25th Annual Barbecue Festival.

It's that time again! And Lexington, NC will be the place to be this weekend.

The 'cue is cooking, the balloons are being inflated, and the banners will be hung. Lexington waits in quiet excitement for the 25th Annual Barbecue Festival.
Within hours, over 100,000+ people will flood historic uptown Lexington. Each year, more and more people attend, and this anniversary I'm sure will be the biggest yet. It should be perfect, the food, the decorations, the performances.

At 9 a.m. on the Grandstand. Lexington Mayor John Walser will be presented with the first barbecue sandwich, Pepsi, glass of Fine Swine Wine and slice of 25th anniversary cake to get the festival started.
Around 10 a.m., the scrumptious hickory-smoked Lexington-style barbecue will start being sold from three tents in areas around the festival.

Six stages of music and performances will run all day in different areas of the festival. The Grandstand on the Square hosts WTQR's Guitar Pull. With Leeann Womack, Jamie Johnson, Adam Gregory and Randy Houser performing in the one of the festival's biggest attractions.

The Barbecue Carnival will offer rides and games for the little ones. Throughout the day, families can watch pig races at the Hogway Speedway and view the Lumberjack Show and Chop Shop. SpongeBob SquarePants will be there to meet and pose for photos.

Artisans and crafters will have their wares for sale, and a juried crafts competition will be on display all along the southern end of Main Street. Car lovers will enjoy the classics on display at the Car Show Extravaganza or the new and classic Corvettes on the other side of the festival.

Richard Childress of Childress Vineyards, Also owner of Richard Childress Racing will sell bottles of his fourth vintage of Fine Swine Wine for $15. Childress Vineyards winemaker Mark Friszolowki and Bob Timberlake, who designed the wine label, will autograph bottles for buyers.

Later in the evening, festival-goers will get a spectacular fireworks display ending the celebration for its 25 successful years.

I sure would love to go home for this one, indeed! :-)