If you grew up in the mid-Atlantic, chances are good that you have strong opinions on fried chicken —
corn flakes vs. Panko, nutmeg vs. good old salt and pepper, iron skillet vs. the more healthy option of “oven fried.” But if Marylanders are allowed to claim expertise on crab cakes (and we most certainly are), perhaps we should cede poultry prowess to our pan-wielding neighbors in the South, or more specifically, in Gordonsville, Virginia. Known as the “Chicken Leg Center of the Universe,” a title not to be messed with, Gordonsville will host its Famous Fried Chicken Festival on May 19. There is a fowl-frying contest and a pie contest, music, wine tastings and the 5K Chicken Run to help you work up an appetite. The festival honors the history of the town’s “chicken vendors,” African-American women who brought plates of fried chicken to railroad passengers in the 1800s. Celebrate history, forget about your cholesterol for the afternoon and fill your plates. Gordonsville Fire Company Fair Grounds. Free. townofgordonsville.org
