17, bringing chef-driven tasting events and concerts across city venues. The weekend includes a live-fire dinner at Franklin Barbecue on Friday evening, a headline concert at Mohawk, and a large indoor-outdoor tasting party at Assembly Hall on Saturday.

This iteration of Hot Luck — created by Aaron Franklin, James Moody and Mike Thelin and now part of People Inc.’s live food events portfolio — will also benefit the Southern Smoke Foundation, per the event listing.

What Changed

The 2026 edition has shifted into People Inc.’s portfolio, which is noted in the event announcement; the listing also emphasizes a mix of culinary programming and music that ties several standalone ticketed happenings together under one festival banner. That organizational move is the clearest change the source names compared with previous independent editions.

The lineup and programming details in the listing name specific ticketed highlights: Giddy Up! at Franklin Barbecue, a Mon Rovîa concert at Mohawk, and the House Party at Assembly Hall — the listing presents those as weekend anchors rather than a single-site festival.

What's Next

Dates and primary event times are Friday, Oct. 16 and Saturday, Oct. 17, with a Franklin Barbecue Giddy Up! session listed Friday 5:30–9:00 p.m., Mon Rovîa performing Friday at 9:00 p.m. at Mohawk, and the House Party Saturday 6:00–9:00 p.m. at Assembly Hall. The event page links tickets through Two Step Inn’s ticket portal: https://www.twostepinn.com/tickets?utmsource=do512&utmmedium=display-ads&utmcampaign=20260925-onsale.

The Do512 listing does not provide single-day general-admission pricing for the full festival or a complete artist roster beyond the named highlights; check the ticket link for specific pass types, pricing, and additional artist announcements.

If you want barbecue, music, or both, this weekend stitches them together in named Austin venues — and if you’re the kind of person who’ll plan your Saturday around where the music and the food meet, the tickets are the practical next move.