Whole Hog Festival

This year’s John Maher Builders Whole Hog Festival in Spring Hill promises to be bigger and better than ever before! Mark your calendars for October 17th.

Held on the grounds of the historic Oak Lawn Mansion, the family-friendly event offers something for everyone with live music, crafts, a kids’ zone, and lots of pork-themed food and activities. And it’s all for a good cause. Profits from the festival support The Well Outreach, which operates food pantries in Spring Hill and Mount Pleasant to help families in need. 

The festival, which centers on all things pork-related, has added something new this year, making it more “whole hog” than ever. The new event is a Whole Hog Pitmasters Cookoff featuring a mix of nationally recognized and local pitmasters. And while pitmasters will be competing for top prizes, festivalgoers will come out winners, too. They’ll be able to sample some of that award-winning barbecue.

“There will be a competition with the judges and then a second People’s Choice Award,” explains Shelly Sassen, Chief Executive Officer for The Well Outreach. And for the People’s Choice, we’ll be selling tastings. For $12, people will be able to get tastings at 4 of the 10 pitmasters, along with baked beans, potato chips, a drink, and a roll. It will allow them to be part of that experience.” 

It’s a nice addition to the long list of popular pork-related activities that continue to draw big crowds every year.

“People love the hog calling contest, Sassen says. “We have people enter from five years old up to 85 years old. Some of them with authentic hog calls, some of them with creative hog calling, and it’s just wonderful to have the community show such support.