Last week I got a little ridiculed for being so excited for football season. But I couldn’t help it, it’s football season and that’s reason enough to start giggling like a schoolgirl.

Little did I know that there would be about 100 reasons to do the same thing this weekend when the Great American Rockin’ Rib Rock-off joins the Great Southeast BalloonFest in providing some of the best barbecue you might ever get to eat.

First, let me assure you that I think Anderson does a fine job with food festivals. There is the Chili Cook-off, the Greek Festival with great Greek food, the fair with great fair food and even the Soiree with, umm, more fair food.

But for years I have lamented the fact that there are not two food-related festivals that would be great for our area: a “Taste of Anderson” festival and a barbecue festival.

Well, 50 percent ain’t bad.

I have been talking about a barbecue festival in Anderson for the last couple of years, both in print and among friends, family and acquaintances. My wife is sick and tired of listening to me babble on about ribs and briskets and barbecue sauce for pulled pork. My friends are weary with my inebriated droning about how well a barbecue festival would do in this town and how it could bring thousands of people in over a couple days.

Even people I barely know have heard me extrapolate on what would happen if 50 barbecuers were to descend on Anderson and how the wonderful smell alone would attract northeast Georgians and western North Carolinians to our neck of the woods.

That’s why, about year or more ago, when I had a chat with Joey Preston at e-City Java, I had to take the opportunity to tell him that a barbecue festival needed to come to Anderson. Sure, a chili cook-off is good, but this area is known for some of the best barbecuers around and we should show that off to anyone who wants to come.

Sure, my innocuous comments about a rib fest probably didn’t hold any sway over whether or not one would come, but part of me (the very humble part, of course) likes to think it made a little bit of a difference. Part of me likes to think that even innocent conversations can turn into something bigger.

And I believe that is what is going to happen this weekend at the Civic Center of Anderson with the Great American Rockin’ Rib Rock-off. There will be five grand champions on hand along with a hundred or so grillers and barbecuers serving up everything from ribs and pork to brisket and chicken. And they won’t have the rules and restrictions many of these festivals do. These guys are going for creativity as much as classic flavor and technique and could change the face of what we think of as barbecue.

Not to mention, the organizers are going to film this event and submit it to the Food Network for possible airing or attending the festival at a later date.

So, if you thought I was excited for football, wait until this barbecue festival kicks into high gear on Friday along with the Great Southeast BalloonFest. You will see me front and center with a pocketful of wet naps and a bib around my neck.

After all, this ain’t my first rodeo.