Last Saturday was Rebel Fest at Riverdale Academy. Fest organizer, Merritt Cason told The Journal this second annual Rebel Fest was bigger than the first year. Cason says it exceeded all of their expectations.

You get the feeling of some of the fun the youngsters attending got from the games offered. Tanner Cason showed his skills at free throws and basketball shooting. That’s him in green with the ball just above the rim headed to the net. Tanner’s dad said he loved playing ball all the time.

Outside we took a look at “Pancake” the pet pig. She looked hot in her cage. A cooler place was the Dunking Booth however the “dunkees” said that Pancake smelled better than the water in the dunking booth. We caught a series of shots of Kyle Guillory testing his arm. That small yellow object just above the target is the ball. A split second later the person in the booth was under water.

Just before the 6:00 pm everyone gathered in the gym around the table where Pancake had been relocated. The excitement permeated the crowd with kids coming to pet Pancake through here cage. The adults were looking in wonder also and trying not to show it. What’s up? All week students had been putting money in jars with faculty member’s names on it. The top two were declared winners of the “Teacher Kiss A Pig” contest. Coach Jared Smelser raised $204.50 and kissed Pancake first. Principal Jamie Lawrence won the right to kiss by raising $71.30. It was all in fun and yes! Photos don’t lie. They both kissed Pancake.

There was a lot more that went on, but after sampling several of the pies, cakes and cookies entered in the Baking Contest this reporter grabbed a stuffed lunch from Shaver’s Catering and went home to catch 20 winks.