Eufaula gets ready for Whole Hawg festival

By Travina Coleman
Phoenix Staff Writer

July 24, 2008 06:43 pm

— EUFAULA — Bringing in more than four times the population of the town of Eufaula, the festival, Whole Hawg Days, is expecting at least 20,000 people.
Jimmie Phelan, Eufaula Chamber of Commerce event coordinator, said it seems to grow every year.
“We started preparing for it in January,” she said. “We have so much going on, it has to be planned carefully.”
But Phelan said for some reason this year is going smoother than most.
Eufaula’s Whole Hawg Days runs today and Saturday, in different spots around downtown.
“It’s our biggest event,” she said. “It does make you want to pull your hair out organizing it, but it’s a lot of fun for visitors and locals.”
Nearly every corner in town is cooking a pig, Phelan said.
“Everyone needs to make sure to be there at 5 p.m. for the free ‘hawg’ sandwich giveaway,” she said.
Kent Keister, booth director for the festival, said he was a little surprised with vendor turnout.
“With the economy being what it is and gas prices being so high, we were a little worried,” he said. “But it seems like the last two weeks, we have been flooded with them.”
Keister said visitors can expect more than 80 different vendors, not including food and concessions.
“We have everything someone could want,” he said. “We have paintings, home decor, jewelry, stone ware, jewel ware, handmade crafts, and so much more.
Vendor Ray Condren of Tuttle said the festival brings in a nice profit for him.
“I’ve been going to the Whole Hawg Days festival for the last 14 years,” he said.
His highest profit he had at the two-day fair reached around $3,000.
“I’ve made $3,000 before there,” he said. “It’s good money for two days.”
Condren, retired from Tandy Leather, sells common items that would appeal to everyone.
“I sell cell phone cases, book covers, anything leather,” he said. “I love the atmosphere. It’s great.”
Another big draw for the festival is the Boat Poker Run, Phelan said.
“It’s a game of five-card stud,” she said. “They start at Eufaula Cove Marina and travel to different points to get their cards. When they get back, we open the cards and put it on the boards.”
Phelan said the grand prize for the poker run is $15,000. The other prizes range from $1,250 to $7,500. The entry fee for the run is $225.

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