E

10-year-old guesses 1,550 winning pounds

The COVID-19 pandemic may have interrupted Hog Day the past two years, but it was back in full force Friday with hundreds of participants picking up where they had left off.

The Hog Day Give-A-Way has evolved into a traditional Franklin County early-year gathering at the Davis, Kessler & Davis law office property at 705 Dinah Shore Blvd. in Winchester to guess the combined weight of two hogs. The one who comes closest to the actual weight is deemed the winner and is given the option of either keeping the hogs or selling them.

In 10-year-0ld Bentley Baldwin’s case, 1,550 pounds proved to be the magical winning guess. Bentley, the son of TJ and Dessiree Baldwin of Winchester, opted to keep one hog and accepted $450 for the other. 

Hog Day’s popularity reached a point where Tennessee first lady Maria Lee has become a familiar face at the event, and she was the main human attraction in 2020, continuing a new tradition, socializing with Franklin Country residents and others from near and far.

Lee was unable to be at this year’s event, but she was able to reflect on what it signifies to her.

“Hog Day is a wonderful Franklin County tradition, and I’m disappointed that I was unable to attend this year,” she said. “It is great fun trying to guess the weight of the hogs, and I have met so many amazing Tennesseans at the event over the past few years.

“I’m grateful for the generosity of the Davis family to host this beloved tradition each year which unites the community and brings joy to so many.”

Those who were there Friday echoed Lee’s assessment about Hog Day — the fellowship carries as much importance as the great food.

Hog Day is sponsored by Joanne Davis, a Franklin County Republican Party leader, and her husband, attorney Floyd Don Davis.

Joanne said it’s great that the Hog Day tradition is able to continue.

“After two years of not being able to have it, Hog Day is back,” she said. “We’re glad to be able to have it again.”

Floyd shared the same sentiments.

“We’re glad to have anything that would put an end to COVID,” he said. “People were scared to do anything. Some of it was real, some imagined, but it affected everything. It’s great that we’re finally starting to put that behind us.”

Floyd explained that putting COVID, more or less, in the rearview mirror means events like Hog Day can return to normal.

“People are gathering here and gossiping like we haven’t seen in years,” he said.

He referred to a situation that typifies what Hog Day’s true meaning is.

Floyd recalled a time when a man had seen someone he had known but hadn’t seen for 25 years. They spent two hours on Hog Day catching up on the lost time.

“It’s things like that which show what this event is all about,” he said.

Doug Smith, a retired Kroger employee, said he’s attended at least 10 Hog Days. He added that when he was working at Kroger, it was a tradition to take his lunch period on Hog Day and attend the event to enjoy the food and take the chance to guess the two hogs’ weight.

“It’s a great event for the community,” Smith said. “It’s a great chance to meet and see people.”

Billie Maples, a Van Buren County GOP member, said she and other Van Buren Republicans are close friends with Joanne, and the hour-and-a-half drive to attend Hog Day was well worth their effort.

“It’s awesome, and it just started,” Maples said while the event was starting to get underway.

She explained that she had planned to go to Hog Day in recent years, but she wasn’t able to due to the COVID cancellations.

“It’s great to be here today,” Maples said, adding that what she saw exceeded her expectations.

While Joanne is a Republican, Floyd, whose nickname is “Flossy,” is a Democrat, sparking humorous, all-in-fun comments from the Van Buren Republicans about the family political division.

“Joanne is our really good friend,” Maples said with a pause before referring to the seemingly lone Democrat in the crowd. “And we like ‘Flossy’ too.”

Maples explained while laughing that even though Floyd is a Democrat, Joanne married him, “so there’s something about him that must be OK.”

In addition to Maples, other Van Buren Republicans attending Hog Day included Jr. Miller, party chair; Kathy Rogers, secretary/treasurer; and party members Glenda Sue Miller and Jacob Maples. Traveling with them was Jana Ringemann, who hails from Warren County but has close ties with her fellow Van Buren Republicans.

They mutually agreed Hog Day is a blast, and they plan to make repeat appearances.

“We just love Floyd and Joanne, and we’re definitely coming back,” Jr. Miller said.