Students to Celebrate 41st Mud Pig Day
Bluefield College students will celebrate the school’s 41st Annual Mud Pig Day on Thursday, April 25.
Mud Pig Day is a day dedicated to students to relax before final exams. It is a day to have fun and celebrate the end of the school year.
“I just like having the day off and relaxing,” said junior Cynthia Brown. “I hope it is a nice day this year.”
According to the Bluefield College Office of Public Relations, the Mud Pig Day custom began in the spring of 1979 when just before the start of finals BC students took a day off from classes, away from books, tests and studying to commemorate the end of another semester of achievement.
Some say the tradition began with a simple water balloon fight that developed into a full-scale, campus-wide water battle, the PR Office said, while others recall how the event emerged out of a desire to increase school spirit and was named after a Lady Rams softball player who looked like every game she played was in the mud. Still others recall how the early years of Mud Pig Day included the actual chasing of a small pig, the crowning of a Mud Pig Day King, and the development of a formal day of games, competition, food, music, recreation, and fun under the guidance of Dr. Charles Tyer, president of the college from 1972 to 1988.
Each year the event features a water slide that students go down on the hill behind Rish Hall and a mud pit that awaits them at the bottom of the slide. Other activities in the field outside the Dome will include an obstacle course, color throwing, corn-hole, electric bull riding, and inflatable games, like jousting and a bungee run.
“My favorite part is the free t-shirts” said senior Shaun Kolb. “I have never been down the slide, but since it is my last Mud Pig Day I’ll think about it.”
Lunch will also be served outside the Dome on the campus lawn and featuring the typical roasted pig and other barbecue picnic favorites. The commemorative Mud Pig Day t-shirts will be available throughout the entire day.
“We will be giving out free t-shirts to students, and they can choose between the design on a gray t-shirt or on a white t-shirt,” said Anne Pelchar, director of student engagement. “If they choose the white t-shirt, they can tie-dye it right there at the event.”
Should it rain on Mud Pig Day, the inflatables and a few other activities will be moved inside the Dome and lunch inside the cafeteria.
“Of course the pig and Victor E. Ram will be making an appearance at some point,” added Pelchar. “We definitely hope that everyone will come out and join us. It will be an awesome event!”