Pirates gear up for Pigskin Pig-Out Party April 12-13

ECU Athletics and the Pirate Club are gearing up for the 39th Annual Great Pirate Purple/Gold Pigskin Pig-Out Party on April 12-13.

Fans will have a chance to enjoy a family-oriented festival-style event that surrounds the annual ECU Purple-Gold Spring Football Game at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. The game is at 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 13. Admission is free and fans will be allowed on the field after the game.

The annual event will again feature a weekend of barbecue with the famous pig cookin’ contest, tailgating with friends and family, PeeDee’s birthday party, and carnival-like fun for all ages, ECU said.

Other scheduled activities for the weekend include the annual Pirate Club Golf Tournament, Pig Out Your Ride Car Show, Vendor Palooza, Touch-Arrrgh-Truck and a meet and greet with head coach Mike Houston and the 2024 Pirates.

“We are excited about getting Pirate Nation together again for the Purple & Gold Spring Game and all the activities we have planned throughout the weekend,” ECU Director of Athletics Jon Gilbert said. “We will have live entertainment, barbecue, football and an opportunity for our fans to meet our 2023 football team.”

Pit teams will begin cooking barbecue for the Pig-out contest at the stadium on April 12. Barbecue and sides from the contest will be available in three portions starting at $12 (single-serving), $25 (tailgate package) and $90 (4-gallon bucket). All BBQ options can be pre-ordered by calling the ECU Athletics Ticket Office at (252) 737-4500.

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 at noon for cook teams. Registration for the golf classic is now open on the ECU Pirate Club website at: ecupirateclub.com/GolfClassic.

Cooker registration is now open and individuals and/or teams are encouraged to register early for the 30 cooking slots. An entry fee of $200 has been established per chef. Cooks with varying levels of experience can choose which category to compete in: Gold (serious/experienced) or Purple (casual/novice), while all entrants will have the opportunity to place in the Showmanship Category.

The vendor application along with registration links for the Touch-Arrrgh Truck, Pig Out Your Ride Car Show, Pig Cooker Sign Up, Pirate Golf Classic as well as additional information and schedule updates can be found by clicking the Pigskin Pig-Out Page (tinyurl.com/3wns3e4b).