Cook for community
Each participating department may feature a favorite dish or cooking tradition in a safe, festival-approved format.
A founding-year community exhibition in development
Battle of the Badges
Longview Fire and Longview Police. Two community causes. One city gathering around food, service, and charitable impact.
Civic pride meets community purpose
A friendly cookout with a bigger purpose.
We are inviting the Longview Fire Department and Longview Police Department to help shape a welcoming public-service celebration that families, first responders, local businesses, and the entire East Texas community can rally around.
The founding-year concept is an exhibition rather than a sanctioned professional competition. Each department may showcase a favorite dish, highlight a selected cause, meet families, and invite voluntary charitable support through a festival-approved process.
Proposed feature—participation and final format pending confirmationFood, service, and community
Possible showcase favorites.
The final menu and service format will be confirmed with participating departments, health officials, and festival operations.
The real win
Public service that gives back.
This exhibition is designed to honor those who serve while helping both departments create support and visibility for meaningful local causes.
Support a cause
Guests may be invited to make voluntary charitable votes or donations through a clearly published process.
Celebrate service
The Soul Stage can recognize firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, dispatchers, military members, and veterans.
Community recognition
Recognition without professional judging.
- Department participation recognition
- Community Choice recognition, if approved
- Charitable impact presentation
- Public-service appreciation
- Festival photo moment
- Future traveling Smoke Trophy consideration
Honor those who serve
A festival moment bigger than barbecue.
The founding-year vision includes public recognition of firefighters, law enforcement, EMS, dispatchers, active-duty military members, and veterans from the Soul Stage. Admission benefits and ceremony details will be announced only after they are formally approved.
“Good food. Community causes. East Texas standing together.”
Founding sponsor opportunity
Put your brand behind those who serve.
Battle of the Badges partnership opportunities may include naming recognition, department-area support, charitable-impact visibility, on-site signage, and media recognition. Final benefits are subject to the approved exhibition format.
Build it with us
Follow the showcase from the beginning.
Department confirmations, selected causes, support instructions, schedules, and public-safety appreciation details will be released through official festival channels.