The 2014 Swine Time Festival was a fantastic experience as hundreds of visitors from near and far came to Climax to celebrate last weekend.
Grand marshals for the annual Swine Time parade were Decatur County School System director of bands and coordinator of instrumental music for the Decatur County School System, Paschal Ward, and Climax native and U.S. Air Force veteran Carlton Eakin, who has many very active years in Swine Time and directed contests on the Swine Time special events stage for many years.
Girls hog calling winner was 13-year-old seventh grader Katessa Smith from Quincy, Florida. The boys hog calling winner was 11-year-old Malachi Tillman, also from Quincy.
The children’s hog calling winner was 10-year-old fourth grader Daveion Hurley of Quincy. Taking women’s hog calling honors was Vecia Henry from Quincy and taking men’s hog calling honors was Charles Glisson of Colquitt.
The boys corn shucking contest was won by Abram Austinson of Bainbridge and the girls corn shucking contest was won by Journey Austinson of Bainbridge.
The men’s corn shucking contest was won by Paul Austinson of Bainbridge and the women’s corn shucking contest was won by Keysharee Cooper of Quincy.
Taking home top honors in the men’s chitterling eating contest was Kial Hathcoat of Climax, who was an eight-time winner. Taking home top honors in the women’s chitterling eating contest was Janice Francis of Quincy, who was a second time winner.
The winner of Climax’s best-dressed pig contest this winter was Scotty Callaway a 10-year-old third grader at John Johnson Elementary School in Bainbridge. He named his pig Scary.
Earning the award for traveling the farthest distance to Swine Time was Yan Yang from Shanghai, China.
The Swine Time quilt made by the Sew and Sew Quilters of Climax was auctioned and purchased by Carl Sapp of Climax.
“I especially want to thank my Swine Time Community Club officers,” club president Darlene Collins said. “I am talking about vice president Phillip Dodson, secretary Cathy Gibson, treasure Phillip Dodson and Swine Time co-chairmen John Collins and Chip Wray, and my daughter Jennifer Collins.”
Climax Mayor Charles Hadsock said he thought everything at Swine Time went well.
“We had over 90 vendors and they all did well,” Hadsock said. “We could not have asked for a nicer day weather wise.”