<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-NQoXgJDmI/AAAAAAAABv8/A4ahgpaoKCQ/s1600/145763897_4efc4d9661.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_tZVufRlMtzM/S-NQoXgJDmI/AAAAAAAABv8/A4ahgpaoKCQ/s400/145763897_4efc4d9661.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br />Yesterday with my new role as Southie Extraordinaire at TDT in mind,  I e-mailed a friend of mine who is a member of the Rotary Club of Bixby asking him if I could have back stage access to the judging of the barbecue at the <a href="http://www.bixbyrotarybbq.info/">Bixby BBQ ‘n Music' Festival</a>&nbsp;this weekend.<br /><br />He passed me on to the people in charge of the judges for the festival, and a few hours later I found out that not only did I get access, but I get to be one of the judges.<br /><br />Booya!<br /><br /><a name='more'></a>Needless to say I’m very excited to be be part of this festival. In past years, the Rotary Club of Bixby has been very generous to the community of Bixby, not to mention that I get to spend an entire Saturday eating delicious barbecue.<br /><br />For me, a day doesn’t get much better than that.<br /><br />Now, before you start to feel envious of my exciting new role, Barbecue Judge Extraordinaire, let me tell you that you may also get to taste the delicious barbecue that up to 100 teams will be cooking for the event.<br /><br />From 11am to 1:30pm <b>Saturday only</b> BBQ Competitors’ Taster Kits may be purchased for $5.00 each.  Don’t worry if that time doesn’t fit your schedule as both Friday and Saturday there will be wide variety of BBQ and food vendors that will be selling a variety of foods.<br /><br />There will also be a Kids Zone  with <b>free</b> carnival games, face painting, a magic show and inflatable jumpers for $12 (a $2-off coupon is available on <a href="http://www.bixbyrotarybbq.info/">the festival’s website</a>)<br /><br />Also, there will be live music throughout the event, including tunes from Jenny Labow,  Mary Cogan and Mid Life Crisis. All of this for an entry fee of only $5 per vehicle.<br /><br />So head out this weekend to Washington Irving Memorial Park at 137th and South Memorial for the 9th Annual Bixby BBQ ‘n' Music Festival.  If you see me there covered in barbecue sauce,  say, “Hi!” but don’t offer me a wet wipe.  It’s against the Kansas City Barbecue Society's rules for judges,  yo.<br /><br /><b>9th Annual Bixby BBQ ‘n Music Festival</b><br />When:  Friday, May 7, 5pm - 11pm;&nbsp;Saturday, May 8, 10am - 11pm<br />Where: Washington Irving Memorial Park,&nbsp;137th and S. Memorial<br />Website: <a href="http://www.bixbyrotarybbq.info/">http://www.bixbyrotarybbq.info/</a><br /><br />(BBQ Competitors’ Taster Kits sold from 11am to 1:30pm Saturday only.)<br /><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; line-height: 24px;"><a href="http://www.kellyology.net/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">Kelly writes Kellyology.net</a>, a blog about life in Oklahoma, motherhood and the general stuff of life, and she's a founding member of&nbsp;<a href="http://www.therhok.com/" style="color: #999999; text-decoration: none;">The Real Housewives of Oklahoma</a>. She joins us here at TDT as The Southie, covering all the event news that's fit to blog from south of 71st Street.</span><br /><br /><i>Photo from <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/49566621@N00/">helemax</a> on Flickr</i>