Fifty-two barbecue teams are firing up their smokers at historic Hangar 9 at Brooks on Saturday, squaring off in ribs, chicken and brisket for CPS Energy's GrillsGiving competition. The event runs from noon to 5 p.m., and organizers expect somewhere between 2,500 and 3,000 people to show up for the smoky showdown.
According to KSAT, fifty-two teams are competing in ribs, chicken and brisket, with judging taking place right there at Hangar 9. Tickets come with samples from the competing teams while supplies last, the station reports, so early arrival might be the difference between tasting all three categories or just one. Per CPS Energy, the gathering is billed as a family-friendly BBQ competition fundraiser featuring great food, live music and free parking.
Brisket, Ribs, Chicken and Bragging Rights
Teams across the community are competing for top honors in brisket, ribs, chicken, and the coveted People's Choice Award, CPS Energy notes on its event page. It's the kind of friendly rivalry that's become a fixture of San Antonio's fall calendar, with the utility saying GrillsGiving has been serving up smoky goodness since 2014, according to the CPS Energy Newsroom.
Last year's edition, held Nov. 15, 2025, at the same Hangar 9 venue, drew more than 60 barbecue teams, per the newsroom's announcement. A year earlier, the San Antonio Current described the ninth annual event as a cook-off featuring more than 50 barbecue teams, live music and family-friendly activities. The 2025 KSAT promotion similarly pointed to more than 50 pitmasters competing for a Best Pitmaster title decided by attendee votes.
Where the Money Goes
The real stakes of Saturday's cook-off go beyond bragging rights in the smoke ring. Net proceeds from GrillsGiving will benefit the Residential Energy Assistance Partnership, known as REAP, which CPS Energy describes as providing utility assistance to customers and families experiencing financial hardship paying their utility bill. As KSAT framed it in its own coverage, the competition raises money for that same utility-assistance mission.
REAP was established in 2002 as a partnership between CPS Energy, the City of San Antonio and Bexar County, according to the utility's event page. CPS Energy says it contributes up to $1 million annually to REAP, and the newsroom's 2025 announcement noted that the previous year's GrillsGiving alone helped raise over $400,000 for the program. For families juggling overdue utility bills heading into winter, that kind of fundraiser can mean the difference between staying current and falling further behind.
Saturday's lineup keeps the formula that's carried GrillsGiving for more than a decade: dozens of competing teams, live music, free parking and a crowd that shows up as much for the cause as for the brisket. Anyone headed to Hangar 9 at Brooks between noon and 5 p.m. can expect a packed hangar, plenty of smoke in the air, and a chance to help a neighbor keep the lights on.
