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. Instead, you’ll find the 149th annual Rain Day festivities spread throughout the downtown area’s parks for Rain Day in the Parks.
The much-anticipated annual event moved to Fountain (College) and Monument parks last year. The new location offers plenty of new benefits. Now the festival can spread out over four plus acres with ample room for its entertainment and vendors. There’s even plenty of room for individuals to relax and enjoy the cool shady parks. And of course, the festival still features its usual entertainment, including live local musicians, food, crafts, games, vendors, contests, prizes, trophies, and fireworks.
“We are looking forward to in holding the event once again in College & Monument Parks,” says Athena Bowman, Special Events coordinator. “The atmosphere under the tree setting gives it more of a festival feel and is definitely shadier and cooler for all.”
The year 2020 brought many challenges and disappointments to overcome. Among those were the many festivals and fairs that are held throughout the Greene County during the late spring to early fall months, now unable to be held. The Special Events Committee (SEC) rose to the challenge and created a Virtual Rain Day Festival. In 2021, the committee again faced the possibility that High Street would be unable to be closed for events and moved the annual event to the parks.
Musical performances for this year include 18 Strings, Smoke & Mirrors, No More Daisies, Buckwild, The Craigs, Trenton Antill, Lucien, Tyler Jeffries, Zachary Brewer, and Cassidy Paige. These performances will take place on either the main stage (near E. Wayne Street) or the second stage (Fountain Park).
Headlining is Buckwild, and their performance is from 6pm to 8:30pm on the main stage. Buckwild is a rocking country cover band hailing from Pittsburgh, PA. With members from bands like Christian Beck Band, The Hillbilly Way, 1985, Chris Higbee Project, Stampede, and Whiskey High, Buckwild delivers a top-notch live show experience for all ages. Buckwild’s song list is made up of today’s best country hits from A to Z and few well known classic rock anthems. Buckwild’s high energy show is sure to entertain all types of concert goers.
Other entertainment includes Magic on the Run performances at 12:30pm and 2pm. The Waynesburg First Assembly Church will be providing children’s activities and games in Fountain Park from 12-7pm. There will be inflatable games provided by E.L.F Entertainment from 12-7pm, an American Judo Hapkido presentation at noon, a tumbling, cheer, and group exercise demos, and Jeff Harris will be creating caricatures from 12–7pm. There will also be strolling characters from 3-7pm.
The usual contests will be held, including Baby Rain Day, the Umbrella contest, window decorating, and more. 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, along with recurring food vendors with traditional festival foods. Crafters, artists, and vendors will also be scattered throughout the parks, with homemade items. If you are interested in being a vendor at Rain Day, applications are available at raindayfestival.com; the deadline is July 13, 2022.
And don’t forget to shop local businesses in the area! For your convenience, a shuttle from downtown to the event will be provided all day long . The shuttle will stop at three locations:
Near borough parking lot #2 at Morgan and Franklin Street, in front of First National Bank on High Street, and in borough parking lot #3 across from Don Patron’s off High Street/Morris Street. The shuttle is sponsored by WVU Medicine and service provided by Fox Bus.
“We are hoping individuals will take advantage of this service to shop local businesses and make it easier for parking.,” Athena says.
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 2022, Athena shares, “Mr. Sebak may want to reconsider driving with his convertible roof down entering Waynesburg Borough as we are sure rain will be falling to make the rain record 117 of 149 years!”
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.
Contact the Special Events Commission for details on all the Rain Day events at 724-627-8111. FMI on Rain Day, including a schedule of events, entertainer biographies, and more, visit raindayfestival.com.
Meet Wayne Drop
If you’ve been attending Rain Day for the past six years, you’ve surely seen the larger-than-life blue rain drop making his way around town. Wayne Drop, Rain Day’s official mascot, is always ready to celebrate his favorite day of the year.
After years of inviting and hosting other local mascots, the Special Events committee began discussing the idea of creating and incorporating their own mascot into their event in 2015. After extensive research and finding a reasonable costume, the bright blue rain drop mascot was born. But what to do about a name? “We tossed around quite a few names, like Wayne Dwop, Rain Drop, and Wayne Drop. We decided to reach out to the public through social media for their name ideas. The consensus was Wayne Drop.”
Athena and Janice Blair Martin, a committee member at the time, added a red tongue and brought Wayne Drop to life. The committee has worked with many individuals and seamstress in adjusting the costume to make it easier for the individual under the costume to see and move, however “until this day we still have some issues due to the bulkiness and sight line of the costume.”
Wayne’s first official outing was at the Food Truck Festival in Washington, PA. Since then, he’s been seen at other local events such as Sheep & Fiber Fest, Riverfest, the Jacktown Fair parade, car shows, mascot races, and has even attended Wild Things games in Washington. “Wayne Drop is one of our biggest tools to promote the Rain Day Festival by attending Greene County, Washington, and Morgantown events. We try to include Wayne Drop in as many events as possible and if our candidate is available to do them. Most candidates have other jobs, and this is a part time position.”
Jackie Tharp was the first candidate to fill Wayne’s trademark yellow sneakers. She originally thought the position was volunteer and was thrilled when she received her first pay. Since Jackie, multiple other students have played the part of Wayne Drop, bringing cheer and a sense of fun to outings.
The opportunity to be Wayne Drop is open to individuals 14 years of age or older and requires candidates to attend events in work in summer conditions while wearing the costume. To help candidates remain safe and comfortable, they are provided with an ice vest with back up packs to interchange throughout their events. Wayne Drop is paid for all events attended, and candidates – of course! – must be available the day of Rain Day.
“Wayne Drop is to enhance the fun atmosphere of the Rain Day festival and other local events by interacting with attendees, including both children and adults. He is meant to be a walking advertisement for Rain Day, encouraging folks to take selfies, dance, etc,” Athena shares. “We want this to be a fun position for the individual under the mascot costume as well as others. My favorite line is ‘Make sure you Smile Wayne Drop.’”
2022 Hat Bet
As Rain Day nears, it’s time for celebrities to take a chance with their hats as part of the legendary annual Hat Bet. Mayor Leathers and the Special Events committee is honored to have made this year’s Rain Day Hat Bet with Rick Sebak.
Mayor Leathers said, “I am very happy that he has accepted the bet. I’m looking forward to winning another hat this year!”
Rick Sebak has been a public TV producer at WQED in Pittsburgh since 1987. He’s made dozens of documentaries about southwestern Pennsylvania’s history and unexpected charms (including “Kennywood Memories,” “Pennsylvania Diners,” and “A Short History of Route 88”) and he’s created 15 national specials for PBS (including “A Hot Dog Program,” “A Cemetery Special,” and “A Few Good Pie Places.”)
Although he’s known a few weathermen over the years, he’s never claimed to be a meteorologist until now! “I’m honored to join the parade of amazing folks who have wagered on Waynesburg weather since 1939! From Bing Crosby to Eleanor Shano, from the Three Stooges to Mister Rogers, it’s an impressive list of people who have hoped to see sunshine (not rain!) on July 29 every year. My snazzy new Mini Cooper convertible will be 364 days old that day, and I plan to drive to Greene County with the roof down that morning, ready to celebrate clear skies, beautiful weather and this slightly wacky tradition that goes back to the 1800s! Bet on the sun!” Rick said.
The Rain Day Hat Bet’s first recorded year was 1939, when sportswriter Al Abrams bet his hat that it wouldn’t rain. He lost the bet, as did the bettors over the next six years, until the bet with boxing champion Jack Dempsey. Over the following years, television sports reporters, weathermen, writers, actors, television hosts, sports personalities and players, singers, and even Punxsutawney Phil and his club have wagered their hats against the rain. In 1992 and 1993, bets were placed against entire towns (Niceville, Florida and Mason City, Iowa). Interested in an entire listing of the Rain Day Hat Bets? Visit raindayfestival.com/hat-bet/ to see everyone that took a chance with their hat, and whether they won or lost.
Rick has a lot of talent, but it might let him down this year when he has to hand over his hat to Mayor Leathers. Because everyone knows that it’s going to rain in Waynesburg on July 29. That’s what makes it Rain Day!