The last weekend of the Sorghum in the Mountains Festival wrapped up over Oct. 18 and 19. Although much more sparsely attended by Sunday, Saturday saw vibrant participation in the activities that have defined the festival – albeit under a different name – for decades.
That said, the new Excavator Game courtesy of Union County Family Connection, Towns-Union Special Olympics and Rick’s Rental Equipment was a brand-new addition this year and proved so popular that Doug Murphy believes it’ll be available next season.
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Murphy, a volunteer with Family Connection, collected the $5 charge to play, then set up the “arena” by surrounding the track hoe with three traffic cones. Mid-sized balls were placed at the top of each cone, and the challenge was to pick up each ball off the cone with the machine’s bucket, then drop it into a watering trough.
“We give them up to three minutes, but we’re pretty flexible with that,” Murphy said, explaining that the fundraiser game helps to cover the costs of putting on the Special Olympics. “It’s tougher than it looks – it really is. It is fun, and everybody seems to be having a good time.”
Like Murphy’s station, most of the activities enjoyed at Sorghum in the Mountains are fun for all ages, and the games are no exception. Things kicked off with Biskit Eatin’ right around noon, with long-time announcer Libby Stevens hyping up the crowd with good humor and inspiring volunteers to participate.
Lukas Ledford came out on top after gulping down nine biscuits covered in sorghum syrup in 15 minutes. The competition was fierce, with two tables of other men and one young lady doing everything from sipping water to bouncing up and down to try and stomach the sweet spread.
“I eat at Cracker Barrel – that’s where I get it from,” Ledford admitted while holding the jar of syrup he won as a prize. He felt “pretty good” and “absolutely” believes he’ll return next year to defend his champion title.
With the bleachers packed, it was standing room only to watch athletes try their hand at Pole Climbin’. Young and old alike participated in the game, which is pretty straightforward – climb up the tall pole and at least touch the top before shimmying back down.
Smaller kids received a boost up from volunteers, but some were able to kick their shoes off and clamber up the length of the post. Adults employed the same strategy to get a better grip with their feet.
After one man practically leaped to the top, his toddler was inspired to have a go at it after he got down. With a little help, she waved to the crowd from his arms when he hoisted her up about halfway.
Horseshoe throwing and sack races made up some other kid-friendly choices for activities, but only those 16 and older could participate in Log Sawin’. Volunteers even warned that the game was more difficult than it appeared, but the winning team was able to slice their wood round away in a jaw-dropping 32 seconds.
The weekend was a triumph not just for the guests brave enough to participate in the games, but also for the people who helped manufacture the iconic syrup. The shed housing the cooking pan was a busy place, with many visitors making their way up the hill to watch demonstrations of how the multi-use food was made.
Most of the equipment used in past years was replaced before the advent of this year’s festival, and the process remained the same except for the utilization of a gas stove rather than burning wood. It proved very fruitful, with Julie Hughes calling the system “perfect.”
“We made 128 gallons (Oct. 18),” said Hughes. At the time, it was difficult to tally up specific statistics, but Hughes did say that the all-new equipment was working as intended and had helped make Sorghum in the Mountains a rousing success.
For next year’s visitors, Hughes invites, “Come get your sorghum.”
