It happens every year. Some poor soul new to the area gets a hankering for a bowl of chili or some great barbecue and heads down to Smoke on the Water – at lunchtime.

We all know what he finds. The remnants of one of the best events Washington has to offer.

This isn’t a call to wrap up the Washington Noon Rotary’s Smoke on the Water in the afternoon, though that would be nice. It is a call for entries, if you will. There may be room for more Smoke on the Water frivolity and it would be great to see more organizations take advantage of it.

The pig cook-off and festival has done a lot for organizations like the Beaufort County Red Cross, Boys & Girls Club, Ruth’s House and the Blind Center, to name a few.

Local nonprofits may have a goldmine waiting for them if they can find a way to build on the successful event.

Yes, we’ve got the pigs and chili covered, but who says the contests have to end there? Imagine the creativity you’d find with a shish kabob round or some cornbread to go along with all of that chili. How about a round for barbecue beef? And who has ever gone wrong with an old-fashioned pie contest or cakewalk?

It could start out small; a few local judges (perhaps a few from WDN?) and a few entries could be the start of something great.