OXFORD – Staff and volunteers at the Chenango County Council of the Arts are making final preparations for a Pig Roast fundraiser for the organization’s Grants for Teachers Program from 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday.

The pig roast, formerly held as a private but popular invitation-only event by David and Mary El Emerson of Oxford, is now administered by the Council of the Arts. In keeping with tradition, the event continues to be held at the Emerson’s place on Co. Rd. 4 in Oxford. Space is limited and attendance is $45 per person in advance, $50 the day of the event.

Proceeds from the pig roast will benefit the council’s Grants for Teachers fund – a program developed by teachers for teachers, with a purpose of providing small amounts of funding for arts-related projects in the classroom during the 2012-2013 school year.

The Emersons’ pig roast has always been a popular event, explained Council of the Arts Director Victoria Kappel. What began as a family function grew into a community gala over time, she said, and when the Emersons decided they no longer wished to host the event, the couple passed the tradition to the Council along with the offer to continue using their home as the event site, creating a new fundraiser with a community-oriented feel.