RIDGEWAY – Seasoned Pig on the Ridge followers say the event’s 25th annual Friday night No-Pigs-Allowed event was one of the biggest they’d attended over the years. The evening featured the traditional street dance, 32 vendors, fun kids’ activities, and the Southern Reflection band entertaining. Estimates of 2,000 – 3,000 attendees floated easily.
Saturday kicked off with barbeque judging and sales, more children’s activities and vendor sales, a 70-vehicle car show and parade, a hog calling contest, almost 5,000 pounds of barbecued pork butts that sold like hotcakes, and $5,450 in prize money. It was, indeed, a big Pig on the Ridge.
Three of the four former Pig on the Ridge steering committee members, Rufus Jones, Donald Prioleau, and Henry Dixon, who helped found the festival in 2000 and retired from active duty two years ago, were back selling sponsorships and tickets and tooling around the event in golf carts this year. Steering Committee chair Gloria Keeffe and Belva Bush were on duty throughout the event.
Former Ridgeway Town Councilman Don Prioleau emceed the classic vehicle parade with more than 70 vehicles participating.
Professional Category
1st ($2,000): Sadie Beth Barbeque Company – Cook Gage Blue
2nd ($1,000): Backwoods Bar-B-Que – Cook Gene Culbertson
3rd ($500): In the Army Que – Cook Tony Sadler
4th ($250): Men at Work BBQ – Cook Brian Roach
5th: Monkey Bottom Boys – Cook George Ray
Amateur Category
1st ($500)- Rick’s Backstreet BBQ – Cook Gabe Miles
2nd ($250)- Champs Blazzing BBQ – Cook Wilson McNight
3rd ($125)- Dale Bones BBQ – Cook Dale Langley
4th ($75)- Smokin Hott Butts – Cook Leslie Spradley
5th- Smoke a Good One – Cook Jessie Tenley
Friday Night No Pigs Allowed
1st- Big Boyz BBQ
2nd- Farms to Flame
3rd- Uncle Willie’s BBQ
1st Hog Calling – Tray Perry
Ribs Category
1st- Tail-Gater Hater
2nd- Sadie Beth Barbeque Company
3rd- Steel Smok’n Smokerz
4th- Monkey Bottom Boys
Classic Car Winners
1st – Ronnie Wilson, 1965 Chevy Corvette
2nd – Kenny Brazell, 1969 Chevy Camaro
3rd – Nate Bagley, 1971 C10 Chevrolet pickup truck
