# Pigs in the City

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Public art program in Lexington, NC, USA

Pigs in the City – "Singing" pigs

**Pigs in the City** is a [public art](/source/Public_art) initiative coordinated by Uptown Lexington, Inc.,[1] a [non-profit](/source/Non-profit) organization created to revitalize the [downtown](/source/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](/source/Business_district) of [Lexington, North Carolina](/source/Lexington%2C_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](/source/Pigs) and draws visitors from all over [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina).[6] The event is free to the public.[7]

## History

*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.[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.[9]

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](/source/Lexington_Barbecue_Festival) and during the *Official Food Festival of the [Piedmont Triad](/source/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](/source/City_square). The pigs are primarily made of [fiberglass](/source/Fiberglass),[13][14] and decorated and painted by local artists,[15] each with their own theme. While some pigs are displayed for more than one year, new pigs are created for each year's display.[16]

## Gallery

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

		- Carpenter pig

		- *Swine Lake*

		- *Pig Pickin'*

		- *Girl Snout*

		- *Rain or Swine*

		- *Digger the Caterpiggar*

		- *Fire Hog* at the Lexington Fire Dept. HQ

		- *Porknox*

		- *Pigsaw*

		- *Newbee*

		- *Pigasus*

## See also

- [Big Pig Gig](/source/Big_Pig_Gig), another public art exhibit that featured pigs

- [CowParade](/source/CowParade)

- [Elephant Parade](/source/Elephant_Parade)

- [Lexington Barbecue Festival](/source/Lexington_Barbecue_Festival)

- [North Carolina Barbecue Society](/source/North_Carolina_Barbecue_Society)

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["Uptown Lexington - Pigs in the City"](https://web.archive.org/web/20140321094125/http://www.uptownlexington.org/Events/pigsinthecity.asp). Archived from [the original](http://www.uptownlexington.org/Events/pigsinthecity.asp) on 21 March 2014. Retrieved 4 November 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [Lexington Hosts Christmas Open House](https://archive.today/20120728111306/http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=133560&catid=57)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Star News](http://www.starnewsonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060520/NEWS/605200330/-1/State)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Lexington Tourism Authority website](http://www.visitlexingtonnc.com)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110714161244/http://www2.nccommerce.com/eclipsfiles/19291.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www2.nccommerce.com/eclipsfiles/19291.pdf) (PDF) on 14 July 2011. Retrieved 4 November 2008.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["City of Kannapolis"](https://web.archive.org/web/20070206194929/http://www.ci.kannapolis.nc.us/news_0.asp?newID=936). Archived from [the original](http://www.ci.kannapolis.nc.us/news_0.asp?newID=936) on 6 February 2007. Retrieved 4 November 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [Visit Davidson County - Free Things to Do](http://www.visitdavidsoncounty.com/freethingstodo.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-electricities_8-0)** Crabtree, Bill (2 July 2004). ["Morganton hosts NC Main Street Conference"](https://web.archive.org/web/20040702142745/http://www.electricities.com/press/news/morganton_hosts.htm). Electricities.com. Archived from [the original](http://www.electricities.com/press/news/morganton_hosts.htm) on 2 July 2004. Retrieved 27 December 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-newsrecord_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-newsrecord_9-1) Staff writers Amy Dominello; Tina Firesheets; Sue Schultz; Eric Swensen. "LIFE-SIZE PORKER PROMOTION PROVES POPULAR TO PUBLIC". Greensboro News-Record.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["State Library"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080206210322/http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/NC/SYMBOLS/SYMBOLS.HTM). Archived from [the original](http://statelibrary.dcr.state.nc.us/nc/symbols/SYMBOLS.HTM) on 6 February 2008. Retrieved 4 November 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-digitriad_11-0)** ["The Rain Is No Match for Barbecue"](http://www.digtriad.com/news/local/article.aspx?storyid=113042&catid=57). Retrieved 9 November 2008.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-brochure_12-0)** ["Pigs in the City 4 brochure"](https://web.archive.org/web/20110717173135/http://www.uptownlexington.com/Events/pigs_files/2008PigsBrochure.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://www.uptownlexington.com/Events/pigs_files/2008PigsBrochure.pdf) (PDF) on 17 July 2011. Retrieved 9 November 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** [Winston-Salem Journal - On Exhibit](https://archive.today/20130127053759/http://www2.journalnow.com/entertainment/2010/aug/15/exhibit-ar-394289/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Archived copy"](https://web.archive.org/web/20121012051815/http://www.allbusiness.com/food-beverage/restaurants-food-service/8233846-1.html). Archived from the original on 12 October 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2008.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_archived_copy_as_title)) CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_bot:_original_URL_status_unknown))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-15)** Broughton Hodges, Vikki (18 May 2009). ["Uptown Lexington's Pigs in the City 5 unveiled"](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20090518/articles/905189984). www.the-dispatch.com. Retrieved 29 December 2011.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [The Dispatch - Uptown Lexington debuts pigs with parade](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080517/NEWS/756346438/1006) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20080521185624/http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080517/NEWS/756346438/1006) May 21, 2008, at the [Wayback Machine](/source/Wayback_Machine)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Pigs in the City (Lexington, North Carolina)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Pigs_in_the_City_(Lexington,_North_Carolina)).

## Further reading

- Stiff, Bob (8 March 2003). ["It will be a sporktacular time, but these pigs need parents"](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20030308/NEWS/303080315). *The Dispatch*. Retrieved 29 December 2011.

- Broughton Hodges, Vikki (24 October 2003). ["Uptown Lexington to auction 'Pigs in the City' on Nov. 1"](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20031024/NEWS/310240333). *The Dispatch*. Retrieved 29 December 2011.

- Keesler, William (4 December 2007). ["Sooey! Call goes out for Pigs in the City IV sponsors"](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20071204/NEWS/712040313). *The Dispatch*. Retrieved 29 December 2011.

- ["'Pigs in the City' exhibit provides chance to discover downtown Lexington's appeal"](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080514/NEWS/805140304). *The Dispatch*. 14 May 2008. Retrieved 29 December 2011.

- Edwards, Deneesha (19 May 2008). ["Pigs parade through town"](http://www.the-dispatch.com/article/20080519/NEWS/805190322). *The Dispatch*. Retrieved 29 December 2011.

- Jerome, Kate B. (2011). [*Charlotte and the State of North Carolina: Cool Stuff Every Kid Should*](https://books.google.com/books?id=w3_jafRRXyYC&q=%22Pigs+in+the+city%22+lexington%2C+nc&pg=PA25). Arcadia publishing. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1-4396-0097-9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1-4396-0097-9).

## External links

- [Uptown Lexington, Inc.](http://www.uptownlexington.com)

[35°49′00″N 80°15′31″W / 35.816768°N 80.258643°W / 35.816768; -80.258643](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Pigs_in_the_City&params=35.816768_N_80.258643_W_region:US_type:landmark_scale:500)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Pigs in the City](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigs_in_the_City) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pigs_in_the_City?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.