With the 2023 Pig Fest right around the corner, the City of Hendersonville Parks Department was recently awarded by the State of Tennessee Parks and Recreation Association the award for “Best Special Event” for the 2022 Pig Fest.
“We have been blessed to receive several awards over the past few years for our facilities and programs, but this one is really special because it is one that our entire community embraces and supports,” Parks Director Andy Gilley said. “Pig Fest was started out of necessity and the work of our staff, Holiday Fest and Live Love Nashville to make sure we saved Christmas 4 Kids during the pandemic of 2020. Thanks to the support of our entire community, Pig Fest is the second biggest BBQ Festival in Middle Tennessee and we are able to give back to more amazing charities.”
Pig Fest 2023 will be held at Veterans Park in Hendersonville on Oct. 27-28. Friday night will feature a Hendersonville Hometown Jam concert.
“We’re excited to welcome back The Kentucky Headhunters again this year,” Gilley said. “They were a huge hit among all the BBQ teams, our sponsors and the community so we felt bringing them back was the right thing to do,”
The Headhunters will be supported by local residents Charly Reynolds, Clint Park, Ben Chapman and Dillon Carmichael.
“Charly is an upcoming young lady that everyone is going to adore on stage,” Gilley said. “Clint is a Sumner County legend and a tremendous artist who we are glad to be able to finally get at our Hometown Jam. Ben is going to absolutely rock the stage with his band and he’s been opening for some of the biggest names in music all over the country. It was extremely important for us to have Dillon be a part of this show. Not only does he live in Hendersonville, but he’s also one of the biggest up and coming voices in Country Music. For us to get him before he spends the next year opening for Cody Johnson is a big deal.”
Fifty BBQ competition teams competing in five categories for $5,000 in prize money highlight the Saturday portion of Pig Fest.
“This is more than double the number of teams from last year and we are beginning to get on the map as far as BBQ festivals go in our state,” Gilley said. “We’re no Memphis in May quite yet but we’re working to get to that level.”
In addition, the event will once again feature the live pig races, which are a huge hit every year with all the attendees and we’re excited to bring that back, added Gilley.
The event will also feature vendor booths, a Kids Zone with bounce houses, a cornhole tournament, a par-3 contest, food trucks and college football on the big screen all day long. The Parking Palette, which is in its fifth year of helping raise funds for Mary’s Magical Place, will be back to give citizens and businesses the opportunity to paint parking spots outside of Mary’s Magical Place Playground.
As one of the marquee events that HolidayFest supports each year, the Hendersonville Pig Fest has become one of our favorite community events.
“This year, to be able to help Mary’s Magical Place, Grace Place Ministries, Live Love Nashville, and Christmas 4 Kids while putting on a tremendous event for our community is a win for everyone,” shared HolidayFest founder, Lynda Evjen.
Tickets for The Hometown Jam Friday Night with The Kentucky Headhunters and all the information about the two-day event can be obtained by visiting the Pig Fest website at www.pigfesttn.com. Updates and event information are also available on Facebook and Instagram @PigFestTN.