LEXINGTON, N.C. — The soft hum of car motors and the sweet chirping of birds along Main Street in Lexington are a peaceful, sharp contrast to the noise and organized chaos happening inside shop doors, as entrepreneurs count down to "go time."
"We take it each day at a time as it happens," said Matt Taylor, store manager and future owner of the Backyard Retreat.
It is the charming city's biggest day of the year since 1984 — Barbecue Festival.
"Come early, stay late, wear comfortable shoes, and have a great time," laughed Candy Shop co-owner Annette Conrad."
The city is 'cooking up' a lot of fun and fanfare for the 39th Barbecue Festival this Saturday, Oct. 28, and with more than 200,000 people expected to attend, businesses have been battening down the hatches for months to get ready.
"What we normally do is we hire my dad as a bouncer for the place. Our store is pretty narrow, and there's a lot of stuff in here. So, we have him keep the crowds at a certain number in here because we don't want people shoulder-to-shoulder shuffling through," Taylor explained.
He acknowledged he certainly appreciates the increased revenue Barbecue Festival brings annually. Situated in a prime spot in the heart of uptown, the Backyard Retreat is an oasis for festivalgoers looking to break from the crowds and peruse through the (air-conditioned) store. The garden gift shop stocks up on Christmas décor, knowing customers like to get a jump start on holiday shopping.
A couple blocks down at the Candy Factory, employees are baking stockpiles of their signature antique candy, hoping to serve up comfort and nostalgia to Barbecue Festival guests. Annette and Wynn Conrad have owned the Candy Factory since 2018. The week before the festival, they pre-make hundreds of pounds of fudge and pre-bag popular candies, so they can accommodate the rush of hungry guests efficiently on festival day.
"We usually, from the time we open our doors that morning, have a steady stream of customers. We allow a certain number of folks in the building for safety reasons, obviously, and...it's a great experience, hopefully, for them to see what we have to offer and hopefully come back and visit Lexington again," Annette Conrad said.
Festival details:
- Saturday, Oct. 28
- Uptown Lexington
- Gates open 8:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. (barbecue tents open at 10 a.m.)
- Finale concert 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Breeden Insurance Amphitheater