2011 Lexington BBQ Festival (Lexington, NC)
12:15 PM
Derek
100,000+ patrons descended onto Lexington, North Carolina's Main Street Saturday for the 28th Annual Barbecue Festival. It was a beautiful 65 degree day under sunny, Carolina blue skies. The air was filled with eclectic live music and the smell of carnival food.
The Barbecue Festival is a celebration of Lexington's rich barbecue tradition. On this day, several of the town's famous joints pool their resources and serve Lexington style "Q" to the masses. Unlike may BBQ gatherings, there is no competition at Lexington's Barbecue Festival.
Katie and I arrived, with Kenni in tow, a little after 11:00 a.m. The streets of Lexington were already crowded. Since we'd both skipped breakfast we immediately headed for the closest BBQ tent. Each BBQ tent had several volunteers assembling sandwiches and serving BBQ. I ordered a couple of sandwiches (with slaw) for Katie and myself.
Mysteriously, chopped pork sandwiches always seem to taste better at the Barbecue Festival. This year was no exception. I'm not typically a huge fan of Lexington style chopped sandwiches, but these were good enough that I went back for seconds.
We spent the next couple of hours browsing through hundreds of craft stands and sampling festival delicacies such as curly fries, bloomin onion and fresh squeezed lemonade. I also made use of the time by passing out The "Q" Review's newly designed business cards.
We exited the festival early in the afternoon with tired legs and full stomachs. The Barbecue Festival seems to grow by the year. The streets of Lexington were jam packed by the time we left. It's already one of the biggest food festivals in the country. It's a must see event for BBQ enthusiast in the South and one of the best days on my yearly BBQ calender.
Loved the Festival....great food and music, beautiful weather....what more could you want!