About

Hello I'm Bill Burke, and I began organizing Pig Out in the Park 32 years ago in an effort to support local small businesses, to entertain live music lovers, and to add to the rejuvenation of our community and the vitality of Downtown Spokane. The original date for the event was in late September, but after a couple of years with early-fall snow and hail, we quickly changed, giving Spokane a new Labor Day Celebration and tradition.

Initially, all restaurants were located under two large tents in the middle of the Gondola Meadow in Riverfront Park. We used gasoline generators for power. Though the noise and smoke was undesirable, the public didn't really seem to mind. Pig Out helped finance the cost of installing permanent power, which is still used by numerous park events.

The first five Pig Outs weren't even called Pig Out in the Park. The early event was still searching for its identity, with a new theme every year, when a graphic artist friend of mine, Bob Takeshita, suggested that year's theme should be Pig Out in the Park. This event theme, although sometimes criticized for not being snooty enough, stuck. And we've been Pig Out in the Park ever since. We're all about good taste.

The past several years it has been easy to find participating food vendors, but that's not always been the case. One year, I could only find 16 brave souls that would tackle taking their restaurants outdoors. Now we sell all of our booth spaces within days. Every year we see about 35% new food vendors. Over 235 different restaurants/vendors have participated. Over the years, we have included traveling food vendors from all over the United States.

One of the things Spokane likes best about Pig Out is the ethnic and cultural diversity of the people and restaurants. This year's event is a good example. Represented are authentic Chinese, Vietnamese, Japanese, German, Italian, Korean, Indian, Native American, American, Bavarian, Spanish, French, Jordanian, Russian, Hawaiian, Thai and other Middle Eastern foods. Pig Out is Spokane's largest cultural event.

Entertainment is half the menu at Pig Out in the Park. Since the first Pig Out, our entertainment budget has grown from $1,235 for talent and production, to this year's new total of $195,000. We've used seven different sound companies (now with Pro Sound Audio), three different stage lighting companies (now with Impact Lighting), and one staging company (Silhouette Staging). Maybe the biggest improvement is when we retired the metal Wenger Trailer Stage for large festival stages with roofs. Now it's real show business. Including this year's three-stage entertainment schedule, Pig Out in the Park has presented more than 1500 FREE concerts. I definitely have some favorites.

For many, including me, the best Pig Out show ever, was on a warm summer evening when we brought the band WAR to Spokane. Everything about that show was magic, the production value was excellent; mostly all original members were in the band, including Lee Oskar on the harmonica. Who could possibly forget the night we presented Shaggy? Our modest little dinner party for 10,000, within 30 minutes, turned into a major bash for about 22,000. Local radio stations were telling everyone in town to come to the park. We had to call in about 50 police and closed the streets around Riverfront Park to handle the friendly crowds. I'm proud to say that there was not one injury or incident. How was I to know that the guy had a bullet record on the charts and that he also produced Janet Jackson's records? The amount of litter after the show was incredible.

That one show changed everything about Pig Out in the Park forever. The year we presented British bluesmaster John Mayall, Spokane had one of our infamous wind and dust storms. When we pick Mr. Mayall up at the airport, he remarked about the dust and the possibility of having to cancel his show. Craig convinced Mayall that Spokane was on something called the Palouse. You know, "Native American for dust in the wind. It is always like that here.” Mayall believed it, and the show was one of our best ever. That night the dust was so thick it was like watching a concert on the moon.

There's the time Rick Derringer (Rock and Roll Hoochie Coo) showed up with legendary Ansley Dunbar on drums. He was back last year with Pat Travers! One year we presented a new country artist no one had heard of yet, Kenny Chesney. six months after Pig Out, he became an overnight success! We've had the Tubes, Elvin Bishop, Johnny Clyde Copeland, Tower of Power, Edgar Winter with Carmine Appice on drums, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, B. J. Thomas was even broadcast on live radio to the entire Northwest from Pig Out. There's been Poco (great show), The Nelsons, Otis Day and the Knights, Webb Wilder, The Buckinghams, Eric Burton, Lydia Pense and Cold Blood (great show). One year we presented two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers- Bo Diddley and Felix Cavaliere & the Young Rascals. For 2011 we are featuring the Clocktower Concert Stage, the very popular Acoustic River Stage and for 2011 the new Runners Stage. Three stages and 82 free concerts.

I'd like to also mention a few great local and regional acts we've presented, like- Men in the Making, Too Slim and the Taildraggers, The Spokane Jazz Orchestra, Ned and the boys from Seattle- Junior Cadillac. The late Russ Andre' used to open every Pig Out, and we've also lost our good friend Alex Bedini, and Ben Staley. We miss them. Don't forget The Val Workman All Star Band, now formed as Yellow Dog and the Jubilation Singers, which has played the most Pig Outs of all. The Inland Northwest is very rich in musical talent. We receive calls about Pig Out entertainment from hundreds of fans and bands wishing to play for the event. We're glad you like it.

There is a very special group of people that helps to stage Pig Out every year. It couldn't be done without them and they need to be mentioned. First, there's my wife Desiree. Jim Destefano is our loyal electrician and motivationalist (the whole trick is reliable electricity, nothing would happen without Jim). Craig Heimbigner, remember the John Mayall dust story, has helped me with entertainment booking and has found us phenomenal shows for your enjoyment and unofficially acts as our toastmaster general. My good friend and commercial artist Bill Voiland has been responsible for our artwork, posters, banners, t-shirts and goof appeal. Denise Adams is also involved now. Laura and Ally at Design Spike handle our web page and social networks. Jamie is our fashion counselor/coordinator, and we all miss our friend Jimmy Youngblood. Paul Ashley and Dave Olson are musician friends who helps with entertainment and stage control. If this year is like the others, there will be about 30 tons of trash. There are several other school groups selling beverages for the park for their class fund raising projects. Finally, not enough can be said about The Honorable Val Workman, founding president of The Six Bridges Arts Association. We work all year on Pig Out.

So what are the economic benefits and costs of the annual Pig Out in the Park? During the event, Riverfront Park/City of Spokane receives nearly $200,000 in gross beverage, park attractions and other concessions sales (Pig Out in the Park is Riverfront Park's most profitable event). Food vendors and restaurants have a very wide range of success, all between $2,500 and $40,000 in sales over six days. With our event now 31 years old, we have developed a regional reputation for our audience draw and a national reputation for the quality of our entertainment. It has been reported that the total annual economic benefit from Pig Out in the Park for the Spokane community is roughly $4.7 million.

Since 1979, We have raised approximately $6.5 million to stage Pig Out in the Park. Remember, since there is no admission fee, this has been done with restaurant participation fees, sponsorships and support from over 385 local Spokane County businesses. The ones who have helped the most and have helped keep Pig Out in the Park admission free are The Spokesman Review, Budweiser, Northern Lights Brewing, Northern Quest Casino, Inland Northwest Bank, the Six Bridges Arts Association and Burke Marketing. This year's Pig Out in the Park will cost about $320,000. Our 2011 sponsors are King Beverage Inc./Budweiser, Northern Lights Brewing, Northern Quest , A-Z Rental, The Spokesman Review, Inland Northwest Bank, Systems TWT, Valpak and The Six Bridges Arts Association. Please support our generous sponsors.

Special thanks go to The Spokane Fire Department, The Spokane Police Department The Grounds Maintenance Crews, Staff and Security from Riverfront Park. I would also like to sincerely thank you, our Pig Out in the Park audience and fans. We stage Pig Out in the Park for you. Admission is FREE! You'll never eat it all!