100,000 Piggies a' Roastin!

Yesterday evening marked the second and final day of our town's traditional  celebration called  Uncle Billy's Day.  During Uncle Billy's Day, the huge and gorgeous park along the Staunton River and the park in mid town come alive with festivities abound attracting the kiddies, oldies and in between. There are amusement park rides, live bands, a beer garden, many kiosks with a plethora of arts, crafts, artists, blacksmiths to name a few.  The extravaganza offers everything from leather goods to garden tools, face painting and carnival games.  This celebration attracts about 100,000 people, packed shoulder to shoulder like a New York City sidewalk, sweltering under the day's hot sun and breaking the bank buying countless fresh squeezed lemonades, snowcones, ice cold sodas and waters.  No event of this magnitude  would be complete without copious amounts of street foods.  This is truly the main event and a foodie's Shangri-La.  With all the sites to see and walking involved, there are plenty of ways to replenish one's energy.  Aside from the normal tasties like hamburgers, hotdogs, cotton candy, candied apples, hand dipped ice cream cones, waffle cones, waffle fries, golden, piping hot piles of onion rings and  crispy french fries,  two steps further can take you to another country all together.  Pizza shacks, steak and cheese huts,  chicken and beef kebabs, sausage and peppers with onions stands, egg rolls, hand dipped corndogs, Chinese chicken and beef with rice stands, fried pickles, fried macaroni and cheese, smoked turkey drumsticks... WHEW!  I CAN GO ON, BUT REMINISCING IS TORTURE!  Oh and I must give a shout out to just about everyone's favorite,  FUNNEL CAKE.  Smothered and covered with apple and/or cherry pie filling and dusted with powdered sugar, or my personal preference plain with a smattering of powdered sugar, this festival is the bee's knee's.  By the way, you can obtain honey from local beekeepers as well!!!  If you ever get a chance, stop by and experience Uncle Billy's Day for yourself.  The atmosphere and the food will be unforgettable.  The festival is held every year on the FIRST FRIDAY AND SATURDAY OF JUNE IN ALTAVISTA, VIRGINIA, rain or shine.  Wear comfortable shoes and clothing and don't forget your large hat and sunscreen.  Hope to see you there NEXT YEAR at the feastival, I mean festival!! :)

Smokinhotchef

view my recipes