Home / Featured / Loris Bog-Off Festival draws huge crowd
Photo by Kaye Collins The audience eagerly anticipated the declaration of the victors of the Chicken Bog Contest. Pictured, left to right, are People’s Choice award winners, the UCLA Cooking Team of Lee Ellis and Zack Johnson, followed by Runner Up Cody Baker, and the ultimate winners are Bryan and Molly Hopkins. All were thrilled to receive their trophy.

Loris Bog-Off Festival draws huge crowd

 Polly Lowman  October 22, 2025  Featured, Loris  Comments Off on Loris Bog-Off Festival draws huge crowd

Vehicles entered into the Car Show were parked at the end of Main Street for visitors to view and scan the QR Code for the People’s Choice Award.
Andrew, age 11, and his younger brother Austin, age 4, are two enthusiastic children who were given the opportunity to sit in Willie Jenkins’ 2006 Corvette to simulate driving.
Sophia was recognized as the top clucker in the Chicken Clucking Contest. She felt thrilled about her victory. She mentioned that a two-year-old also shared the first place with her, stating, “the little boy was so adorable that the audience cheered and applauded for him just as enthusiastically as they did for me, resulting in a tie.” She urges all visitors to Loris to explore the local shops in and around downtown Loris.
With 200 vendors set up for the 46th Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival visitors crowded the streets looking for treats, jewelry, information from businesses, churches offered literature, face painting and the children’s areas drew crowds as well. The festival brought many from different locations to taste the traditional chicken bog for the first time or stop by Shorty’s Grill, Ritchie’s Eatery or the Bog-Off Tent where plates of chicken bog were served.
Larry Alford and his mother Mary, who is 92, visit the Loris Bog-Off Festival each year. They enjoyed the festival and waited to see who won the Bog-Off Cooking Contest. Mary says she enjoyed some of the music this year.
Loris Police Sergeant Bobby Brush emphasizes the significance of wearing seatbelts while traveling in a vehicle. The apparatus gradually descends to simulate a minor collision. Brush subsequently posed inquiries about the sensation of the impact, asking whether individuals would secure their seatbelts when riding or operating a vehicle on the road.
Molly, age 7, had her face painted by one of the talented artists with The Fire Circus Show.

By Kaye Collins

The 46th Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival attracted close to 40,000 attendees from various locations to partake in six city blocks filled with chicken bog, vendors, contests and additional activities in downtown Loris on Saturday, October 18.

Opening the Bog-Off stage was Mayor Mike Suggs offering words of thankfulness for coming to the 46th Annual Bog-Off Festival. Samantha Norris also welcomed everyone and turned the show over to Doug Kelly who spent the day making introductions and announcements.

The local Loris schools choruses performed with a martial arts show following the opening of the festival followed by a list of singers and bands taking the stage to provide lively entertainment for the crowds.

Local merchants established booths to provide pencils, pens, cups and various merchandise featuring their logos. Adjacent to the Loris Police Department, the City of Loris set up a booth that included a device demonstrating to both children and adults the experience of being involved in a low-speed accident, highlighting the significance of wearing a seatbelt. Sgt. Bobby Brush took the time to explain to the children the operation of the simulator and the importance of urging everyone to fasten their seatbelts prior to driving.

The chicken bog contest participants begin heating up their cookers or cast iron pots at 9 a.m. According to the rules the contestants must cook from minimal preparation prior to the start time. Each participant makes nearly 16 quarts of chicken bog to provide a cup with their tasty recipe filled chicken bog for each of the 200 ticket holders and judges.

In 1979, Singleton Bailey conceived the idea of a chicken bog festival during the spring. He noted that with the arrival of warmer weather and a steaming bowl of chicken bog, he and the Loris Merchants Association decided to move the festival to October each year. “The festival started off small, and after a few years, people became aware of it and were curious about what chicken bog is,” Bailey remarked. “It expanded from there.” The Loris Chamber of Commerce took on the responsibility of organizing the festival, and Samantha Norris, executive director of the chamber, begins planning for the following year’s festival immediately after the current one concludes. Over the years, the Bog-Off cooking contest has remained the centerpiece of the event, but the festival has expanded along Main Street and down side streets, featuring vendors, children’s zones, food trucks and a car show.

The winners of Loris’ 46th Annual Bog-Off, who received $1,000, a trophy and a year of bragging rights, were Bryan and Molly Hopkins. The second place, which earned $500, was taken by Cody Baker. The UCLA Cookers, Lee Ellis and Zack Johnson, were granted $250 along with the People’s Choice award.

The Chicken Cluckin’ Contest and the Mountain Dew Guzzling Contest provide enjoyment for everyone. These events feature categories for both children and adults. The Clucking Contest attracts a large audience, filled with laughter and applause.

Vendors provided snow cones, funnel cakes, deep-fried Oreos, Italian ice, and a variety of handmade crafts. The children’s area included a bouncy house, a slide, and the chance to “Touch a Truck,” featuring vehicles from the Loris Fire Department, Horry County Fire and Rescue, Loris Police Department, and Loris Public Works.

The 47th Annual Loris Bog-Off Festival is currently in the planning phase, with the city and chamber eagerly anticipating what 2026 will bring to the town, scheduled for the third Saturday in October.

About Polly Lowman

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