Video: Pigtown Festival’s ‘Running of the Pigs’

Pigtown, as most Baltimoreans know, got its name from the turn of the century practice of herding pigs from nearby rail cars though the historic neighborhood’s narrow streets — on their way to south Baltimore slaughterhouses.

Saturday’s 11^th Pigtown Festival, in homage and comic parody of neighborhood’s heritage, again included its annual “running of the pigs,” which has quickly become a much-anticipated tradition.

There are other attractions at the festival, of course, live music, pie-eating contests, a pumpkin patch for kids, great BBQ, for example, as well as a mix of vendors and artisans. But there’s nothing quite like watching kids cheering on their favorite pink hog and taking a photo with one of the little guys afterwards.