Mud Pig Day 2021: It’s Happening!

Yay, it’s almost Mud Pig Day!

Bluefield College will host its 43rd annual Mud Pig Day on Thursday, April 22, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Mud Pig Day is an annual event at Bluefield College that takes place the day after spring classes end and two days before final exams begin. It’s a great way for students to have fun and unwind before exams. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Mud Pig Day 2020 was canceled, so many BC students are eager to celebrate a traditional in-person Mud Pig Day once again. 

“I am excited that Mud Pig Day is happening this year,” senior Sarah LaPrade said. “I was bummed out that it was canceled last year because of the virus. I can’t wait to see what activities will be offered this Mud Pig Day.”

Fellow senior Mattison Stokes said she hopes the college can plan normal Mud Pig Day activities this year, despite the ongoing pandemic.

“Mud Pig Day has always been the best day of the year for me,” Stokes said. “It is a good day to relax and spend time outside in the nice weather. My favorite memory of Mud Pig Day was the year that the school had a mechanical bull.”

Mud Pig Day activities often include a water slide, food, games, inflatables, music, free t-shirts, and more. This year’s Mud Pig Day event hopes to have these same events, but some activities will not be available to students if there are active COVID-19 cases on campus.  

Each Mud Pig Day, the Bluefield, Virginia, Fire Department assists with a water slide on the steep hill beside Rish Hall, one of the men’s residence halls. Anne Pelchar, director of student engagement, said she hopes the slide will be available again this year.

“The Fire Department will not be able to set up the slide on Mud Pig Day if there are active COVID-19 cases on campus,” Pelchar said. “However, alternative activities such as relay races and group games will take the place of the slide if necessary.”

If it rains, Mud Pig Day activities will be moved inside the Dome Gymnasium. Students will be required to follow social distancing procedures at the event. This means only one student will be allowed down the slide at a time, and those waiting in line for the slide will have to remain six feet apart.

“We want the event to be fun, but safe as well,” Pelchar said.

Lunch will be served at noon. The meal will be free to all students regardless of whether they have a meal plan or not. Students also will have the option to pick up a free t-shirt. On Mud Pig Day 2019, students had the choice between a colored shirt and a white shirt.

“If students chose a white shirt, they were able to tie-dye it during the event,” Pelchar said, “and this is an optional activity we will be offering again.” 

Pelchar added that on March 1, 2021, Virginia governor Ralph Northam placed a limit on outdoor social gatherings to groups of 25 or less. That limit, she said, has now been changed, allowing Mud Pig Day 2021 to happen.

“According to the Virginia.gov website, the limitation has changed on March 23, 2021,” Pelchar said. “The website states, ‘social gatherings held outdoors should be limited to no more than 100 participants.'”

This upcoming Mud Pig Day may differ from previous Mud Pig Day events due to COVID-19 limitations, but it will be a fun, safe, and memorable day for the entire BC community.