East Carolina University

Traditions and events

• Barefoot on the Mall, held in the Spring, gathers musicians from all genres for an all day concert and features various games, rides, and food vendors.
• Freeboot Friday, held Friday evenings before home football games in uptown Greenville, offers free concerts, free food, children?s activities, and a beer and wine garden for adults.
• Pirate Palooza, held at the beginning of the fall semester, is a fun-filled event that features live bands, great food, inflatable games, a freestyle contest, a dance contest, a football pep rally, and the ECU Merchants Fair on the Mendenhall Student Center Brickyard. This event draws thousands of students and is a great way to kick off the fall semester.
• Halloween draws tens of thousands of people from all over the east coast to downtown Greenville each year.
• The Great Race, held in the Spring, features free food, rides, games and soapbox races down College Hill Drive.
• The Billy Taylor Jazz Festival gathers musicians from all parts of the world to participate in this unique two day event.
• The Purple & Gold Pigskin Pigout Party, held each spring, is a celebration of football at East Carolina. This event features a carnival, various cooking contests, world famous bar-b-cue, a car show, a celebrity golf tournament, a parade, free live entertainment, and the annual Purple & Gold spring football game.
• King & Queen of the Halls, held every fall, attracts thousands of residence hall students to a variety of carnival-live games. Bragging rights and pride are at stake during this annual competition between residence halls.
• Midnight Madness, held at the start of the basketball season, attracts many students and fans to Minges each fall. This event is a great chance for both students and fans to catch a sneak peak of the Pirate Men's and Women's basketball teams.