Rachel the Pig to Return to Pike Place Market
Rachel, the 550-pound bronze piggybank statue that serves as Pike Place Market's mascot, will return to the market Friday, March 18, after her recovery from a collision with a taxicab on February 6 this year.
Before her reinstallment under the Market clock, she'll tour the city, making appearances on the behalf of the Market Foundation. She'll appear on the back of a vintage farm truck at the following sites:
March 13, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Space Needle
March 14, 2-6 p.m. Colman Dock
March 15, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. City Hall
March 16, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Seattle Art Museum
March 17, 10 a.m-3 p.m. Occidental Park
March 18, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Westlake Plaza
Following the Westlake appearance, the bronze will be reinstalled at the market, where she has greeted visitors since 1986 (and has been photographed with countless tourists on her back). Rachel raises close to $10,000 each year for the Market Foundation, which supports social services located around the market, such as the Pike Market Medical Clinic, Pike Market Food Bank, Pike Market Childcare & Preschool, and the Pike Market Senior Center. She inspired "Pigs on Parade" public art fundraisers, held in Seattle in 2001 and 2007, which led to dozens of versions of Rachel's iconic form scattered through the city.
Rachel's recovery has been on Whidbey Island under the care of her original artist, Georgia Gerber, with the help of her husband Randy Hudson and welder Virginia Keck. Gerber, who modeled the statue after a Whidbey Island pig who served as the statue's namesake as well, fixed a 10-inch crack in one ear and a dent in her side.
HelloSeattle tip: Rachel has her own Twitter stream, which can be followed for updates.
Posted on Mar 10, 2011 by Cat Rambo
