Travelers came from near and far Saturday to attend and enjoy the many contests, drawings, food and merchandise booths at Climax’s 37th annual Swine Time Festival.

They participated in contests ranging from hog calling, to chitterling eating, to corn shucking and greasy big chasing.

David ‘Butch” Mosley, vice president of the Climax Community Club, which sponsors Swine Time, said he thought it was a wonderful day and everyone had a good time.

“Our crowd was a little off but that was understandable because of the economy,” Mosley said. “We had several thousand visitors. The venders I talked with were all pleased.

Climax Mayor Charles Hadsock said he too was pleased with the events of the day.

“We had a beautiful day and everyone I talked to was really enjoying themselves,” he said.

Swine Time parade grand marshal was U.S. Army Private First Class Ian Edge, son of Brinson Mayor Jimmy Earp and his wife Cheri. He was wounded while serving in Afghanistan when he stepped on an improvised explosive devise (IED).

His right leg had to be amputated below the knee and he now wears an advanced prosthetic knee that helps him walk. He also lost two fingers on his left hand.

Daniela Maas won the prize for traveling the furthest in the world to attend Swine Time. She is from Paderborn, Germany and is a Rotary Club International Student at Valdosta State University.

Brad O’Hanlon from Albany, N.Y. who is employed at Jones Center in Baker County, won the prize for traveling the furthest in the United States to Swine Time and Karen Martin of Cartersville won the prize for traveling the furthest in Georgia to Swine Time.

Marvalynn Carroll of Bainbridge won the Climax Sew and Sew Quilters Georgia Bulldogs quilt, which was drawn for on the Swine Time grounds.

Diane Powell of Bainbridge won the drawing for a $100 gift certificate from Jones Country Meats in Climax and Irma VanGundy of Climax won the drawing for a $200 gift certificate from Wall-Mart.

Both drawings benefited the Climax Volunteer Fire Department.

The mens’ chitterling eating contest was won by Kial Hathcoat of Bainbridge and the ladies’ chitterling eating contest was won by Reita Vickers of Bainbridge.

It was her ninth consecutive Swine Time ladies chitterling eating championship.

The ladies hog calling winner was Kayla McClain of Atlanta and the mens hog calling winner was Anthony McElroy of Donalsonville.

Shawn Vickers of Quincy, Florida won the ladies corn shucking contest. The girls corn shucking winner was 14-year-old Kalee Tate of Bainbridge.

Garrett and Crystal Myers of Orlando, Fla., brought their one-year-old, pot-bellied pig—to visit Swine Time. The couple and their pet, named Juliana, were visiting with their relatives, Sonny and Sherry Williams of Climax. Juliana is trained to use the litter box and lives inside the couple’s house, sleeping in a little house of its own.

News Writer Brennan Leathers contributed to this story.