It’s a tradition much revered and long lived. In fact, like blooming Bradford pear trees and flocks of robins, one could very easily count the annual Charlotte Thompson Barbecue as an official harbinger of spring. However one chooses to view it, the barbecue, now in its 57th year, is a popular event, with people from all over this area dropping by for platefuls of barbecued pork or chicken, rice, hash, slaw and homemade desserts.