The 1946 Pig Derby

In August, 1946, over 6000 visitors, several times Kirkland’s population then, swarmed into town to watch the much-publicized high point of Kirkland’s first Water Festival: The pig swimming races. BANG! The starting pistol fired and beautiful bikini-clad young women–UW drama students–opened the gates and 18 pigs slid down chutes, splashing into the lake and took to their lanes, made from floating boards, […]

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