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Special Attractions

Barbecue Menu

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Tent locations:

-Main & West Center Street (beside the historic courthouse)
-North Main Street & W. 3rd Street
-South Main St. & W. 3rd Avenue

  • Featuring: Chopped Sandwiches and Hot Dogs
  • Pepsi booths are located throughout the festival featuring your favorite Pepsi products. Receive a commemorative festival cup with the purchase of drink...while supplies last!

Cork & Craft Hospitality Garden

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East 3rd Avenue at the Amphitheater

  • Plan to stop by the Barbecue Festival Cork & Craft Hospitality Garden. Admission tickets will go on sale in October! Admission will include a commemorative glass and access to upscale restrooms.
  • Sit back, relax, and enjoy great live music from the Amphitheater Stage.
  • Hospitality Garden hours: 11am-7pm
  • A limited # of discounted "Early Bird" tickets will go on sale in October
  • Must be 21 and over to drink alcohol. IDs will be checked. Please drink responsibly.
Featured participants:
Childress Vineyards
Curran Alexander
Bull City Ciderworks
Goose and the Monkey Brew House
Old Nick Williams

Interested in bringing your wine or craft beverage to the hospitality garden?
Space is limited.
Please send an e-mail to info@thebarbecuefestival.com. Cheers!
Childress Vineyards
Curran Alexander
Bull City Ciderworks
Goose and the Monkey Brewhouse
Old Nick Williams Co.

Fine Swine Wine

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Main Street at the Square

  • In celebration of Lexington's barbecue heritage and the city's annual Barbecue Festival, nationally renowned artist Bob Timberlake and legendary NASCAR team owner Richard Childress joined forces to create a wine especially for barbecue.
  • Crafted by award-winning winemaker Mark Friszolowski, the nineteenth edition of Fine Swine Wine is making its debut at the 39th Lexington Barbecue Festival to satisfy the demand of those who appreciate fine food and wine pairings! A portion of the profits will be donated to the Barbecue Festival in memory of festival's co-founders, Kay K. Saintsing and Joe Sink, Jr.
  • While at the festival, please plan to stop by the Childress Vineyards booth, located at the square to purchase a commemorative bottle of Fine Swine Wine.

KidZone

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SOUTH MAIN ST. BETWEEN 3rd & 5th AVENUE

  • Children's Stage
  • Dinosaur Exhibit & Stage Shows sponsored by Kinetic
  • Inflatables and Games
  • Rock Climbing Wall
  • DareDevil Dogs Thrilling K-9 Disc & Trick Show
  • Festival ZimZoom Photo Booth
  • & MORE

Inflates & Games

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Main Street between 4th and 5th Avenue

The Caswell Bounce House is excited to be part of the 2023 Lexington BBQ Festival. All-day wristbands and tickets will be available for the Kidzone.

The Kidzone will include our 73 ft Everest Obstacle Course, 22 ft slide, several popular bounce houses including Mickey and Cars, Ax Throwing, and other games for all ages to enjoy.

ZimZoom Photo Booth

South Main Street between 4th and 5th Avenue

Strike a pose and say "BBQ"!

Plan to stop by the festival's photo booth, capture memories, and take home your photos to add to your festival photo album!

All photos are FREE.

Dinosaur Shows

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South Main St. between 4th and 5th Avenue.

"Ed's Dinosaurs Live" is a fun, family-friendly, interactive show for kids of all ages. Singing, dancing dinosaurs, and if the kids aren't careful, they just might learn something.

Join us for more fun than you have had in 65 1/2 million years! Ed's Dinosaurs Live! The Greatest Dinosaur Show on Earth!

There will be four shows during the festival: 10:30AM, 12:30PM, 2:30PM, 4:30PM

The shows are proudly sponsored by Kinetic.





DARE DEVIL DOGS - THRILLING K-9 DISC & TRICK SHOW

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East 3rd Avenue

Don't miss your chance to see the Dare Devil Dogs at the festival. The performances are 20-30 minutes long, with a meet & greet after each show. Each performance has frisbee, agility tricks, and crowd participation. The thrilling shows shows are family-friendly and high-energy!

DareDevil Dogs shows set for 9:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm & 4:30pm. Please remember that all show times are subject to shift/change.

Pig-Themed Sand Sculpture

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South Main Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenue

  • The "Pig Themed" sand sculpture, sponsored by Lexington Utilities & ElectriCities, has become one of our most popular attractions!
  • The 50-ton sculpture will begin taking shape eight days before the festival and will be completed on festival day. Don't miss this incredible unique attraction, located adjacent to Main Street, between 2nd & 3rd Avenue.

Juried Arts & Crafts

South Main Street, between 2nd and 3rd Avenue

Many talented artisans have been accepted into the Juried Arts & Crafts special festival section located on South Main Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenue. Be sure to visit these booths and the hundreds of other talented vendors throughout Uptown Lexington.

Entryway by the Master Gardener Volunteers

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South Main Street and E. 5th Avenue

Special thanks to the Master Gardener Volunteers for creating a beautiful entryway to the festival at the shuttle drop-off/pick-up location near E. 5th Avenue & Main.

NC Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers

Since 1979, North Carolina Extension Master Gardener℠ Volunteers (EMGVs) have been leaders in this internationally acclaimed program, guiding homeowners in making environmentally sound decisions in their landscapes. Trained by North Carolina State University faculty and staff, EMGVs provide research-based information about gardening and environmental stewardship to individuals and communities across the state. EMGVs engage the community through education and outreach on a wide variety of subjects and through a broad spectrum of projects, all designed to maximize their impact.

BMX Stunt Show

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209 N. Main Street - Truist Bank Parking Lot

King BMX Stunt Shows

King BMX will once again add to the festival excitement by performing four thirty-minute bicycle shows.

Each show will provide the audience with exciting stunt performances and will also include an appropriate talk about safety gear and it’s importance in bicycle riding. After each show the riders will be available for the spectators to get autographs and meet their favorite riders.

Shows will begin at 10:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., and 4:30 p.m.


Antique Car Cruise-In

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301 North Main Street - Davidson Funeral Home Parking Lot

  • The Barbecue Festival will host a Cruise-In during the festival in the Davidson Funeral Home Parking lot. A portion of the proceeds from the car show will benefit a local charity.
  • Open to all antique and special interest cars and trucks. No motorcycles.
  • Limited to the first 65 vehicles. No pre-registration.
  • $20 Entry fee is payable upon arrival; all fees donated to a local charity.
  • Vehicles should arrive between 8 AM - 10 AM.
  • Prizes will be awarded for Oldest Vehicle, Best Modified, Best Rat Rod, Best Special Interest, Best 25 Years or Older
  • No "For Sale" Signs, No Soliciting, No Free Advertising
  • Directions: Access the cruise-in parking lot from N. Salisbury Street, at the rear entrance of the funeral home.
  • For more information, contact Jack Harris at 336-887-7524 or 336-888-8211 (cell)
Sponsored by: Kinetic by Windstream

Check out the Corvettes!

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West 1st Avenue

Clubvette, one of the largest corvette clubs in the U.S.A., and Generation Vettes, will be displaying corvettes from all vintages during the festival. Be sure to stop by W.1st Avenue during the festival to see the amazing VETTES!

Barbecue Festival Blood Drive

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YMCA, 119 W. 3rd Ave


  • Held by the Red Cross and the Lexington Community at the YMCA (119 W. 3rd Ave)
  • Saturday, October 28, 2023
  • 10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
  • For an appointment, please visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter the sponsor keyword “BBQ Festival” Or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Stage 3 Hospitality Garden

300 N. Main Street - Sam's Car Wash

Be sure to stop by the Hospitality Garden adjacent to Stage 3...the stage & hospitality garden is located in the parking lot of Sam's Car Wash at 300 North Main Street...enjoy your favorite Anheuser-Busch beverages and some great entertainment, too!
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