Dancing Pig sign getting a welcome party at San Jose’s History Park

San Jose’s famous “Dancing Pig” neon sign will get a welcome party Nov. 19 at its temporary home at History Park.

The historic Stephen’s Meat sign recently was dismantled from its original spot on Montgomery Street to protect it from being damaged during construction of Google’s Downtown West project. The sign is believed to have been originally installed in the 1950s and outlived the building it touted. The building was demolished in 2007 and turned into a parking lot near the Diridon Caltrain Station.

The sign, which had fallen into disrepair, was restored in 2019 thanks to a $35,000 fundraising effort begun by the Preservation Action Council. Young Electric Sign Co. did the restoration work, and San Jose glass artist Kevin Chong spent four weeks recreating the neon signage.

The History Park celebration next weekend begins at 3 p.m. with sign-inspired artist demonstrations, exhibits and a holiday art and gift market inside the Empire Firehouse replica building. A relighting ceremony will take place at 5:15 p.m., followed by glass demonstrations and a reception at the Bay Area Glass Institute’s studios at History Park.

The party is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are requested at www.preservation.org/events/party-at-the-pig.

MITTY MEMORIES: Archbishop Mitty’s Black and Gold fundraiser at downtown San Jose’s Signia by Hilton hotel on Saturday night was a big deal for Mitty President Latanya Hilton. Part of that was because peopled returned in-person for the first time since 2019. Nearly 700 supporters packed the Imperial Ballroom for an outstanding MTV-era musical tribute by the school band, Exodus, and a hilarious set by comedian Rita Rudner.

But there was also a more personal reason for Hilton, a Mitty alum who returned to become the school’s president in 2020. The first Black and Gold event, featuring headliner Ray Charles at the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, was held in 1992 when Hilton was a senior at the Catholic school in San Jose.

“Now, I’m standing here 30 years later as the president,” she said, giving a shoutout to her 1992 classmates who were in attendance. “This is a surreal moment.”

GRATEFUL IN-SIGHT: The West San Jose-Campbell Lions Club organized a cupcake party Oct. 11 to thank San Jose State’s Delta Gamma sorority for helping sort out thousands of recycled eyeglasses. The service club distributes the eyewear around the world through its Lions in Sight program. Lions District Governor Melinda Blaza welcomed the sorority members, along with some VIPs including San Jose State Interim President Steve Perez, SJSU Alumni Association Executive Director Valerie Gonzales and Bob Stewart and Lisa Quan from the San Jose Vista Center for the Blind.