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SmokeSlam: The Ultimate BBQ Festival Unveils More Than Just BBQ; A Three-Day Family-Friendly Extravaganza!

Discover the ultimate BBQ festival experience at SmokeSlam in Memphis, featuring mouthwatering bites, live music, family-friendly activities, and more!

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SmokeSlam Unveils More Than Just BBQ; A Three-Day Festival For BBQ Fans And The Whole Family

Memphis, Tennessee – SmokeSlam, the ultimate BBQ festival, is set to deliver an unforgettable experience for BBQ enthusiasts, families, foodies, and tourists alike. In addition to showcasing the world’s richest prize in BBQ, SmokeSlam has unveiled an exciting lineup of activities and partnerships that make it more than just a BBQ competition.

One of the highlights of the festival is the Live Fire Extravaganza, which will take place daily. Renowned pitmasters such as Al Frugoni, Chris Stafford (LoneMountainBBQ), Misty Banchero (SeattleButchersWife), and Toni Ramirez (TFTI) will be cooking up endless mouthwatering bites for guests to enjoy. From sliders and wings to street tacos and shrimp and grits, there will be something to satisfy every palate. And for those looking for vegetarian options, BBQ’d veggies and fruits will also be available.

But SmokeSlam is not just about BBQ. The festival has partnered with the non-profit organization Project Green Fork to provide food to underprivileged communities across Memphis. By retrieving surplus food from the festival and distributing it to community stakeholders, SmokeSlam is making a positive impact on the local community.

To cater to families, SmokeSlam has introduced stroller- and diaper bag-friendly rules. This means that parents can bring their little ones to enjoy the festival without any hassle. Kids will also have the opportunity to be inspired by young pitmasters competing in Melissa Cookston’s World Junior Barbecue League.

For those looking for something other than BBQ, SmokeSlam has added a plethora of activities to keep guests entertained. 901 Pickleball, sponsored by Wickles Pickles, will be providing four full-size pickleball courts for anyone who wants to give the sport a try. There will also be music, coaches, and demo gear available for those new to the game.

Live music will also be a major highlight of the festival, with performances by popular artists such as Tone Loc, WAR, and The Bar-Kays. And to add to the festive atmosphere, there will be a fireworks display every night.

Food vendors will be aplenty at SmokeSlam, with local favorites such as Mempops, Pronto Pups, Sawce Pizza, and Tica’s Burger Joint serving up delicious treats. The Memphis Market, curated by Memphis Flavor, will also be selling the city’s finest rubs and sauces, providing guests with the opportunity to take home a taste of Memphis.

In addition to the exciting lineup of events and activities, SmokeSlam boasts the largest cash prize purse in history, now at $275,000. Winners will also receive one-of-a-kind trophies designed and created by the famed Memphis Metal Museum.

SmokeSlam has received support from various sponsors, including Bud Light, B&B Charcoal, Duraflame, Cowboy Charcoal, White Claw, and Coca-Cola. The festival is set to take place at Tom Lee Park, with doors opening at 2 PM each day and the park closing at midnight.

Thursday:

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2 PM – 8 PM – B&B Charcoal Live Fire Extravaganza presented by NBBQA
2:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Christy Vanovers @girlscangril
3:00 PM – WFC Bacon Judging Starts
3:30 PM – Cooking Demo with John Lindsey @allquedupbbq
4:00 PM – WFC Wings Judging Starts
4:00 PM – 4:30 PM Meet and Greets with Head Pitmasters Al Frugoni and Derek Wolf (OvertheFireCooking) (VIP ONLY)
4:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Erica Roby @bluesmokeblair
5:00 PM – WFC Dessert Judging Starts
5:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Ray Sheehan @chef.raysheehan
5:45 PM – 6:45 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: Noisy Cats Are We
6:00 PM – 7:00 – Meet and Greets with Myron Mixon (5x World Champion), Heath Riles (75x BBQ Grand Champion), and Carey Bringle (PegLegPorker) (VIP ONLY)
6:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Robert Perkins/Pancho and Lefty
7:15 PM -8:15 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: Mustache The Band
7:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Mike Starr @blazingstarbbq
8:45 PM – 10:15 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: Mix Tape Tour featuring Tone Loc, Rob Base, Young MC, DJ M Walk

Friday

2 PM – 8 PM – B&B Charcoal Live Fire Extravaganza presented by NBBQA
2:30 PM – Cooking Demo with John Lindsey @allquedupbbq
2:30 PM – WFC Duck Judging Starts
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM – Meet and Greets with Logan Sandoval (ZefBBQ) and Netflix BBQ Showdown Champion Thyron Mathews (VIP only)
3:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Ray Sheehan @chef.raysheehan
4:00 PM – WFC Seafood Judging Starts
4:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Erica Roby @bluesmokeblair
4:45 PM – 5:30 PM Live Music at the White Claw Stage: Hope Clayburn & Soul Scrimmage
5:15 PM – 6:15 PM – Meet and Greets with Melissa Cookston (7xWorld BBQ Champion), Erica Roby (Blue Smoke Blair), and TV personality Gina Neely
5:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Kunchi @cookinwidkunchi
6 PM – 7:15 PM WFC Awards Ceremony hosted by Erica Roby of Blue Smoke Blaire and Gina Neely (Host of Bluff City Life)
6:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Thyron Mathews @thyronmathew
7:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Mike Starr @blazingstarbbq
7:30 PM – 8:30 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: The Bar-Kays
9 PM – 10:15 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: War

Saturday

2:00 – MBN Finals Judging Begins
2 PM – 8 PM – B&B Charcoal Live Fire Extravaganza presented by NBBQA
2:30 PM – Cooking Demo with John Lindsey @allquedupbbq
3:00 PM – WJBL Chicken Turn in
3:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Christy Vanovers @girlscangrill
3:30 PM – WJBL Ribs Turn in
4:00 PM – WJBL Pork Turn In
4:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Erica Roby @bluesmokeblair
4:30 PM – WJBL Brisket Turn In
5:15 PM – 7:15 PM World Junior Barbecue League (WJBL) Awards followed by Memphis Barbecue Network (MBN) Awards hosted by Thyron & Logan from Netflix’s Barbecue Showdown
5:30 PM – Cooking Demo with Ray Sheehan @chef.raysheehan
7:15 PM – 8:15 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: SmokeSlam Players
8:45 PM – 10:15 PM – Live Music at the White Claw Stage: St Paul and the Broken Bones
**Saturday Meet and Greets for VIP to be announced.

Tickets for SmokeSlam are available for purchase online or at the gate. General admission tickets are priced at $24.99 for a single day and $65 for all three days. VIP tickets, which include special guest appearances, book signings, and more, are priced at $240 per day or $599 for the entire three-day festival.

As SmokeSlam promises to be an unforgettable experience for BBQ enthusiasts and families alike, it is an event not to be missed. Whether you’re a fan of mouthwatering BBQ, live music, or exciting activities, SmokeSlam has something for everyone. So mark your calendars and get ready to indulge in the ultimate BBQ festival experience.

About SmokeSlam

SmokeSlam is an upcoming BBQ festival organized by Mempho Presents, a group deeply rooted in Memphis, music, and barbecue. The inaugural SmokeSlam competition will take place from May 16 to 18, 2024, at Tom Lee Park in Memphis, TN. With a prize purse of $275,000, SmokeSlam boasts the largest pork BBQ competition prize in history. The Memphis BBQ Network (MBN) has partnered with SmokeSlam to oversee the pork championship judging. This MBN-sanctioned event allows teams to compete in all three main categories, with category winners having the opportunity to earn a ‘Golden Ticket’ to participate in the World Food Championships (WFC) in the autumn. The WFC will also be sanctioning the ancillary competitions held on Thursday and Friday. For additional details, please visit www.SmokeSlam.com.

About Mempho Presents

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Mempho Presents is a branch of Forward Momentum that specializes in organizing exceptional live events and creating memorable experiences for fans. Their focus is on producing shows and events throughout the year, primarily in Memphis, TN, and the surrounding Mid-South area. For additional details, please visit https://memphopresents.com/.

SOURCE SmokeSlam

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CES 2026

Inside the Computing Power Behind Spatial Filmmaking: Hugh Hou Goes Hands-On at GIGABYTE Suite During CES 2026

Inside the Computing Power Behind Spatial Filmmaking: Hugh Hou Goes Hands-On at GIGABYTE Suite During CES 2026

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Spatial filmmaking is having a moment—but at CES 2026, the more interesting story wasn’t a glossy trailer or a perfectly controlled demo. It was the workflow.

According to a recent GIGABYTE press release, VR filmmaker and educator Hugh Hou ran a live spatial computing demonstration inside the GIGABYTE suite, walking attendees through how immersive video is actually produced in real-world conditions—capture to post to playback—without leaning on pre-rendered “best case scenario” content. In other words: not theory, not a lab. A production pipeline, running live, on a show floor.

Inside the Computing Power Behind Spatial Filmmaking: Hugh Hou Goes Hands-On at GIGABYTE Suite During CES 2026
Inside the Computing Power Behind Spatial Filmmaking: Hugh Hou Goes Hands-On at GIGABYTE Suite During CES 2026

A full spatial pipeline—executed live

The demo gave attendees a front-row view of a complete spatial filmmaking pipeline:

  • Capture
  • Post-production
  • Final playback across multiple devices

And the key detail here is that the workflow was executed live at CES—mirroring the same processes used in commercial XR projects. That matters because spatial video isn’t forgiving. Once you’re working in 360-degree environments (and pushing into 8K), you’re no longer just chasing “fast.” You’re chasing:

  • System stability
  • Performance consistency
  • Thermal reliability

Those are the unsexy requirements that make or break actual production days.

Playback across Meta Quest, Apple Vision Pro, and Galaxy XR

The session culminated with attendees watching a two-minute spatial film trailer across:

  • Meta Quest
  • Apple Vision Pro
  • Newly launched Galaxy XR headsets
  • Plus a 3D tablet display offering an additional 180-degree viewing option

That multi-device playback is a quiet flex. Spatial content doesn’t live in one ecosystem anymore—creators are being pulled toward cross-platform deliverables, which adds even more pressure on the pipeline to stay clean and consistent.

Where AI fits (when it’s not the headline)

One of the better notes in the release: AI wasn’t positioned as a shiny feature. It was framed as what it’s becoming for a lot of editors—an embedded toolset that speeds up the grind without hijacking the creative process.

In the demo, AI-assisted processes supported tasks like:

  • Enhancement
  • Tracking
  • Preview workflows

The footage moved through industry-standard software—Adobe Premiere Pro and DaVinci Resolve—with AI-based:

  • Upscaling
  • Noise reduction
  • Detail refinement

And in immersive VR, those steps aren’t optional polish. Any artifact, softness, or weird noise pattern becomes painfully obvious when the viewer can look anywhere.

Why the hardware platform matters for spatial workloads

Underneath the demo was a custom-built GIGABYTE AI PC designed for sustained spatial video workloads. Per the release, the system included:

  • AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor
  • Radeon AI PRO R9700 AI TOP GPU
  • X870E AORUS MASTER X3D ICE motherboard

The point GIGABYTE is making is less “look at these parts” and more: spatial computing workloads demand a platform that can run hard continuously—real-time 8K playback and rendering—without throttling, crashing, or drifting into inconsistent performance.

That’s the difference between “cool demo” and “reliable production machine.”

The bigger takeaway: spatial filmmaking is moving from experiment to repeatable process

By running a demanding spatial filmmaking workflow live—and repeatedly—at CES 2026, GIGABYTE is positioning spatial production as something creators can depend on, not just test-drive.

And that’s the shift worth watching in 2026: spatial filmmaking isn’t just about headsets getting better. It’s about the behind-the-scenes pipeline becoming stable enough that creators can treat immersive production like a real, repeatable craft—because the tools finally hold up under pressure.

Source:PRNewswire – GIGABYTE press release

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2026 Oscar Race Updates: ‘Sinners’ Breaks Records and More

The 2026 Oscar race is underway as Sinners breaks nomination records and the Best Picture and acting categories remain wide open. Here’s the latest awards season update.

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The 2026 Oscar race is underway as Sinners breaks nomination records and the Best Picture and acting categories remain wide open. Here’s the latest awards season update.


The 2026 Oscar race is heating up, and this year’s nominations have brought both historic milestones and a fiercely competitive field. Here’s what you need to know about the frontrunners, surprises, and standout achievements in this year’s Academy Awards.

🎬 ‘Sinners’ Makes History

Ryan Coogler’s Sinners is leading the pack with a record-breaking 16 Oscar nominations, more than any other film in history, including Titanic and La La Land. The film received nods in major categories such as Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan. Read more about ‘Sinners’.

🌟 Historic Individual Achievements

  • Ruth E. Carter became the most-nominated Black woman in Oscar history with a nomination for Sinners in Costume Design. Learn more
  • Emma Stone earned her seventh Oscar nomination for Bugonia, making her the youngest performer to reach this milestone at 37. See details

🏆 Best Picture Contenders

While Sinners leads in nominations, the Best Picture race includes multiple strong films:

  • One Battle After Another – 13 nominations and strong awards season momentum. More info
  • Marty Supreme – Major contender, especially for Timothée Chalamet in Best Actor. Check predictions
  • Hamnet, Frankenstein, Sentimental Value, Bugonia – Also strong contenders throughout predictions. Read more

🎖️ Precursors & Predictions

Awards from critics groups and guilds have set the stage for the Oscars, often predicting momentum:

  • Best Picture: Sinners, One Battle After Another, and Hamnet are frontrunners. Full predictions
  • Best Actor: Timothée Chalamet (*Marty Supreme*) is leading, with strong competition from Leonardo DiCaprio and others. See odds
  • Supporting Categories: Competitive fields may bring surprises. Variety predictions

📅 Dates & Viewing

The 98th Academy Awards will be held on March 15, 2026, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. Conan O’Brien is returning as host. The ceremony will air on ABC and stream on Hulu. Learn more.

🔍 Key Takeaways

  • Sinners leads the race with historic nominations.
  • Best Picture and acting races remain highly competitive.
  • Historic milestones for Ruth E. Carter and Emma Stone highlight the season.
  • Keep an eye on precursor awards and critics’ picks—they often indicate the likely winners.

Stay tuned to STM Daily News for live Oscar updates, winner announcements, and expert analysis as the 2026 Academy Awards approach.


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Consumer Corner

LUMISTAR Draws Record Crowds at CES 2026 With AI Tennis and Basketball Training Systems

LUMISTAR’s CES 2026 debut showcased TERO and CARRY, innovative AI sports training systems that engage athletes actively. The systems allow real-time adaptations, transforming training into competitive practice while effectively utilizing performance data for measurable skill development. Pre-orders start March 2026.

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LUMISTAR drew record crowds at CES 2026 with live demos of its AI tennis system TERO and AI basketball trainer CARRY, built to adapt in real time and turn performance data into actionable training.
Tero and Carry at Lumistar CES

LUMISTAR wrapped up its CES 2026 debut in Las Vegas with record-level attention, as live demos of its AI-powered sports training systems consistently drew full crowds throughout the show, according to the company.

The sports-focused AI brand showcased TERO, its AI tennis training system, and CARRY, its AI basketball training system—both described by attendees as “game changers” for how training can be delivered, measured, and scaled.

Why the Booth Stayed Packed

Across multiple days of hands-on demonstrations, LUMISTAR’s booth became a focal point for athletes, coaches, club operators, and sports technology professionals. Visitors repeatedly pointed to one key difference: the systems don’t just record results—they actively participate in training.

That’s a major break from the standard model in sports tech, where:

  • traditional ball machines run pre-set drills, and
  • wearables/video tools analyze performance after a session ends.

Training That Adapts in Real Time

LUMISTAR says both TERO and CARRY combine real-time computer vision, adaptive decision-making, and on-court execution to respond instantly to athlete behavior—adjusting difficulty, tempo, and training logic shot by shot.

Attendees noted that this turns practice from repetition into something closer to competition—an evolving back-and-forth between athlete and system.

“This is not an incremental improvement—it’s a complete rethink of what training equipment should do,” one professional coach attending CES said in the release. “For the first time, the machine is reacting to the athlete, not the other way around.”

From Data Collection to Action

Another standout point from CES feedback: the platform’s focus on turning performance data into immediate training outcomes.

LUMISTAR’s approach emphasizes:

  • continuous data retention across sessions
  • real-time performance interpretation
  • clear visualization of progress and training efficiency

Coaches and athletes highlighted that this could reduce wasted training time and accelerate skill development by making each session measurable and comparable.

What’s Next: Pre-Orders and Kickstarter

LUMISTAR outlined a 2026 rollout plan following CES:

  • TERO opens for pre-orders in March 2026, with full market availability beginning May 2026
  • CARRY launches via Kickstarter in Q2 2026
  • The company will continue private demonstrations and pilot programs with select training institutions worldwide ahead of commercial release

More information is available at https://www.lumistar.ai.

Source: PRNewswire press release from LUMISTAR (Jan. 11, 2026)

STM Daily News is tracking the biggest CES 2026 stories shaping entertainment, culture, and the tech that’s changing how we watch, play, train, and live—bringing you quick-hit updates, standout product debuts, and follow-up coverage as launches roll out in 2026. https://stmdailynews.com/entertainment/

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