Pigs in the City explained

Pigs in the City is a public art initiative coordinated by Uptown Lexington, Inc.,^[1] a non-profit organization created to revitalize the downtown (or locally called "uptown") area of Lexington.^[2] It includes a near annual event^[3] held in the fall in the uptown business district of Lexington, North Carolina, U.S., the self-proclaimed Barbecue Capital of the World.^[4] It is part of a larger downtown revitalization effort^[5] which has gained significant media attention due its unusual artistic display of full-size ornamental pigs and draws visitors from all over North Carolina.^[6] The event is free to the public.^[7]

History

During the 2004 "North Carolina Main Street" 24th Annual Awards Banquet, Pigs in the City won Best Downtown Special Event for their first event in 2003.^[8] The event drew over 40,000 visitors from all over the state in its first year.^[9] It became an annual event after 2006. The cost to "sponsor" one of the 20 pigs on display was $1,000 during the first exhibition, which paid for the initiative. There was some controversy as the "Root for the Troops" pig was stolen from its perch in front of the Army & Navy Store on Main Street.

The fourth annual "Pigs in the City" event was held from May 23 through October 23, 2008, and was called "Power of the Pig." The pigs were also on display during the 25th Anniversary Lexington Barbecue Festival and during the Official Food Festival of the Piedmont Triad Region of the State of North Carolina,^[10] a one-day event that usually draws up to 150,000 visitors from all over the nation to Lexington, a town of about 20,000 residents.^[11]

Some of the themes for Pigs in the City 4 include Pigahontas, Tanya "Cabbage Patch" Burcham, This Little Piggy went to Market, Mr. Porkwrench, Huckleberry Pig and Girl Snout.^[12]

Display

A number of artistic pigs are on display throughout the walkway of uptown Lexington, around the entire city square. The pigs are primarily made of fiberglass,^[13] and decorated and painted by local artists,^[14] each with their own theme. While some pigs are displayed for more than one year, new pigs are created for each year's display.^[15]

Gallery

Some of these are past entries that are now on permanent display throughout Lexington, or at Uptown Lexington, Inc. main office.

See also

• Big Pig Gig, another public art exhibit that featured pigs
• CowParade
• Elephant Parade
• Lexington Barbecue Festival
• North Carolina Barbecue Society

Further reading

• News: It will be a sporktacular time, but these pigs need parents . The Dispatch. March 8, 2003 . December 29, 2011 . Stiff, Bob.
• News: Uptown Lexington to auction 'Pigs in the City' on Nov. 1 . The Dispatch . October 24, 2003 . December 29, 2011 . Broughton Hodges, Vikki.
• News: Sooey! Call goes out for Pigs in the City IV sponsors . The Dispatch . December 4, 2007 . December 29, 2011 . Keesler, William.
• News: 'Pigs in the City' exhibit provides chance to discover downtown Lexington's appeal . The Dispatch . May 14, 2008 . December 29, 2011.
• News: Pigs parade through town . The Dispatch . May 19, 2008 . December 29, 2011 . Edwards, Deneesha.
• Book: Jerome, Kate B. . Charlotte and the State of North Carolina: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should . 2011 . Arcadia publishing . 978-1-4396-0097-9 .

External links

• Uptown Lexington, Inc.

35.8168°N -80.2586°W

Notes and References

1. Web site: Uptown Lexington - Pigs in the City . 2008-11-04 . 2014-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140321094125/http://www.uptownlexington.org/Events/pigsinthecity.asp . dead .
2. https://archive.today/20120728111306/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=133560&catid=57 Lexington Hosts Christmas Open House
3. http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060520/NEWS/605200330/-1/State Star News
4. http://www.visitlexingtonnc.com Lexington Tourism Authority website
5. Web site: Archived copy . 2008-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110714161244/http://www2.nccommerce.com/eclipsfiles/19291.pdf . 2011-07-14 . dead .
6. Web site: City of Kannapolis . 2008-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20070206194929/http://www.ci.kannapolis.nc.us/news_0.asp?newID=936 . 2007-02-06 . dead .
7. http://www.visitdavidsoncounty.com/freethingstodo.html Visit Davidson County - Free Things to Do
8. Web site: Morganton hosts NC Main Street Conference . Electricities.com . July 2, 2004 . December 27, 2011 . Crabtree, Bill . https://web.archive.org/web/20040702142745/http://www.electricities.com/press/news/morganton_hosts.htm . July 2, 2004.
9. News: LIFE-SIZE PORKER PROMOTION PROVES POPULAR TO PUBLIC. Staff writers Amy Dominello . Tina Firesheets . Sue Schultz . Eric Swensen . Greensboro News-Record.
10. Web site: State Library . 2008-11-04 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080206210322/http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM . 2008-02-06 . dead .
11. Web site: The Rain Is No Match for Barbecue. 2008-11-09. https://archive.today/20110522005639/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=113042&catid=57. 2011-05-22. dead.
12. News: Pigs in the City 4 brochure. 2008-11-09. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20110717173135/http://www.uptownlexington.com/Events/pigs_files/2008PigsBrochure.pdf. 2011-07-17.
13. https://archive.today/20130127053759/http://www2.journalnow.com/entertainment/2010/aug/15/exhibit-ar-394289/ Winston-Salem Journal - On Exhibit
14. Web site: Uptown Lexington's Pigs in the City 5 unveiled . The Dispatch . May 18, 2009 . December 29, 2011 . Broughton Hodges, Vikki.
15. http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080517/NEWS/756346438/1006 The Dispatch - Uptown Lexington debuts pigs with parade