Big Pig Gig

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Flying pig in Concourse A at the Cincinnati airport.

From May 14 to October 31, 2000, Cincinnati, Ohio hosted the Big Pig Gig, a large-scale event in which local artists decorated fiberglass "flying pig" statues and displayed them throughout the downtown area.

Many of these statues have been sold on eBay for charity since the event, and many others have come to decorate the Cincinnati airport, local hotels, and other buildings. The event's focus on statues of winged pigs was reminiscent of the city's annual Flying Pig Marathon and the city's nickname of "Porkopolis".

The following year saw a similar though less well-known event, in which large flower pots were decorated and placed throughout downtown.

In September 2007, Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin hosted an unrelated barbecue competition by the same name.

1 Similar exhibits
2 References
3 See also
4 External links

[edit] Similar exhibits

Based on the CowParade,^[1] the Big Pig Gig was similar to statue designing projects in New Orleans (fish), Pensacola (Pelicans in Paradise), Lexington (Gallopalooza), Scranton ("Miles of Mules"), and San Francisco. A similar event was held in Calgary, Alberta at about the same time, but with lifesize cow statues, as a nod to the cattle industry in Alberta.The success of these ventures inspired many other cities to host similar fundraising projects. The theme was adapted in Berlin to the town mascot, however the entailing United Buddy Bears exhibitions are very different from all other urban events. The idea and the philosophy behind the United Buddy Bears exhibitions are unique: With its international approach and its symbolism, this synthesis of the arts globally promotes tolerance, international understanding and a peaceful coexistence.