Revamped Pigskin Pig-Out Approaching
March 26, 2019 | General
2019 Pigskin Pig-Out Schedule
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The 36th Annual Pigskin Pig-Out on April 12-13 will feature a weekend of barbecue with the famous pig cookin' contest, tailgating with friends and family, two live bands, fun for all ages including a chance to play in Dowdy Ficklen-Stadium, and the first Purple & Gold Spring Game under head coach Mike Houston.
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Other scheduled activities include the annual Pirate Club Golf Tournament, PeeDee's birthday party, an opportunity to send local celebrities into pool water with a Dunk Tank and a meet & greet with Coach Houston and the 2019 Pirates.
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Serving as the centerpiece of the festivities however will be the Purple & Gold Spring Game, which is slated for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, April 13. Admission is free to the contest and fans will be allowed on the field at the conclusion of the game.
"We are excited to host Pirate Nation on campus for a wide array of activities culminating with the Purple & Gold Spring Game," ECU Athletics Director Jon Gilbert said. "Coach Houston, his coaching staff and our student-athletes are working extremely hard this spring and they are looking forward to showing our progress in front of our great fans.
"Our staff has worked to put together a unique set of events for all ages. There's nothing better than tailgating with friends and family, listening to live music, eating barbecue and watching Pirate football."
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Award-winning Eastern Carolina-style barbecue and sides will be available, starting at $10 for a single-serving, which includes a beverage.
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The Pirate Golf Classic will lead off the activities with a shotgun start Friday morning at Brook Valley Country Club before the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium gates open later in the day at 5:30 p.m. Interested participants can register here.
At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, ECU cheerleaders, PeeDee and the Marching Pirates will accompany delivery trucks winding their way through the stadium with a specialized cargo load of pork as part of the traditional Parade of Pigs Tour. The Dickens Band, a group that plays a mix of new jams and old favorites, will perform beginning at 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring their own refreshments and enjoy the live music.
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The annual Pig Cookin' contest will be conducted Saturday morning beginning at 7:30 with 40 teams vying for first prize in the Purple and Gold categories. All judges are certified by the North Carolina Pork Council.
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All tailgating lots will open at 9 a.m. and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
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Barbecue meals, at both the serving tent (Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Plaza between Gates 5-6) and a drive-thru service area (Ficklen Drive), can be picked up or purchased on-site at 11:00 a.m., which coincides with a meet & greet opportunity with Pirate players at the same plaza venue. The official 2019 posters/schedule cards will be available for autographs. The serving tent can accommodate cash and credit card payments, while the drive-thru is a cash-only location.
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The tent area and Kids Zone will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. where Pirate fans can mix and mingle while enjoying their BBQ and listen to music by Spare Change. Based out of La Grange, N.C., Spare Change is one of Carolina's most well-known and respected bands. A new addition will be the opportunity to run through drills with ECU student-athletes on Bagwell Field at Dowdy Ficklen-Stadium from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
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Children can help PeeDee celebrate his birthday in the Zone at noon with face painting and free cupcakes to the first 100 who want to join his party.
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Similar to those in tailgating vehicles, all single-car parking spaces are complimentary and welcomed on a first-come, first-serve basis in available lots on the north and west sides of the stadium (Gold, Chancellor's, Blue, Lower Minges and Elmhurst School).
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Proceeds from the Pigskin Pig-Out, a family-oriented festival style event surrounding the annual ECU Purple-Gold Spring Football Game, benefit student-athletes through the ECU Educational Foundation (Pirate Club).
Â
Other scheduled activities include the annual Pirate Club Golf Tournament, PeeDee's birthday party, an opportunity to send local celebrities into pool water with a Dunk Tank and a meet & greet with Coach Houston and the 2019 Pirates.
Â
Serving as the centerpiece of the festivities however will be the Purple & Gold Spring Game, which is slated for a 1:30 p.m. kickoff on Saturday, April 13. Admission is free to the contest and fans will be allowed on the field at the conclusion of the game.
"We are excited to host Pirate Nation on campus for a wide array of activities culminating with the Purple & Gold Spring Game," ECU Athletics Director Jon Gilbert said. "Coach Houston, his coaching staff and our student-athletes are working extremely hard this spring and they are looking forward to showing our progress in front of our great fans.
"Our staff has worked to put together a unique set of events for all ages. There's nothing better than tailgating with friends and family, listening to live music, eating barbecue and watching Pirate football."
Â
Award-winning Eastern Carolina-style barbecue and sides will be available, starting at $10 for a single-serving, which includes a beverage.
Â
The Pirate Golf Classic will lead off the activities with a shotgun start Friday morning at Brook Valley Country Club before the Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium gates open later in the day at 5:30 p.m. Interested participants can register here.
At 7:00 p.m. on Friday, ECU cheerleaders, PeeDee and the Marching Pirates will accompany delivery trucks winding their way through the stadium with a specialized cargo load of pork as part of the traditional Parade of Pigs Tour. The Dickens Band, a group that plays a mix of new jams and old favorites, will perform beginning at 6 p.m. Fans are encouraged to bring their own refreshments and enjoy the live music.
Â
The annual Pig Cookin' contest will be conducted Saturday morning beginning at 7:30 with 40 teams vying for first prize in the Purple and Gold categories. All judges are certified by the North Carolina Pork Council.
Â
All tailgating lots will open at 9 a.m. and will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Â
Barbecue meals, at both the serving tent (Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium Plaza between Gates 5-6) and a drive-thru service area (Ficklen Drive), can be picked up or purchased on-site at 11:00 a.m., which coincides with a meet & greet opportunity with Pirate players at the same plaza venue. The official 2019 posters/schedule cards will be available for autographs. The serving tent can accommodate cash and credit card payments, while the drive-thru is a cash-only location.
Â
The tent area and Kids Zone will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. where Pirate fans can mix and mingle while enjoying their BBQ and listen to music by Spare Change. Based out of La Grange, N.C., Spare Change is one of Carolina's most well-known and respected bands. A new addition will be the opportunity to run through drills with ECU student-athletes on Bagwell Field at Dowdy Ficklen-Stadium from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Â
Children can help PeeDee celebrate his birthday in the Zone at noon with face painting and free cupcakes to the first 100 who want to join his party.
Â
Similar to those in tailgating vehicles, all single-car parking spaces are complimentary and welcomed on a first-come, first-serve basis in available lots on the north and west sides of the stadium (Gold, Chancellor's, Blue, Lower Minges and Elmhurst School).
Â
Proceeds from the Pigskin Pig-Out, a family-oriented festival style event surrounding the annual ECU Purple-Gold Spring Football Game, benefit student-athletes through the ECU Educational Foundation (Pirate Club).
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