The 39th Annual Barbecue Festival will be held on Saturday, October 28, 2023. In addition to the festival, the City of Lexington and Davidson County has officially declared October as “Barbecue” month. Events are held throughout October which lead to the grand finale, the Barbecue Festival. Events typically held during the month of October include the Tour de Pig-the annual cycling event, golf tournament, and Hawg Run-5K run. All of these events draw talented athletes from across the Southeast. In 2022, the festival was successfully held after enduring two consecutive years of cancellation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Incredible weather and pent-up demand resulted in record-breaking crowds. Attendees were delighted at the opportunity to celebrate again in Lexington, NC. The City of Lexington and festival planners are preparing for the 2023 festival and will be ready for all Lexington Style barbecue fans to descend on Lexington, NC Saturday, October 28. We invite you to be one of them!

The festival is held in Uptown Lexington. A nine-block stretch of Main Street is closed to traffic. More than three hundred exhibitors sell everything from handmade crafts to handmade fudge. Six 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, the Barbecue Carnival & Family Area. Barbecue is served out of three main tents, one at the square and the two others on the North & South ends of the festival. The tents are amazing places where no fewer than 35 people work beneath each red and white tent chopping barbecue, fixing slaw, and serving pigtail 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 the masters of the trade.

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