{{Short description|Public art program in Lexington, NC, USA}} {{Use American English|date=July 2025}} {{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}} [[Image:Pigs in the City 15 - Deck the Halls.jpg|thumb|260px|Pigs in the City{{spaced ndash}}"Singing" pigs]]
'''Pigs in the City''' is a [[public art]] initiative coordinated by Uptown Lexington, Inc.,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.uptownlexington.org/Events/pigsinthecity.asp |title=Uptown Lexington - Pigs in the City |access-date=2008-11-04 |archive-date=2014-03-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140321094125/http://www.uptownlexington.org/Events/pigsinthecity.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref> a [[non-profit]] organization created to revitalize the [[downtown]] (or locally called "uptown") area of Lexington.<ref>[https://archive.today/20120728111306/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=133560&catid=57 Lexington Hosts Christmas Open House]</ref> It includes a near annual event<ref>[http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060520/NEWS/605200330/-1/State Star News]</ref> held in the fall in the uptown [[business district]] of [[Lexington, North Carolina]], U.S., the self-proclaimed ''Barbecue Capital of the World''.<ref>[http://www.visitlexingtonnc.com Lexington Tourism Authority website]</ref> It is part of a larger downtown revitalization effort<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www2.nccommerce.com/eclipsfiles/19291.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2008-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714161244/http://www2.nccommerce.com/eclipsfiles/19291.pdf |archive-date=2011-07-14 |url-status=dead }}</ref> which has gained significant media attention due its unusual artistic display of full-size ornamental [[pigs]] and draws visitors from all over [[North Carolina]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ci.kannapolis.nc.us/news_0.asp?newID=936 |title=City of Kannapolis |access-date=2008-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206194929/http://www.ci.kannapolis.nc.us/news_0.asp?newID=936 |archive-date=2007-02-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The event is free to the public.<ref>[http://www.visitdavidsoncounty.com/freethingstodo.html Visit Davidson County - Free Things to Do]</ref>
==History== [[Image:Lexington Barbecue Festival - more pigs.jpg|thumb|''Pigs on Parade'' displayed after the official event during the Barbecue festival. During the actual event, they are spread throughout the district instead of shown together like this.]]
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.<ref name="electricities">{{cite web | url=http://www.electricities.com/press/news/morganton_hosts.htm | title=Morganton hosts NC Main Street Conference | publisher=Electricities.com | date=July 2, 2004 | access-date=December 27, 2011 | author=Crabtree, Bill | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040702142745/http://www.electricities.com/press/news/morganton_hosts.htm | archive-date=July 2, 2004}}</ref> The event drew over 40,000 visitors from all over the state in its first year.<ref name="newsrecord">{{cite news|title=LIFE-SIZE PORKER PROMOTION PROVES POPULAR TO PUBLIC|author1=Staff writers Amy Dominello |author2=Tina Firesheets |author3=Sue Schultz |author4=Eric Swensen |publisher=Greensboro News-Record}}</ref> 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.<ref name="newsrecord" />
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,''<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/symbols/SYMBOLS.HTM |title=State Library |access-date=2008-11-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080206210322/http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM |archive-date=2008-02-06 |url-status=dead }}</ref> 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.<ref name="digitriad">{{cite web|url=http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=113042&catid=57|title=The Rain Is No Match for Barbecue|access-date=2008-11-09|archive-url=https://archive.today/20110522005639/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=113042&catid=57|archive-date=2011-05-22|url-status=dead}}</ref>
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''.<ref name="brochure">{{cite news|url=http://www.uptownlexington.com/Events/pigs_files/2008PigsBrochure.pdf|title=Pigs in the City 4 brochure|access-date=2008-11-09|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717173135/http://www.uptownlexington.com/Events/pigs_files/2008PigsBrochure.pdf|archive-date=2011-07-17}}</ref>
==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]],<ref>[https://archive.today/20130127053759/http://www2.journalnow.com/entertainment/2010/aug/15/exhibit-ar-394289/ Winston-Salem Journal - On Exhibit]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.allbusiness.com/food-beverage/restaurants-food-service/8233846-1.html |title=Archived copy |access-date=4 November 2008 |archive-date=12 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012051815/http://www.allbusiness.com/food-beverage/restaurants-food-service/8233846-1.html |url-status=bot: unknown }}</ref> and decorated and painted by local artists,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20090518/articles/905189984 | title=Uptown Lexington's Pigs in the City 5 unveiled | publisher=www.the-dispatch.com| date=May 18, 2009 | access-date=December 29, 2011 | author=Broughton Hodges, Vikki}}</ref> each with their own theme. While some pigs are displayed for more than one year, new pigs are created for each year's display.<ref>[http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080517/NEWS/756346438/1006 The Dispatch - Uptown Lexington debuts pigs with parade] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080521185624/http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080517/NEWS/756346438/1006 |date=May 21, 2008 }}</ref> {{Clear}}
==Gallery== Some of these are past entries that are now on permanent display throughout Lexington, or at Uptown Lexington, Inc. main office. <gallery class="center" > <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Pigs in the City 1.jpg|Bacon egg and cheese pig --> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Pigs in the City 2.jpg|''Peppy'' --> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Pigs in the City 3.jpg|''Pigahontas'' --> <!-- Deleted image removed: Image:Pigs in the City 4.jpg|''This Little Piggy went to Market'' --> Image:Pigs in the City 5.jpg|Carpenter pig Image:Pigs in the City 6.jpg|''Swine Lake'' Image:Pigs in the City 7.jpg|''Pig Pickin''' Image:Pigs in the City 8.jpg|''Girl Snout'' Image:Pigs in the City 9.jpg|''Rain or Swine'' Image:Lexington Barbecue Festival 2008 - caterpiggar.jpg|''Digger the Caterpiggar'' Image:Pigs in the City 10 - Fire Hog.jpg|''Fire Hog'' at the Lexington Fire Dept. HQ Image:Pigs in the City 11 - Pork Knox.jpg|''Porknox'' Image:Pigs in the City 12 - Pigsaw.jpg|''Pigsaw'' Image:Pigs in the City 13 - Newbee.jpg|''Newbee'' Image:Pigs in the City 14 - Pigasus.jpg|''Pigasus'' </gallery>
==See also== *[[Big Pig Gig]], another public art exhibit that featured pigs *[[CowParade]] *[[Elephant Parade]] *[[Lexington Barbecue Festival]] *[[North Carolina Barbecue Society]]
==References== {{reflist|30em}} {{Commons category|Pigs in the City (Lexington, North Carolina)}}
==Further reading== *{{cite news | url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20030308/NEWS/303080315 | title=It will be a sporktacular time, but these pigs need parents | newspaper= The Dispatch| date=March 8, 2003 | access-date=December 29, 2011 | author=Stiff, Bob}} *{{cite news | url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20031024/NEWS/310240333 | title=Uptown Lexington to auction 'Pigs in the City' on Nov. 1 | newspaper=The Dispatch | date=October 24, 2003 | access-date=December 29, 2011 | author=Broughton Hodges, Vikki}} *{{cite news | url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20071204/NEWS/712040313 | title=Sooey! Call goes out for Pigs in the City IV sponsors | newspaper=The Dispatch | date=December 4, 2007 | access-date=December 29, 2011 | author=Keesler, William}} *{{cite news | url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080514/NEWS/805140304 | title='Pigs in the City' exhibit provides chance to discover downtown Lexington's appeal | newspaper=The Dispatch | date=May 14, 2008 | access-date=December 29, 2011}} *{{cite news | url=http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080519/NEWS/805190322 | title=Pigs parade through town | newspaper=The Dispatch | date=May 19, 2008 | access-date=December 29, 2011 | author=Edwards, Deneesha}} *{{cite book |title=Charlotte and the State of North Carolina: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should |last=Jerome |first=Kate B. |year=2011 |publisher=Arcadia publishing |isbn=978-1-4396-0097-9 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=w3_jafRRXyYC&q=%22Pigs+in+the+city%22+lexington%2C+nc&pg=PA25 }}
==External links== * [http://www.uptownlexington.com Uptown Lexington, Inc.]
{{coord|35.816768|-80.258643|region:US_type:landmark_scale:500|display=title}}
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Davidson County, North Carolina]] [[Category:Outdoor sculptures in North Carolina]] [[Category:Painted statue public art]] [[Category:Tourist attractions in Davidson County, North Carolina]] [[Category:Sculptures of pigs]] [[Category:Animal sculptures in the United States]] [[Category:Sculpture gardens, trails and parks in the United States]]