Sigma Chi Derby

In the fall of 1935, the Sigma Chi fraternity first held its Circle Park Derby, in which nine sororities and about one thousand people competed in track and field type events. Individuals were awarded cups for winning the competitions, and the sorority with the greatest number of points was also awarded a cup. There was an annual beauty contest, a peanut rolling race, a relay race around Circle Park, a “Venus” contest involving pledges’ trying to fit into a cutout of a “Venus” figure, and various other contests. The fraternity crowned its sweetheart for the year during the derby weekend. ADPi won the first Derby. In 1969 the event was reorganized into a “Derby Week” of activities in the spring ending with sorority representatives competing in a variety of contests. The funds raised have traditionally gone to Children’s Hospital.