Wild Beast Feast and cook-off returns to the North Texas Fairgrounds

by H. Drew Blackburn of North Texas Daily

This weekend, explore gamey tastes while raising funds for a community organization.

Wild Beast Feast

DENTON — The smell of barbecue and the sound of sizzling meat will fill the North Texas Fairgrounds this weekend.

The 6th annual Wild Beast Feast will be held this Saturday from 6 to 10 p.m.

The event will include a cook-off competition between 16 local Denton businesses, an auction, live music, and a host of other activities.

Each year, the Greater Denton Arts Council puts the Wild Beast Feast together to raise funds for the art council.

It is one of the biggest fundraisers the council puts together, said Caroline Holley, an administrative assistant for the Greater Denton Arts Council.

“The purpose is to raise money for the art council and to get everybody involved and to understand what the GDAC does,” Holley said. “It’s a very important cause in Denton.”

Suzanne Schneider, a chef at The Chestnut Tree in Denton, said they will serve Columbian lamb tacos.

“It’s a good cause, and it helps promote business,” Schneider said.

Other local businesses will also be cooking up unusual cuisine.

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Wild Beast Feast

Sat
Sep
29^th
6^PM

North Texas State Fairgrounds
2217 North Carroll Boulevard
Denton, TX
$5 - $20

Love Shack will offer rabbit and rattlesnake sausage, Denton Sports and Physical Therapy Center will cook venison chili, and James Wood Auto Park will serve deer and oryx, an antelope species.

“We also have hot dogs for kids,” Holley said. “A lot of people in Denton don’t like to eat that kind of stuff.”

Some of the auction items include a basket of wine, a basket of whiskey, artwork and more.

“Frenchy’s Lawn [and Tree Service] has given us 72 hours of ‘write whatever you want on the van,’ and that always gets a lot,” Holley said.

Last year the Wild Beast Feast was held at Apogee Stadium, but patrons had difficulty entering the stadium, Holley said.

So this year the event is returning to the North Texas Fairgrounds.

“We don’t talk about last year,” Holley said.

Tickets can be purchased at the Greater Denton Arts Council or at the event itself. They are $20 for adults and $5 for kids.

“It’s not your average get-together,” communication design senior Greg Kiefer said. “I like the business recognition, and the dishes are conversation pieces in a way. I’m interested in what the wild game tastes like, but I’m interested in what my friend would think too.”