The 2nd Flying Pig Parade – December 28th, 2024
The fantastic Flying Pig parade is almost here! Come join the fun on Saturday, December 28th, at 2 p.m. Watch our funky procession march from Bo DIddley Plaza down SE 1 St to the Hippodrome Theater It’ll then take a couple of left turns and return to “The Bo”. At 3 p.m. we’re having another “Bo Diddley Birthday Bash” featuring live music by the D.R. Band and lots of delicious cake. At 4:30 the Hippodrome Cinema is showing our favorite holiday movie, “Santa Claus Conquers The Martians” followed by a mystery film at eight. Is that enough for ya? If not keep reading below!
NEW PRE-PARADE PARTY! December 27th, 6pm
Come to our Pre-Parade Party on Friday, Dec. 27th, at Depot Village, 404 SE 2 Street. Enjoy the Unidentifiable Audio Phenomena Band and witness the Worst Parade Costume Contest. The gate opens at 6. It’s all free and fun!
NEW PODCAST WUFT’s Tell Me About It – Click on this link to listen now.
Gainesville’s greatest event, THE FLYING PIG PARADE, is stepping out on Saturday, December 28th, at 2 p.m. Once again it will celebrate all that is wild and wonderful about living in North Central Florida. It’ll also poke fun at the many crazy things that happened in 2024.
We want YOU to be a part of it. Yes, you can show up for the festivities — a 2 p.m. parade followed by Bo Diddley’s Birthday Bash at 3 – but you can also be IN the parade, or volunteer to help make it happen. This is accomplished by clicking either of the forms, Entry Application or Volunteer Application. They are also listed on the menu of each page.We had over fifty groups in last year’s parade. We expect more this time. “The Dancing Dinosaurs” and the “Weird Island Clown Band” are coming back. Gainesville legend Vivian Filer has accepted our invitation to lead the procession as our grand marshal. It’s going to be another grand affair and we hope you can be a part of it.
Don’t miss your chance, please fill out Parade Entry Form.
“The Flying Pig Parade
Organizers say the inaugural Flying Pig Parade was a huge success when it marched through downtown Gainesville last December. Two-thousand attendees were able to see giant puppets, off-beat bands and a dozen dancing dinosaurs. The colorful procession will strut again beginning at 2 p.m. Dec. 28. “The Pig” has much in common with the immensely popular King Mango Strut parade in Coconut Grove. More than 50 groups marched last year. Sixty are expected for Pig Part Two. Early entries include Sgt. Pepper’s Heart Throb Band, Pigs in a Blanket and The Florida State Park Whistle Blowers Brigade. The procession will begin on Southeast First Street and will march south to the Hippodrome Theater. It will then take a few turns, and end up back at the plaza. Like last year, organizers say they will celebrate Bo Diddley’s birthday (Dec. 30) in Bo Diddley Plaza after the parade. That will kick off at 3 p.m. with cake, live music and more.”
