A full schedule of special events that can be enjoyed by children and adults  will be featured at the Climax Community Club’s 39th annual Swine Time Festival Friday, Nov. 29 and Saturday, Nov. 30, in Climax.
Friday at 5:30 p.m., the Climax Golden Agers will host their annual chicken pilau dinner at the community  club’s clubhouse. A $6 donation will be collected.
Following the dinner at 7:30 p.m., the annual Grand Ole Opry performance will be held at the Head Start School  in Climax.
The annual Swine Time parade, led by the Decatur County Special Olympians as grand marshals and featuring floats, motorized vehicles and animals,  will begin at 10 a.m.
Also, the Bainbridge High School band will perform in the parade.
Also at  10:00 a.m. tours of the authentic log cabin on the Swine Time grounds will begin.
At 10:45 a.m. on the front stage, guests will be welcomed, an invocation will be given, the Swine Time Quilt will be auctioned and special guests will be introduced.
Special event stage activities will begin at 11:30 a.m. with the judging of the dressed-up pig contest.
It will be followed at noon by the chitterling eating contest. Registration for the chitterling eating contest must be made before 11 a.m.
Other special stage events will include the 12:15 p.m. hog calling contest, the 12:30 p.m.
Hula Hoop contest, the 1 p.m. long distance prize and drawing for the Swine Time Quilt and the the Climax Volunteer Fire Department gift certificate. Sign up for the long distance prize should be done at the chitterling barn.
The greasy pig chase will be held at 2:30  p.m. at the pig pen on the Swine Time grounds. There will also be a train that youngsters can ride in  and other fun attractions  for young boys and girls  to enjoy.
One of those attractions will be a 40-foot high spider mountain that youngsters  can climb up to and slide down.
All youngsters attractions are free.
“Disk jockey Bill Searcy will be taking karaoke requests on the south stage. We will also have a 650 pound tiger in a gage that guests can look at. It will be compliments of Live Creations in Quitman,” Community Club president Darlene Collins said.
“We will also have numerous booths on the Swine Time grounds that will feature arts and crafts and various types of food. There will be something everyone who comes can enjoy.
“We just want everyone to come to Climax and enjoy all the Swine Time events.
“There was the year when a couple in Thomas County had a pig for a pet. It was fully grown but they had raised it from the time it was a piglet. They gave it soft drinks and Moon Pies when it did something good.
“In the Swine Time parade that year, the pig rode on a flat bed truck drinking soft drinks and eating Moon Pies given to it by its handlers.
“Events like Swine Time  keep small communities like Climax together and vibrant. We had a high school in Climax for many years. The first several Swine Time Festivals were held on the school grounds.
“A couple of years on Swine Time Friday night we  held alumni basketball games in the school gymnasium featuring former players from Climax, Attapulgus and West Bainbridge High Schools.
“One year, the late coach Clifford Wells who used to coach the Climax High School girls basketball team, was guard of the gymnasium during a Swine Time Friday night  alumni game between Climax and Attapulgus High Schools. A lady from Attapulgus came up and asked him if any seats were still available for the game.
He pointed to an area on the Climax side where some seats were available.
“I guess the rivalry lives on,” coach Wells responded with a smile.