Sliding into Summer: Students Gear Up for 50th Annual Mud Pig Day
Photo provided courtesy of Jehari Riley.
As the weather warms up and students begin to make summer plans, there is one event that Bluefield University students look forward to before leaving campus: Mud Pig Day.
For 50 years (with a pause in 2020 due to the COVID pandemic), the university has hosted this annual year-end event on the official last day of classes to celebrate the students and give them time to relax before final exams begin.
The tradition began in the spring of 1974, and what started as an impromptu day off before finals became a cherished tradition. Corey Mullins, vice president of Student Development, shared some notes of history about the special day.
“The students in 1974 just wanted to enjoy the last day and threw a hose down the hill as a prank,” he explained. “They had no idea it would evolve into the event we celebrate today.”
While the origin of the “Mud Pig” name remains a mystery, Mullins recalled a story from 1981 when students hosted a contest to catch a greased pig in an enclosed area. The stunt made headlines in the local newspaper and caused quite a stir in the community, though “Capture the Pig” didn’t become a standing tradition. Still, it serves as a reminder for all the fond memories that generations of Bluefield students have made over the years.
Sophomore Lucy Nicely reminisced about her first Mud Pig Day and the fun she had with her teammates.
“During my first Mud Pig Day, the soccer team and I decided to go down the slide in pairs,” she said. “It was fun because we were flying all over the place while going down the slide. One of my teammates went down and smashed into one of the hay bales, and so did I. It was hilarious.”
Senior Jehari Riley, looking back on his past Mud Pig Days, is excited for his final one.
“Being able to enjoy some fun activities outside of classes and be with my friends while eating a good meal is the best part,” he said. “I think [Mud Pig Day] is important to students because it allows them to relax and take their minds off things the week before finals and relieves them of some stress they may be having.”
Students can look forward to inflatables, yard games, barbeque food — including an entire roasted pig — and of course the mud slide and mud pit. Mullins and the Student Activities Leadership Team (SALT) have been working tirelessly to ensure this milestone event is one for the books. Mullins shared a personal memory that makes the event special to him.
“One of the first Mud Pig Days I was here, we had an inflatable where you climbed the ladder and slid down into a pit of water. My six-year-old son, Levi, and I climbed up, but the guys behind us took off as soon as we got to the bottom. I looked up and saw two offensive linemen coming down the slide on top of me and my six-year-old. It is safe to say my life flashed before my eyes.”
Mullins also spoke about the value of the university celebrating student achievements.
“I think [Mud Pig Day] is something that connects students to the history of the university and something that celebrates the achievement of closing off another school year,” he said.
This year’s Mud Pig Day will take place on Thursday, May 1 on the Dome Gymnasium lawn. Students, faculty, staff and community members are all invited to enjoy the festive atmosphere as they slide into summer.