Pioneer Festival to recreate past
ROGERSVILLE – The Pioneer Festival will be held today through Sunday at West Greene High School in Rogersville. The school is located along Route 21 about 15 minutes west of Waynesburg.
The festival is now in its eighth year and has many local organizations helping with the event, which will feature activities for the entire family.
Food will be available in the food court. Community Action Southwest will provide family fun. This year’s theme is American as Apple Pie.
There will be a new pie contest this year.
One tradition has been a Pioneer Pickle contest, which complements the Buffalo burgers.
The event will feature historical re-enactors, several blacksmiths, a frontier mapmaker, pioneer art, steam engines and a steel forge for the mechanically minded.
Several sporting events will include a challenging horseshoe pit, a local high school basketball tournament with Cameron and Blacksville and several other schools and ping-pong tables for family fun.
A harp player will tell stories, and a talent show will feature local talent.
The 2003 Pioneer Festival schedule is as follows:
Friday, June 13
– 7:30 p.m., The Dave Dahl Trio from Fayette County will offer square dancing in Football Field.
– Big Tent Basketball Tournament will feature six high school teams in the school gymnasium until the Sunday championship featuring six high school teams.
Saturday, June 14, Flag Day
– 9 a.m., horseshoes singles tournament, three trophies, $3 registration.
– 9 a.m., Veronica Kiger, will sing The National Anthem, and Flag Presentation Ceremony.
– 10 to 11:30 a.m., Maryland Line Country Line Dancers and demonstrations.
– 11 a.m., Pioneer Pickle and Pie Entries at the Buffalo Burger Stand.
– 11:30 a.m., horseshoes, most ringers in 10, three trophies, cost is $2 per person.
– Noon to 2:30 p.m., Talent Contest on the Main Stage.
– 1 p.m., horseshoes, doubles tournament with six trophies. The cost is $6 per team.
– 2 p.m., history videos in school.
– 2:30 p.m., Barbara Butler, harp player/story teller, Main Stage.
– 3 to 5 p.m., Springhill Bluegrass Band.
– 3 to 5 p.m., Ping-Pong Tournament in School, $1 entry fee.
– 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Ralph Moore Band.
– 7:50 p.m. to dark, Boot Hill Gang, headlining band.
– Dark, fireworks.
Sunday, June 15, Father’s Day
– 9 a.m., frontier service, Football Field in the Big Tent.
– 10 a.m., line dancing demonstrations, all day, history videos in school.
– 11 a.m., Barbara Butler, harp player/story teller for children.
– Noon, Dave Pahanish, music for the soul.
– 1 p.m., Hargus Creek Bluegrass Gospel Band.
– 2 to 4 p.m., Dick Rutan Band.
Re-enactors will be performing skirmishes from Civil to World War II. Blacksmith, frontier, map making, steam engine and other Demonstrations will be featured. Maryland Line Country Line Dancers will have dancing demonstrations each day.
Several sporting events include basketball, ping-pong and horseshoes The Dave Dahl Band will call the square dancing Friday night. Line dancing will be featured all weekend for the new and seasoned dancer. Local gospel and bluegrass bands will perform all weekend. Country hospitality and foods will delight the festival goer.