Before there was a Rich’s Pink Pig, the traditional “Lighting of the Great Tree” took place at the downtown Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta for the first time in 1948. A 70-foot live tree was placed on the roof of the store that year and the lighting took place on Thanksgiving night.
In 1956, the Snowball Express monorail ride for children opened at Rich’s downtown store, carrying children over the toy department. Atlanta was not the only city with a monorail ride. Rocket Express Systems also installed one at Philadelphia’s Wanamaker’s, Chicago’s State Street Sears, Minneapolis’ Donaldson’s, and Portland’s Meier & Frank. (Rich’s: A Southern Institution, Jeff Clemmons)
The ride name changed to Sky Ride in 1957 and Rich’s Giantland Monorail Express in 1958. Clemmons history of Rich’s describes how the monorail was reshaped and rebranded as the Pink Pig in 1959. He describes the ride, “The Pink Pig Flyer took children through a magical ‘Toys Alive’ journey, which featured fourteen electronically animated scenes from favorite children’s storybooks, such as the Cow That Jumped Over the Moon; Humpty Dumpty; Little Jack Horner; Little Red Riding Hood; and Peter, Peter Pumpkin Eater.”
Rich’s discontinued the Pink Pig in 1964, but their customers complained so much that they brought it back in 1965, plus they bought a second monorail. The two monorails were set up on the store roof. In 1976, the two pig became Priscilla and Percival.
When the Rich’s downtown store closed in 1991, the Pink Pig rides were given to Egleston Children’s Hospital to use during their Festival of Trees at the World Congress Center. The Pink Pig continued to be part of the Festival of Trees until 1995, with the last year being a display only.
The Pink Pig spent some time at the Atlanta History Center before returning for display at Lenox Square Macy’s in 2003 along with a new train style ride for children and adults.
In 2021 Macy’s announced that although the Great Tree tradition would continue, the Pink Pig was going to be retired. The ride was also not open in 2020 due to Covid.
Macy’s issued a press release from Priscilla the Pig in September of 2021 which read, “Dear Atlantans, for more than 50 years, I’ve had a memorable ride with many generations of Atlantans who know my arrival at Macy’s Lenox Square marks the start of the holiday season. I treasure the friends that I’ve met from near and far and am proud of the iconic holiday tradition I have become.”
I recall riding The Pink Pig and visiting with Santa Claus in the 1960’s. The Pink Pig rides remained at the Rich’s downtown store until 1991, when they were moved to Egleston Hospital. For a few years in the 1990’s, one of the rides made an annual appearance at the Festival of Trees.
The last Great Tree at the Rich’s department store took place in 2004. According to Jeff Clemmons’ “Rich’s: A Southern Institution,” the tree was a 75-foot-tall white pine from Snellville, Georgia. It took eight workers six weeks to decorate the tree.
A pink pig seems like an odd thing to be part of the Christmas celebration, but if you grew up in Atlanta, it likely stands out among your Christmas memories. It is part of my Christmas childhood memories and continued to be a tradition in my family, not every year, but several years including 2019.
In October of 1961, Rich’s begin to advertise their Christmas events including the Pink Pig.
If you love Rich’s history, you’ll enjoy Jeff Clemmons book Rich’s: A Southern Institution which you can find here.
My Pink Pig ticket from 2019. If the ride ever returns, this won’t be my last ticket.