Pig Pickin’ has successful 2nd year at fairgrounds
Published 10:00 am Saturday, April 27, 2024
Macon Edwards loads plates with delicious barbecue at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds on Thursday, April 25, during the Windsor Ruritan Club’s 48th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival.
Deputy Ezzell, left, and Investigator Franklin of the Windsor Police Department work the Pig Pickin’ Festival on Thursday, April 25, at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds.
Windsor Ruritan Club Vice President Jackson DeMello, left, and fellow club member Jacob Edwards smile for a photo at the club’s 48th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival.
Mike Curtis, left, and Ron Etters join for a photo amid the Pig Pickin’ Festival on Thursday, April 25.
Alissa Etters throws a bag, alternating with Elizabeth Curtis, left, as they play a round of cornhole during the Windsor Ruritan Club’s Pig Pickin’ Festival on Thursday, April 25.
Island Boy performs live at the Windsor Ruritan Club’s 48th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival.
Gathering for a photo at the WRC’s Pig Pickin’ Festival are, from left, front row, Libby Deeley, Teddy Deeley; back row, Shannon Lambert, Yvonne Brawley, Meg Eason and Katherine Eason.
Pausing from their meal for a photo at the Pig Pickin’ Festival are, from left, Cassie Powell, Kim Hester and Chris Blythe.
From left, Jamie Howell, Jeremy Howell, Philip Howell, Sammy Howell and Jason Howell take part in the Windsor Ruritan Club’s 48th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival.
Andrew Jordan and his 7-and-a-half-year-old son Hudson Jordan head for the table serving up barbecue on Thursday, April 25, at the WRC’s Pig Pickin’ Festival.
From left, Bentley Richardson and Ward Eason man a drinks table at the WRC’s Pig Pickin’ Festival on Thursday, April 25.
Ronnie Byrum, left, and Donny Byrum enjoy their meals amid the Windsor Ruritan Club’s 48th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival at the Isle of Wight County Fairgrounds on Thursday, April 25.
A ticket changes hands between Mary Lee Willis, left, and Becky Gwaltney as they take part in the Windsor Ruritan Club’s 48th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival on Thursday, April 25.
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The Windsor Ruritan Club’s annual Pig Pickin’ Festival proved to be a solid draw on Thursday, April 25, in its second year at the Heritage Park & Joel C. Bradshaw Fairgrounds.
This was the 48th year for the festival, which is the primary fundraiser for the WRC.
“I think it was a big success,” WRC Board Member Edward “Gibbie” Dowdy said Friday, April 26. “We made some improvements. We still have a few little areas that we’re going to work on to make things a little better for everybody, but overall, for being just the second year at that location, we’re headed in the right direction. We’re listening to any complaints we have, and we’re not hearing very many, so that’s a good thing.”
TowneBank was the main sponsor for the event, and Dowdy estimated that the total amount of funds raised from all the different sponsors involved was around $18,000 to $20,000.
Tickets to the festival covered a dinner consisting of barbecue, cole slaw, beans, cornbread and beverages.
Dowdy said that the WRC prepared around 3,000 pounds of barbecue.
He estimated between 400 to 500 people came and ate at the event. He said he was not sure how many dropped by and got meals to go, but he noted there were 400 to 500 takeout dinners served last year.
When asked how many meals were served this year, he said, “That might be up to about 800, 900 meals by the time you add in all the volunteers, because we fed all the volunteers, too.”
In addition to dinner, the festival featured live music from Island Boy, a raffle, and opportunities to play cornhole.
Dowdy said there were complaints about the quality of the bar at last year’s Pig Pickin’ Festival, but there were none this year as upgrades were made.
With an eye already on the 49th annual Pig Pickin’ Festival, Dowdy said organizers are considering ways to continue improving the event, like putting a couple of portable toilets closer to the food area and the gate to prevent people from having to walk as far to access them.
“We were talking about maybe moving the to-go area from way over in that corner where we had it (to) closer to the gate so we wouldn’t have to run the food as much,” he said.
Emphasizing the ultimate purpose for the funds raised by the festival, Dowdy highlighted the services the Windsor Ruritan Club provides to the community and noted, “Everything is given back, 100%, to the community.”
