MIDLAND, Texas — The air was filled with the sound of music and the smell of BBQ at The Tailgate today.
The Permian Basin Association of Directional Drilling held their annual Basin Burnout BBQ cook-off and music festival at The Tailgate in Midland today.
“It’s an amateur barbecue cook-off competition," said Russell Johnson, vice president of the PBADD. "We got 26 teams out this year, all competing for the grand champion prize. We got a music festival going on as well today. We got six bands coming in and playing, the headlining band being 'Pecos and the Rooftops'.”
The event allows a part of the oil and gas industry to give back to the Permian Basin community, as well as raise money and awareness for US military veterans.
Raising money for veteran charities is something that hits close to home for Johnson.
“As a veteran myself, I know the impact it makes when we can financially support these charities," Johnson continued. "Local and national. To put an event like this on for our community is just huge for us. It's beyond gratifying.”
Johnson says the money raised today will go to Boot Campaign and Reel Thanx, two nonprofits that support veterans, with Reel Thanx being a nonprofit local to Midland.