This year don’t look to High Street for a day of fun in the sun (and rain!). You won’t find Waynesburg’s annual Rain Day celebration spread out on the main road of Waynesburg (although you’ll still find sales and decorated window displays there). Instead, you’ll find the 148th annual Rain Day festivities spread throughout the downtown parks for Rain Day in the Parks.
The much-anticipated annual event is moving to the Fountain (College) and Monument parks this year. While it may be a different location than usual, that doesn’t mean the celebration will be less than the previous years along High Street. The festival will feature its usual entertainment, including live local musicians, food, crafts, games, vendors, contests, prizes, trophies, and fireworks.
The year 2020 brought many challenges and disappointments to overcome. Among those were the many events that are held throughout the Greene County during the late spring to early fall months. The Special Events Committee (SEC) had to deal with their own disappointment when realizing that they wouldn’t be able to hold their beloved festival the way they hoped. But they rose to the challenge and created a Virtual Rain Day Festival. The virtual Rain Day entertained community members online, introduced a few new contests, and was judged a success (even without the rain!).
“Rain Day is just not about a festival but carrying that tradition of an annual rain record in Waynesburg a tradition dated back to the 1800s,” says Athena Bowman, Special Events Coordinator. “We still had to carry on with this hometown tradition and make it happen. I know we all would have preferred celebrating in the streets and outdoors, but we had to make the best of it and continue this celebration in limited ways.”
When the committee began meeting in January to plan the 2021 event, Pennsylvania was still under COVID-19 regulations, which included PennDot halting permits for street closures. The committee needed a safe location to allow for social distancing, remove the need for state road closures, and still provide a fun environment to hold the festivities. “[The] Borough parks seemed like the perfect solution, where families and friends can get out and enjoy this hometown tradition once again. We went to Waynesburg Borough Council, and they approved us to have the event in Fountain and Monument parks,” Athena says.
“The committee is very excited for this event to take place in the parks where families and friends can gather to enjoy the festivities of the day in celebrating this hometown tradition!”
While it is unknown if the move to the parks may be permanent, the new location does offer some benefits. “Having our event in the Borough parks will allow us to have over four plus acres with live entertainment, food, crafters, games, and plenty of room for individuals to enjoy the cool shady parks,” Athena adds. “Our official mascot Wayne Drop will be out to put a smile on faces of all ages.”
Musical performances for this year include Jessica Torres, Cassidy Paige, Jeff Grable, Drew Johnson, Tres Lads, Lexi VanDyne, Tyler Jeffries, Trenton Antill, and Greg Short & Friends. These performances will take place on either the main stage (near E. Wayne Street) or the second stage (Fountain Park).
Quick Exit will be the headlining band, and their performance is from 6pm to 8pm on the main stage. Quick Exit was established in 1988 after three of the current five members completed their military obligations. They played steadily for about four years before taking time off to raise families. They began performing again in 2013. The band plays mainly 1980s rock ‘n roll with some classics from the 1970s and 1990s. Current members include Craig Haywood, Tony Ross, Mike Patterson, Douglas Laskody and Buzzy Walters.
Other entertainment includes Howard Mincone, a physical comedian and juggler. He will be strolling the parks from 2pm to 6pm, with a main stage performance at 4:30pm. Caricaturist Jeff Harris will be at the event from 11am to 6pm providing one-of-a-kind caricatures to attendees. The Waynesburg First Assembly Church will be providing flamingo-themed games in Fountain Park. New this year, two selfie stations will be available, including a large Tyrannosaurus Rex in the rain.
The usual contests will be held, including Baby Rain Day, the Umbrella contest, window decorating, and more. This year a new contest – Mini/Little/Jr. Miss Rain Drop – will be held. Make sure to check out the downtown businesses with Rain Day specials while in town, and to see their decorated windows. Who will win the coveted golden watering can this year? FMI on Rain Day contests, see our other article or visit raindayfestival.com.
The event this year will also bring some new food vendors including Forlinis Kitchen, Frost Fairy, and Iced Cake & Ice Cream Shoppe along with recurring food vendors with traditional festival foods. Crafters, artists, and vendors will be scattered throughout the parks, with homemade items such as jams, pickles, sauces, wines, jewelry, cutting boards, wreaths, crochet items, soaps, body butters and balms, clothing boutique, wood signs, home décor, pampered chef, Doterra oils and more!
Each year, Rain Day planning starts in January and ends around August. It is organized by the Special Events Committee. The SEC was created in 1979 “to organize and execute the Rain Day Festival.” The committee’s history reaches back to 1874, with the first recorded rainfall on July 29.
Have you ever wondered how a day is determined to be a rain day? The SEC works closely with local Boy Scouts and the Mayor of Waynesburg to determine rainfall on the day of July 29. The Waynesburg Troop Greene 1280 and 9280, the festivals official Rainwatchers, camp out on the courthouse lawn to monitor rain during the night, and the committee, mayor, and local police monitor the rain during the day of the event. To count as a rainfall year, there only needs to be a few drops within borough limits.
When asked her opinion on rain for 2021, Athena shares, “As of now the rain record is 115 out 147 years. Considering the past three years have been dry, I believe it will definitely rain this year. We are bound to change that mark to 116 in celebrating this 148th year!
If you’d like to be part of this annual tradition as a volunteer or join the Special Events Committee, reach out to the Borough Office, or submit a letter of interest to the Special Events Commission at 90 E. High Street, Waynesburg, PA 15370.