For years I have wanted to head south to East Dublin, Georgia to witness the Summer Redneck Games. The games were started in 1996, the same year that the Olympics came to Atlanta, as an alternative to the world famous festivities. With events such as the Hubcap Hurl, Armpit Serenade, Bobbin’ for Pigs Feet and the Mud Pit Bellyflop, the Redneck Games had gained a popularity that has drawn thousands of contestants as well as spectators to the small south Georgia town over the past decade and a half. This year, having never been, my expectations were extremely high and I headed down 75 with visions of pigs feet and rebel flags in my head. While extremely entertaining, the games only drew a few hundred people on Saturday, May 26, 2012. Some say that the games were rescheduled last minute which led to the lower attendance, others blamed the local high school graduations over the weekend, while still others lamented that it was because of the holiday weekend. Regardless of the reason and the lowered attendance the games were still a success in my mind.
One spectator wears the rebel flag as a cape during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The crowd cheers during round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round one of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Checking for any feet left in the mouth of one of the contestants after the first round of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Spectators crowd around the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Round two of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The winner of round two is lifted into the air during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
One of the contestants in the third round of the Bobbing for Pigs Feet contest comes up for air during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
One spectator takes a break in between events during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 27, 2012. Temperatures crested 97 degrees during the day.
Little Mtn. works on his tan while showing off his tattoos during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Spectators of the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia cool off in the Oconee River on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Spectators of the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia cool off in the Oconee River on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
A back flip into the Oconee River in between events during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
A spectator of the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia cools off in the Oconee River on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Two young men overlook the Oconee River from a grassy hill during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Hanging from a tree over the Oconee River in between events during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
A young girl plays in the mud on the banks of the Oconee River during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Spectators of the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia cool off in the Oconee River on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Spectators of the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia cool off in the Oconee River on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Holding up the rebel flag during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Spectators of the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia play a game of cornhole in between events on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Rob and Rawni kick off the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Rob and Rawni kick off the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Rob and Rawni kick off the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
One contestant douses himself with beer after participating in the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
One contestant gets a face full of mud after participating in the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Mud flies everywhere as a contestant lands in the pit during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
One contestant hovers over the pit moments before landing as he participates in the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
The crowd watches the belly flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Helping out a woman stuck in the mud during the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
A girl wipes mud from her face as she surfaces from the mud pit during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Impromptu mud wrestling during the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest at the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
Impromptu mud wrestling during the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest at the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.
A contestant from the Mud Pit Belly Flop contest holds his beer above the surface of the Oconee River as he rinses off during the 2012 Summer Redneck Games in East Dublin, Georgia on Saturday, May 26, 2012.