RIDGEWAY – Pig on the Ridge is back this year for the 26th year in a row. This is one of South Carolina’s most anticipated barbecue festivals, with cooks and guests from all over the South attending.
This year’s Pig on the Ridge will happen in downtown Ridgeway as usual, but is taking a spooky turn. It starts on Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, from 5 – 11 p.m. and carries on into Saturday, Nov. 1, from 9 a.m. – when the cook-off begins – until about 3 p.m.
Friday will offer the traditional ‘no pigs allowed’ taste treats. This means that chefs must cook pork-free food at the venue, whether it’s potato salad, mac and cheese, shrimp-n-grits, or other items, as long as it’s pork-free.
Tickets for Friday night are $2 each or $40 for 20 tickets. Guests will buy as many tickets as they want and sample the vendors’ pork-free food. Vendors with the most tickets win.
First-place Friday night winner will receive $500 and a trophy; second-place winner will receive $250 and a trophy.
Since this year’s ‘no pig allowed’ night will also be Halloween themed, the Friday night fun will include trick-or-treating, a haunted house, and a costume contest for all ages, including adults. There will also be a local band, a DJ and the traditional Friday night street dance. There will also be several food trucks on hand in case vendors run out of their no-pig samples.
Saturday, Nov. 1, features the barbecue cook-off with professional and amateur teams showing off their cooking expertise for the South Carolina Barbeque Association judges.
With anywhere from 40-70 teams competing this year, each team will be provided with 16 Boston butts to feed an anticipated 2,000 to 3,000 guests. Winners will be announced around 2 p. m. and will receive a variety of cash prizes and trophies.
There will also be plenty of fun for the entire family on Saturday, including performances by local students, a hog calling contest for all ages, arts and crafts for sale, a kids zone with a bounce house, games, ice cream, and cotton candy for sale. There will also be a vintage car show, music and more.
This festival also doubles as a fundraiser.
“Our sponsors help with expenses for the festival, but what we make from the festival goes to the churches to help buy Christmas gifts for children,” said Gloria Keefe, the Co-Chair of the Pig on the Ridge Festival, “We’ve done lots of good with those funds over the years. A few years ago, we donated a machine to the Fairfield Fire Department that helps with rescue and recovery of burn victims. Whatever we make always goes back to the community”.
Tickets are $2 each and can only be bought at the festival.
Applications for cooking teams are open until Oct. 15.
For more information on Pig on the Ridge, visit the official website at pigontheridgesc.com or visit the Pig on the Ridge Facebook page.
