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Hillbilly Day's 50th Anniversary

Courtney Rogers, 16, of Highlands, N.C. laughs as she slides back down the greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. The 50 foot greased pole was a challenge for many, and a $30 prize at the top kept the challengers coming all day.

Courtney Rogers, 16, of Highlands, N.C. laughs as she slides back down the greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. The 50 foot greased pole was a challenge for many, and a $30 prize at the top kept the challengers coming all day.

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  • Several boys attempt to capture Pinky during the pig chase competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. Jordan McGuffin, 10, of Mountain Rest caught Pinky the Pig, 20 years after his grandfather Lynn McGuffin won the adult competition at the Fourth of July event.
  • Anna Porter, left, 16, of Six Mile, next to fellow clogger Kelley Addington, 15, performs a cowbell jump during a clogging routine with Blue Ridge Mountain Cloggers of Salem Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Mark Vissage of Mountain Rest released Pinky the Pig Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Mark Vissage of Mountain Rest released Pinky the Pig Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Several boys attempt to capture Pinky during the pig chase competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. Jordan McGuffin, 10, of Mountain Rest caught Pinky the Pig, 20 years after his grandfather Lynn McGuffin won the adult competition at the Fourth of July event.
  • Several boys attempt to capture Pinky during the pig chase competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. Jordan McGuffin, 10, of Mountain Rest caught Pinky the Pig, 20 years after his grandfather Lynn McGuffin won the adult competition at the Fourth of July event.
  • Several boys attempt to capture Pinky during the pig chase competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. Jordan McGuffin, 10, of Mountain Rest caught Pinky the Pig, 20 years after his grandfather Lynn McGuffin won the adult competition at the Fourth of July event.
  • Several boys watch Godzilla the boar during the pig chase competition for 13-and over Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. No one caught Godzilla, a wild pig which ran quickly out of the surrounding crowd and into the woods nearby.
  • Several boys watch Godzilla the boar during the pig chase competition for 13-and over Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. No one caught Godzilla, a wild pig which ran quickly out of the surrounding crowd and into the woods nearby.
  • Several boys watch Godzilla the boar during the pig chase competition for 13-and over Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. No one caught Godzilla, a wild pig which ran quickly out of the surrounding crowd and into the woods nearby.
  • Several boys watch Godzilla the boar during the pig chase competition for 13-and over Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. No one caught Godzilla, a wild pig which ran quickly out of the surrounding crowd and into the woods nearby.
  • Godzilla the boar runs away during the pig chase competition for 13-and over Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. No one caught Godzilla, a wild pig which ran quickly out of the surrounding crowd and into the woods nearby.
  • Godzilla the boar runs away during the pig chase competition for 13-and over Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. No one caught Godzilla, a wild pig which ran quickly out of the surrounding crowd and into the woods nearby.
  • Jacob Lusk, 11, of Salem catches a raw egg from contest partner Javen Alexander, 9, of Seneca to win the egg toss competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Brandon Offret, 18, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida catches a raw egg from contest partner Zack Newcomm, 13, of Orlando, Florida to win second place the egg toss competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Dakota Erington, 7, of Westminster wipes grease off the greased pole as he climbs Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Jessica Gagne, 17, of Scaley, N.C. climbs a greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Jessica Gagne, 17, of Scaley, N.C. climbs a greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Courtney Rogers, 16, of Highlands, N.C. laughs as she slides back down the greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. The 50 foot greased pole was a challenge for many, and a $30 prize at the top kept the challengers coming all day.
  • Thomas Ramey, 10, of North Carolina tries to capture a $30 prize on top of a 50-foot greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Dakota Erington, 7, of Westminster sits above Thomas Ramey, 10, of North Carolina, above Josh Gray, 20, of Long Creek as the three try to work as a team to capture a $30 prize on top of a 50-foot greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Dakota Erington, 7, of Westminster sits above Thomas Ramey, 10, of North Carolina, above Josh Gray, 20, of Long Creek as the three try to work as a team to capture a $30 prize on top of a 50-foot greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Dakota Erington, 7, of Westminster sits above Thomas Ramey, 10, of North Carolina, above Josh Gray, 20, of Long Creek as the three try to work as a team to capture a $30 prize on top of a 50-foot greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Anthony Erington, left, 16, of Westminster and Chris Hopkins of Pendleton hold Tim Dolye of Pendleton at the greased pole Saturday during the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Makayla Richardson, 10, of Palm Beach climbs a greased pole above Jessica Gagne, 17, of Scaley, N.C. Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Dakota Erington, 7, of Westminster sits above Thomas Ramey, 10, of North Carolina, above Josh Gray, 20, of Long Creek as the three try to work as a team to capture a $30 prize on top of a 50-foot greased pole Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Jarred Ward of Walhalla won a log toss competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Stacy Craig of Walhalla tosses a log during competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • A proclaimation from S.C. Sen. Thomas Alexander, District 1 (R-Walhalla) congratulates the Mountain Rest Community for holding the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • MC Mark Vissage of Mountain Rest talks to the crowd between acts Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Josh Laws plays banjo with the Derrill Holcombe and the Carolina Mountain Boys of Salem Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Cade Vissage, 6, holds a rooster in the petting zoo Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • George Lee, World War II veteran from Mountain Rest is introduced on stage by MC Mark Vissage as a 'real treasure' Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • George Lee, World War II veteran from Mountain Rest 'yodels' songs on stage Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • A crowd of visitors listen to bluegrass music and watch cloggers Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • A proclaimation from S.C. Sen. Thomas Alexander, District 1 (R-Walhalla) congratulates the Mountain Rest Community for holding the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Derrill Holcombe and the Carolina Mountain Boys of Salem play Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Preston Finley, 9, of Six Mile put on a Hillbilly Day beard wig and hat Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • A young man tosses a log during competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Billy Smith of Westminster tosses a log during competition Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Macy Robinson, 3, of Hartwell, Ga. dances to music Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • R.J. Spencer of the Derrill Holcombe and the Carolina Mountain Boys of Salem plays a fiddle near Jeff Tollison Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Ralph Jones of the Derrill Holcombe and the Carolina Mountain Boys of Salem plays bass Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Cade Vissage, 6, of Mountain Rest carries a rooster to show off to others in a petting zoo Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Robert Perry of Mountain Rest talks to his son Sam Perry of Pickens at a water pump display made to look like a distillery Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest. 'The sheriff don't want me to do anything that would make him mad, so I don't,' said Perry.
  • John L. Bowen of Seneca carries his guitar under a U.S. flag blowing in a breeze on stage Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.
  • Barry Blake, 5, of Westminster plays two spoons to the sounds of bluegrass band Derrill Holcombe and the Carolina Mountain Boys of Salem, S.C. Saturday at the 50th annual Hillbilly Day Event in Mountain Rest.

For 50 consecutive years, the Mountain Rest, S.C. community has held Hillbilly Day on the Fourth of July, the longest running festival in the history of South Carolina.

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