Spring Hill Pigs Out

From Staff Reports

The annual Spring Hill Country Ham Festival is the one day out of the year when it’s culturally acceptable to pig out, whether it means participating

Staff Photo The Spring Hill Country Ham Festival

Photo by Dave Hancock Shannon Hickman (center) takes home the prize for the adult divison of the hog calling competition.

Photo by Leslie Bliss Ayden Harrison was the winner of the hog-calling elementary contest.

Photo by Dave Hancock Competitors chow down during biscuit-eating contest.

Photo by Dave Hancock Joey gets food for the sheep.

Photo by Dave Hancock Thomas (left) and Michael enjoy the event.

Photo by Dave Hancock Colleen Lloy entertains the crowd.

Photo by Kelly Peterson

Photo by Kelly Peterson

Photo by Kelly Peterson

Staff Photo Colleen Lloy

Staff Photo Taylor Ware

Staff Photo Heather Davis

Photo by Blaine Huffman Kids have fun in the inflatable playground.

Photo by Blaine Huffman One of the many arts and craft booths.

in the event's staple hog-calling contest or engorging on some of the tasty culinary items on hand.

After all, it's all in good fun.

More than an estimated 12,852 patrons flocked to the historic grounds of the Tennessee Children's Home on Oct. 6 to participate in the event that heralds the fall season in Spring Hill, and that didn't count the 2,000 or so people who migrated over to the Ham Festival from a nearby flea market.

Proceeds generated from the down-home extravaganza, the total of which wasn't available at press time, benefited the Tennessee Children's Home.

Even organizer said the event's new Children's Home site provided ample space for attendees to partake in the fun.

“I think the event site was beautiful,” said organizer Alison Harris. “It was a little bit warm, but that's better than rainy. The best part about the site was there was so much room. It never looked that crowded until you got up on the hill and saw how many cars were coming in. I think it was very successful.

Hopefully, we did some good for the community and for the Children's Home.”

Ayden Harrison put her young voice to the test to win the hog-calling contest's elementary division; Sierra Parker's call to imaginary pigs wowed judges enough to win the junior competition and Shannon Hickman earned bragging rights after going home with the first-place hog-calling award in the adult division.

The Loveless Cafe's very own “Biscuit Lady,” Carol Fay, was on hand to stimulate taste buds with batches of her world-renown biscuits.

Patrons were entertained all day long with a lengthy lineup of foot-stomping musical talent, all capped off with a colorful fireworks display at sundown.

“I've got nothing but compliments for the fireworks,” said organizer Chris DeBerry. “It was quite a spectacular show. Everyone loved the beautiful location and thought it was all for such a worthy cause.”

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