Hendersonville Pig Fest combines efforts for Mary's Magical Place and Christmas4Kids

Andy Humbles and Katie Nixon, Nashville Tennessean
·3 min read

Multiple groups joined together Nov. 6 to support the city’s all-inclusive playground and help a charity that provides Christmas gifts for children in need.

Hendersonville Pig Fest helped raise thousands

of dollars, although the official count was not available as of press time.

In 2020, Pig Fest raised $50,000 for Christmas for Kids.

Parks Department Director Andy Gilley said the event had "the potential to bring thousands together in our community for a common good."

And it did, with more than 3,500 people attending Saturday morning's event at Veterans Park, aptly named Before Pigs Fly. Another 300 and some guests attended the evening event, When Pigs Fly.

'We thought it would be a good fit'

A barbeque competition held by local restaurant Meat Sweats with about 50 competitors was central to the daytime event. Meat Sweats held a smaller competition in the spring, which the city hoped to build on with Before Pigs Fly, Gilley said.

Live pig races, a kids zone, live music, vendor booths and food trucks were also part of the daytime activities.

Before Pigs Fly also incorporated Hendersonville’s Parking Palette, which allowed participants to pay $50 to paint a parking spot that will be kept for one year at Mary’s Magical Place at Veterans Park. Businesses paid $400.

All proceeds from the daytime event will go toward Mary’s Magical Place, a 15,000- square-foot playground open to all, but designed especially for those with special needs.

Eat Hendersonville, a popular Facebook group founded by Mauricio Sanchez during the pandemic to help local restaurants, presented the day portion of Hendersonville Pig Fest. Eat Hendersonville has more than 18,000 members on its very active Facebook page.

“We thought it would be a good fit for Eat Hendersonville to promote with our following,” Sanchez said.

Before Pigs Fly was free to attend. The evening event cost attendees $75 per person and $675 for a table of 10.

Evening

When Pigs Fly included dinner provided by Meat Sweats and live music powered by Whiskey Jam at the Ultimate Party Super Store in Hendersonville.

The majority of proceeds from the evening event will go toward Christmas4Kids, which provides 400 elementary school students in need a Christmas experience they wouldn’t otherwise have.

This year, students selected by guidance counselors will be picked up on Dec. 14, for a party at Gallatin Civic Center then to shop at Walmart in Hendersonville.

Each child will spend $175, not including the coat they receive.

Typically, the bill at Walmart runs between $70,000-$80,000, Christmas4Kids President Linda O’Connell said. About 60-80 tour buses and 600 volunteers support the event.

This is the 39th year for Christmas4Kids, which mainly works with students in Sumner and Wilson counties, O’Connell said.

Proceeds from When Pigs Fly will also benefit Mary’s Magical Place, Gilley said.

The evening event incorporated the Hendersonville Hometown Jam community concert series and the HolidayFest, a nonprofit that raises money for charity organizations through numerous activities.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Hendersonville Pig Fest supports Mary's Magical Place and Christmas4Kids