History of the Festival

 

When Joe Sink, Jr., publisher of THE DISPATCH, discussed his love of festivals with BB&T officials in 1983 he had no idea that it would lead to Lexington hosting one of the country's most popular food festivals.

BB&T and THE DISPATCH agreed to hire Kay Saintsing, a local organization developer and manager, to complete a feasibility study on a new community event. With Saintsing's research and recommendations in hand both companies felt it was time to launch the first annual Barbecue Festival in Lexington on October 27, 1984. Event specialist Kay Saintsing and her staff at Saintsing Management Services (now Preferred Events) produced the festival. Preferred Events now works throughout the year planning Lexington's largest event.

Critical to the success of the event was the special cooperation given the festival by the City of Lexington, Davidson County, as well as the owners of the popular barbecue restaurants throughout the area.

Today, the festival has become an annual tradition that is held on one of the last two Saturdays in October. The 28th Annual Barbecue Festival is set for Saturday, October 22nd, 2011. In addition to the festival, the City of Lexington and Davidson County officially declared October as "Barbecue" month. Events are held throughout the month of October which lead to the grand finale, the Barbecue Festival. Events that are held during the month of October include the Tour de Pig - the annual cycling event benefiting the Mental Health Association in Davidson County. Also included are a golf tournament, a tennis tournament, the 5K Hawg run, and the Hawg Shoot Air Rifle Tournament. All of these events draw talented athletes from across the Southeast.

In 1984, the Barbecue Festival attracted approximately 30,000 people and the barbecue chefs cooked 3,000 pounds of barbecue. In 1994, the crowd was in excess of 100,000 people and 11,000 pounds of Barbecue were served. In 1995, some of the literal and figurative distance between east and piedmont was bridged when the state pork producers association voted to accept the city's invitation for the annual North Carolina Championship Pork Cook-Off to be held in Lexington in conjunction with the Lexington Barbecue Festival. Piedmont residents, used to seeing pits full of pork shoulders, were able to watch the state's top whole-hog cooking experts—nearly all of them from the coastal plain—demonstrate their craft. In 2003 crowds were estimated at more than 150,000 visitors to Lexington. Certainly everyone is proud of the growth and success the festival has accomplished over the years.

The Festival is held in Uptown Lexington. An eight block stretch of Main Street is closed to traffic, with banners at either end announcing the Festival with a logo featuring four dancing pigs. Over four hundred exhibitors sell everything from handmade crafts to homemade fudge. Also a Juried competition includes artists and craftsmen from across the country. This competition, sponsored by Carolane Propane Gas, Inc., is held throughout two blocks of Main Street in front of the Davidson county Museum of Art. Five stages of entertainment showcase local and national artists. The festival is for people of all ages and includes a special section of rides and games for children, Piglet Land. Barbecue is served at three locations through the festival area.These are amazing places where no fewer than 35 people work beneath each red and white tent chopping barbecue, fixing slaw, and serving french fries. Here from Mission Central, the heart of the Festival, comes the special Festival barbecue, which is a result of the combined effort of five masters of the trade.

The Barbecue Festival is especially proud that many civic and non-profit organizations are able to raise funds by providing parking or selling concessions, raffle tickets, etc., during the Festival. This is also an excellent opportunity for the organizations to present information and educate the public. A special section of information booths is located beside Davidson County's historic courthouse.