Pink Pig Ends 50-Year Holiday Tradition At Lenox Square Macy's

ATLANTA — How many of us remember waiting in line at Macy’s in Lenox Square Mall to ride The Pink Pig during the holiday season?

Or at Egleston Children’s Hospital (now Children’s Hospital of Atlanta at Egleston)? Or Rich’s?

Riding the Pink Pig around in circles high above the ground in Rich’s or through the pink tent outside Lenox to the click-clack of the wheels over the tracks made many childhood memories. This holiday season, those memories will have to suffice.

After five decades of delighting children from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day, Priscilla is hanging up her ham hocks.

Macy’s will discontinue the Pink Pig ride, store officials told Patch.

“Sadly, we can confirm Priscilla’s retirement,” Macy’s spokeswoman Stephanie Jimenez said in an email. “The difficult decision to retire Macy’s Pink Pig ride was made before the pandemic.”

She said the store evaluates its event programming for optimal impact on the Atlanta community. The COVID-19 global pandemic hurt many retailers in the first year. Many smaller companies shuttered. Others had to sacrifice services and amenities to customers. At Macy’s, Priscilla fell victim.

But Macy’s has committed to continue its tradition of sharing the funds typically raised from ticket admissions with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Jimenez said.

“In lieu of proceeds from the Pink Pig ride, Macy’s will donate $20,000 this year to Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta,” she said.

Childrens Healthcare signaled its gratitude for receiving sustained financial support.

“We are incredibly grateful for Macy’s donations to Children’s over the years, totaling nearly $1 million, and the impact their gifts have made on our mission of making kids better today and healthier tomorrow,” CHOA spokeswoman Amelia Hess said in an email to Patch.

While one tradition will fade into memory, Macy’s will once again celebrate displaying its iconic 56-foot Christmas tree on the Lenox Square rooftop.