No summertime gathering of fishing enthusiasts is complete without barbeque, and there is no better barbeque on earth than in Arkansas. FLW has partnered with some local BBQ teams to add some Arkansas flavor to the 2018 Forrest Wood Cup with its Bass & BBQ Festival as part of the FLW Expo outside the Hot Springs Convention Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas, August 10-12. The BBQ Festival, presented by the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, will feature multiple award-winning BBQ teams from around the state offering delicious fare to visitors at the Forrest Wood Cup. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to local Arkansas charities.

Teams currently registered to compete in the event include:

Tater 2
501 BBQ
Adams Mobile BBQ and Catering
Bryant’s BBQ

In addition to the BBQ Festival, country music acts will also be showcased throughout the weekend on the Bass & BBQ Festival stage, outside the Hot Springs Convention Center. Artists scheduled to perform include:

Saturday, Aug. 11

1-1:45 p.m. – Addison Johnson
2-2:45 p.m. – Highway 124

Sunday, Aug. 12

1-1:45 p.m. – Addison Johnson
2-2:45 p.m. – Luke Williams Band

The FLW Expo and Bass & BBQ Festival and country music concerts are free and open to the public Friday, Aug. 10, Saturday, Aug. 11 and Sunday, Aug. 12 from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Forrest Wood Cup, the world championship of professional bass fishing, will visit Lake Ouachita to crown bass fishing’s top angler of 2018. Hosted by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism and Visit Hot Springs, the tournament will feature 56 of the world’s best bass-fishing professionals casting for the sport’s biggest award – $300,000 cash.