Special to the NEWS
Tickets are officially on sale for the 2026 San Benito Hog Waddle, set for Saturday, March 14, 2026, at the San Benito Fairgrounds and headlined by Grammy-nominated artist and San Benito native Charley Crockett.
General admission tickets start at $10, with VIP seating available starting at $50.
Tickets are available now, giving fans the chance to see the hometown star perform live at one of San Benito’s most anticipated annual events. Tickets can be purchased online by visiting cityofsanbenito.com.
Crockett, known for his blend of country and blues, will return to San Benito to perform hits from across his albums, including songs from The Valley, in which he proudly sings, “I’m from San Benito, Texas.”
Often called the “$10 Cowboy,” Crockett has earned national recognition for his authentic sound and a growing fan base, according to a City of San Benito press release.
The Hog Waddle is rooted in San Benito’s agricultural history and has grown into a community-wide celebration featuring live music, a cook-off, an Alamo reenactment, and performances by San Benito CISD students.
The family-friendly festival brings residents and visitors together to celebrate the city’s cultural and musical heritage, according to the City.
The Hog Waddle is an annual festival celebrating San Benito’s community spirit with live music, local barbecue and activities for all ages.
For tickets and event updates, visit cityofsanbenito.com and follow the City of San Benito on social media.
As reported last week, San Benito native and rising country and western singer Charley Crockett will headline this year’s Hog Waddle Concert & Cook-off, which includes a variety of other activities for both children and adults to enjoy, local leaders said during a press conference last Friday.
The festival is a kick-off to the summer concert series that city leaders also plan on hosting for a second consecutive year.
At last week’s press conference announcing the headliner, San Benito Mayor Ricardo “Rick” Guerra cited the City of San Benito’s summer concert series’ success last year in terms of attendance despite controversy over costs and profitability.
The Hog Waddle will be a reminder of what’s to come in the summer, city leaders said. The introduction of the 2025 summer concert series had nine shows in July and August, and attracted nearly 20 well known musicians and comedians.
City Manager Fred Sandoval said the two events are now linked, with a major emphasis on future economic development southwest of the city.
Calling the Crockett announcement as the “worst kept secret in San Benito,” Sandoval heralded the local efforts to bringing the 41-year old singer and songwriter back.
“We have a great group of people putting this together,” Sandoval said. “You saw what we did last summer. This is 2.0 on that.”
Referring to the effects as “generational,” the second-year city manager said the on-the-ground efforts will be far-reaching. “We’re planning for the future, we’re planning for development,” Sandoval said
He mentioned that a future amphitheater will be located where the Hog Waddle is being held, around the San Benito Fairgrounds at 1501 Cesar Gonzales.
“Our amphitheater is going to anchor our retail development out there; there are a lot of things that are coming and a lot of people that are partnering up with us, and this is just one piece of that big program we’re putting together.”
According to Crockett’s website, he will be touring extensively in the lead-up to his March 14 concert. He will be in Canada and then five U.S. states before coming to San Benito. The last time he came, in September 2024, he was awarded the key to the city.
Among those represented at the press conference were leaders from the San Benito Chamber, the school district, EDC, the Texas Conjunto Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and elected officials.
“When we are unified, we do great things for our community,” San Benito Director of Communications Cristina M. Garcia said.
Tickets can also be purchased at the San Benito EDC Building, located at 701 North Bowie.
In addition to the music, there will be an early-morning 5K run, carnival, cook-off contest, performances by San Benito CISD dance students, and a Battle of the Alamo reenactment by the Texas Heritage Independence Celebration Association.
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