Lexington Barbecue Cook Off Cancelled In Wake Of Factory Fire

A well-known Lexington barbecue contest is cancelled for this year, a casualty of a massive fire that destroyed a historic furniture plant.

The Barbecue Capital Cook Off has been a big draw in Lexington since it began crowning winners in 2011. This year's winner's purse stood at more than $15,000.

It's one of the events credited with helping drive an annual economic impact from tourists to Davidson County amounting to more than $150 million, according to the Lexington Tourism Authority.

But this year's cook off is now called off. The event has been held next to the city's former Lexington Home Brands furniture factory. A massive fire destroyed the building in December.

Now cook-off organizers say the clean-up won't be complete in time for the event, scheduled for late April.

Organizers say they'll bring the spring cook off back in 2019.

Part of the city's best-known culinary celebration, the Barbecue Festival, is also held near the ruins of the destroyed factory, but that doesn't happen until October.