Lexington, NC - 32nd Annual BBQ Festival

As you get closer to Main Street, the air takes on a quality of excitement - tinged with a faint hint of mesquite. Carefully hand-written signs offer parking in this lot, or that one - local businesses, homeowners and civic organizations alike smile and wave at the brisk traffic en route to the heart of the Lexington BBQ Festival, an annual tradition here in town. With an expected turnout of over 150,000 in 2015, this is no small affair - attendees have flooded in from neighboring states to sample the food, fun and festivities of this iconic annual event. Strolling up to the beginning of the free-to-enter festival, you're greeted by a canopy of colorful balloons, dotted with smiling mylar pigs, and the eclectic yet compelling sounds of Daft Punk played in the cheerful chiming tones of a Jamaican steel drum band. Families stroll by, their hands full of mouthwatering BBQ, towering soft-serve cones and pig-based souvenirs, and a nearly endless row of vendors call out from their booths and tents, enticing visitors to come examine their wares. Candles, towels, sports team-themed products and handmade local crafts all vie for attention in a marketplace full of bargains and amazing smells. In addition to the festival's flagship BBQ dishes, there can be no mistake you're firmly in the South - bright signs tempt adventurous eaters with delicacies like deep fried Oreos. If you find yourself needing to assuage a little guilt from chowing down (or considering chowing down) on one of the aforementioned treats, the Wake Forest Baptist Health table is staffed by locals like multi-decade nursing veteran Sue Epley. As she clasps the hands of another attendee in her own in a heart-to-heart on heart health, it's easy to see the lifelong passion she enthusiastically carries for health and wellness. The hospital complex she works in has thoughtfully provided free child-sized headgear proclaiming the wearer to be a "Future Doctor" or "Future Nurse," as well as a wealth of free health information. Behind her, uniformed police officers stand on the steps of the Lexington Police headquarters, greeting attendees and ensuring vigilant safety for all in the ever-growing crowd. There is much more to do than simply walk and eat here, and enthusiastic "audience participation" draws in curious onlookers at places like Real Life Photography on Main Street, where giant chalkboards eclipse the storefront. At the top of each, the words "Before I Die" appear, with dozens of lines stretching underneath. Adults and children from all walks of life dip into nearby bowls for free cookies and sticks of chalk, scribbling everything from "Meet my Soulmate" to "Become a Rock Star." A bemused Real Life employee pops out every few minutes to take a snapshot of filled-in boards, preserving them for posterity before wiping them back down into blank slates for other visitors. Further down Main Street, a colorfully-garbed denizen of the Scrap Exchange is on loan from Durham, presiding over tables filled with all manner of bric-a-brac - springs, glue, glitter, fabric pieces and plastic tubing. Children approach shyly but quickly light up as they're told to go wild and enjoy the free craft supplies to make whatever they like. Industrial barrels nearby hold a treasure trove of other interesting tidbits for the creative soul, all cast-offs and donations from nearby businesses and organizations. The community spirit crosses generations with ease - a woman creates a bouquet of "flowers" from scrap absorption cloth from a tie-dye factory, pops it in a green tube, and presents it to an excited little girl nearby as a gift.

No street festival is complete without a few pooches amid the crowd, but the dogs at a few booths here are particularly special. A pen full of beautiful collies lounges under a shady canopy, rotating places as "greeter" dogs, equipped with tip-collecting saddlebags. The individuals here with the Collie Rescue of the Carolinas enthusiastically talk about their favorite breed, manning a table full of bumper stickers, pins and, in the spirit of the event, iridescent plush flying pig hats that "flap" when a chin string is tugged. Nearby, Project Racing home gives the elegant Collies a run for their money in the statuesque canine department, with friendly greyhounds enchanting everyone nearby. Adoptions of the two-legged variety aren't far away, either - a young woman in the AYUSA booth happily talks about the benefits to both student and host as she outlines requirements for hosting exchange students right here in Lexington. As the festival winds down, the way back yields intriguing local shops, opening their doors for the fortuitous annual outpouring of foot traffic. Outside Top Hat Comics, a receiving line of unlikely costumed comic book characters rub elbows - The Joker trades barbs with Deadpool, while a smiling 6 year old Catwoman poses with them for pictures. Inside, the unmistakable whirr of slot cars race around a rental track while a Spiderman mannequin looks on. A few doors down, the Purple Pig Emporium caters to the treasure-seekers in town, with two lofty floors full of jewelry and handcrafted decor, dotted with primitive wood signs, charming displays and fanciful bags of gourmet tea. The stage that held the steel drum band now holds a big band ensemble that's honoring Elvis Presley's works, one shining saxophone swing at a time. As they play you out of the festival, the chatter of the crowd, the fun-loving couples dancing to the music and the smiles of your fellow festival-goers become downright infectious. With a stomach full of famous Lexington BBQ - and perhaps a little more cotton candy than was strictly necessary - and a mind full of memories, you make a note to return in 2016 - not just as a visitor, but as a proud local. The rich diversity of not only food, but organizations, charities and artistic talent found here are only the tip of the iceberg for Lexington - it's little wonder why the town welcomes so many new residents each year.