Bucky on Parade
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UW-Madison and the Madison Area Sports Commission are unveiling 85 6-foot tall Bucky Badger statues painted by 65 different artists from around Madison and Dane County. Each Bucky will be one-of-a-kind, with some highlighting local history, sports and scientific development. The statues will be spread around the county and revealed to the public all at the same time. You can look online at a soon-to-be-released, official digital map to find a Bucky near you and begin your quest to find them all. The official unveiling ceremony begins May 7 at 11 am at 110 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.; at 11:45 am, visit the top of State Street for a performance by UW Marching Band and an appearance by the real Bucky.
press release: Wisconsin’s beloved Bucky Badger will spend the summer parading around Madison with 85 inspired new looks – people have never seen Bucky like this before. On May 7, the Madison Area Sports Commission (MASC) will unveil Bucky on Parade, starring 85 six-foot-tall Bucky Badger statues in what will be one of the largest public art projects in the U.S. Bucky on Parade is a once-in-a-lifetime event that features singularly creative interpretations of Bucky as envisioned by artists from throughout the state. The parade will run through September 12.
Bucky on Parade has swept across Dane County and excited thousands of local residents since its launch. Now the public can get face-to-face with the people who created the buzz-generating Buckys with a series of artist talks that will start on June 4.
Meghan Warren McKinney will kick-off the summer-long program, discussing her one-of-a-kind statue, Vial Caps for a Cure, and the story behind the innovative set of materials. Bucky on Parade will raise funds for the statue’s sponsor, Garding Against Cancer, founded by Greg Gard, Wisconsin men’s basketball coach, and his wife Michelle. This will be the first talk that will be held throughout the summer, sponsored by the Madison Area Sports Commission (MASC).
The Vial Caps for a Cure artist talk will begin at 12:30 p.m. on the Capitol lawn directly across from the statue’s public location at 2 East Mifflin St.
On June 28, Fitchburg artist Christy Grace will be on-hand to dive into her scientific statue, BioTech Bucky. The artist talk will begin at 5:00 p.m. at Agora at Fitchburg Center, 5511 East Cheryl Pkwy, Fitchburg. Additional artist talks will be announced in the coming weeks.
Bucky Badger is a cherished Wisconsin icon; he appears on t-shirts and baseball caps, can be found pumping push-ups at UW football games and adorning the cheeks of Badger fans. Now, with the collaboration of the UW-Madison, the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association, University of Wisconsin Athletics, and MASC, Bucky will be brought to life in a way never seen before.
“We are honored and excited to have been entrusted with having Bucky’s personality depicted in a vast array of original designs.” remarked Deb Archer, President and CEO of the MASC and the Greater Madison Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB). “Our goal for Bucky on Parade was to create an event that will celebrate this beloved mascot, showcase the talent of dozens of area artists, and delight all who live and visit the Madison area throughout the summer.”
“We are pleased to partner with the Madison Area Sports Commission on this exciting project. Bucky Badger is a wonderful symbol of our institution and is immediately recognizable by everyone — whether they attended UW–
The collection of Bucky statues will be on display throughout greater Madison, including Fitchburg, Verona, Middleton, Monona, Sun Prairie, and the UW-Madison campus from May 7 to September 12, 2018. Following the public art display, several dozen statues will be auctioned off at a closing celebration on September 29 to raise funds for MASC and Garding Against Cancer. Garding Against Cancer was founded by Greg Gard, Wisconsin men’s basketball coach, and his wife Michelle, in partnership with the Wisconsin Foundation & Alumni Association, to raise funds and awareness for cancer research and care in the state of Wisconsin.
Learn more at BuckyonParade.com
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The Madison Area Sports Commission is the producer of the event, with support from Visit Madison and in partnership with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, UW Athletics and Wisconsin Alumni.