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ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) – On Easter Sunday, the 201st edition of the Peters Hollow Egg Fight took center stage once more.
Set against the picturesque landscape of Peters Hollow, this annual event turned the community into a hub of joy and camaraderie, continuing a tradition that has been cherished since 1823.
Originally a simple contest among local farmers to determine whose chickens produced the strongest eggs, the egg fight has evolved into a cherished Easter celebration for both the Peters family and the surrounding community.
Norman Peters has been the longstanding host of this event, with his backyard serving as the venue once again. This year marks his incredible 83rd time hosting the Egg Fight, with his son, Jamie Peters, joining him as the Master of Ceremonies.
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, the Peters family recounts how the egg fight was a major attraction, drawing thousands of visitors. The streets would be filled with parked cars, and egg battles would continue well into the night until a winner was crowned, according to Charles Peters, who grew up participating in the event.
“There’s no limit on eggs,” Charles Peters said. “I’ve seen people bring wheelbarrows and pick up truckloads. You know, you can bring 300 dozens if that’s what you wanted to bring.”
Today, the competition is divided into age groups:
- Ages 0-3: one dozen eggs
- Ages 4-6: one dozen eggs
- Ages 7-12: two dozen eggs
- Adults: four dozen eggs
“It’s a process of elimination,” Jamie Peters said. “So we set the winner down from last year, and then we draw numbers. And so we fill the circle out. So if we have 25 people or 30 people or 50, we draw numbers, and we fill the circle out by drawing so that it’s just more fair.”
Judges are often selected from the crowd. In recent years, community leaders including Mayor Patty Woodby and Judge Suzanne Cook have taken part. Sheriff Dexter Lunceford and Carter County Circuit Clerk Johnny Blankenship are among the regular attendees who return year after year.
Norman Peters hasn’t claimed victory since 1970, when he defeated Ruth Jones, the first woman to win, and still holds the record for most second-place finishes. Over time, the event has drawn visitors from across the United States and even as far as Germany to witness the tradition.
The Peters Hollow Egg Fight isn’t about winning–but about neighbors catching up, families reconnecting and generations sharing a living tradition. After 200 years, the family says their greatest prize is community.
“Today it’s more about the tradition and coming and carrying it on and having fun and seeing people you hadn’t seen in a long time and, just carrying on the hollering, that tradition,” Peters said. “And, I guess that someday I will inherit this as the host. And then I hope my son will carry it on. We don’t want it to die.”
Jamie Peters encouraged those who have never had the chance to experience the egg fight to visit next year on Easter.
“Next year, after you get home from church and have some food, come on up and enjoy it, I think, I think especially if you’ve got children, it’s a good, good activity and a good community,” Peters said. “Lots of nice people. And everybody is welcome. I’d like for us to grow it back with, you know, some people who’s not experienced it before.”