Jul 29, 2011 By Steve Barrett 6 min read

WAYNESBURG — Greene County residents once again will flock to downtown Waynesburg today to celebrate the annual tradition of Rain Day.

And those who attend this year’s festivities in hope of finding a little rain also will find a full slate of activities throughout the day.

This year’s Rain Day celebration, once again organized by the Waynesburg Special Events Commission, will take place on High Street from 11 a.m. until at least 9 p.m.

The annual street festival will feature an umbrella-decorating contest, a country music showdown, a Baby Rain Day contest, a merchant window decorating contest, children’s games and activities, a wide array of live music, crafts and food booths, and free entertainment throughout the day on the Rain Day stages.

The day will begin with the traditional umbrella-decorating contest at 11:30 a.m. There is no pre-registration for the umbrella contest; participants may sign up prior to the contest at the Special Events Commission booth.

There is a $2 entry fee. Cash prizes will be awarded to the winners. There is no theme for the contest; however, the umbrellas must be functional and should display the “spirit” of Rain Day.

At 12 p.m., Rain Day will present music by Jackson T. Gardner, followed by performances from the Ginny McClelland Dancers at 1 p.m., Funkin Champions at 1:30 p.m., the Barbara Moschetta Dancers at 2 p.m., and Billie Downie and the 45 at 2:30 p.m.

The current Miss Greene County Pageant participants will grace the stage at 3 p.m., and then the annual Colgate Country Showdown Competition will begin at 4 p.m. Contestants will compete locally in the showdown competition on the Rain Day stage for the opportunity to perform in the state Country Showdown to be held later this year.

For the sixth consecutive year, the “Husband-Calling Contest” will be held during Rain Day. Wives wishing to participate should register throughout the day at the Special Events Commission booth near the main stage. There is no fee to enter.

During the family oriented contest, wives will have 15 seconds to “call” their husbands. Waynesburg police Chief Tim Hawfield, who came up with the idea to hold the contest, said wives who use profanity and/or suggestive language not only will be disqualified but may even be charged.

Creativity will be encouraged by the panel of judges. For this year’s contest, contestants will be judged on dress and appearance, a question-and-answer session, and the content, volume and intensity of how questions are answered. The winner will receive an award of $500 and a trophy, and the winner’s name will be immortalized on the “Golden Rolling Pin.” Sponsors for the contest are First Federal Savings and Loan of Greene County, McCracken’s Pharmacy, Greene County Messenger, Baily Insurance Agency and the Special Events Commission. The contest will begin at 6 p.m.

The Miss Rain Day contestants will perform on the upper stage at 6:30 p.m.

At 6 p.m., awards will be presented to the winners of the traditional 5k races, which was held on July 23. Also at 7 p.m., a special tribute to Company K soldiers will be held, and the winners of the Rain Day window-decorating contest, the best-decorated booth and the Jack McCracken Award will also be announced.

The Baby Rain Day contest will be held once again this year. Each year a new Baby Rain Day king, queen, prince and princess is crowned and honored on the Rain Day stage.

Winners in each category are determined by the number of votes received. The contestants’ entries will be displayed at the Special Events Commission booth on Rain Day until 3 p.m.

All participants should be present at Rain Day at 7 p.m. near the stage. The winners will be announced and crowned on stage. The winner of the best-decorated Baby Rain Day can also will be announced at that time.

Headlining Rain Day is the band No Bad Ju Ju, which will be rocking the upper stage in front of the Greene County Courthouse. The band will perform on the Rain Day stage at 7:15 p.m.

No Bad Ju Ju is an eight-piece band featuring three lead vocalists/instrumentalists backed by a driving rhythm and horn section. With an eclectic mix of music encompassing rhythm and blues, soul and funk, they captivate a listening audience while still kicking out high-energy dance music. With a hand picked ensemble of the area’s top talent, the bands’ collective experience ranges from the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame to Broadway, with most members having recorded and performed with national and international name acts.

The long roster of artists include: Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Wynton Marsalis, The Temptations, Chicago, Johnny Winter, Dr. John, Edgar Winter, Savoy Brown, Papa George, Reb Beach, Roy Buchanan, Bernadette Peters, Lou Christie, Connie Francis, The O.J.s, Little Anthony & the Imperials, Tony Bennett, Gary U.S. Bonds, Percy Sledge, Frankie Ford, Eddie Holman, The Diamonds, Peter Noone, Bo Diddley, The Platters, and ‘NSYNC.

The annual Rain Day hat bet also returns this year, as Waynesburg Mayor Blair Zimmerman recently announced that this year’s bet is with Greene County native and UFC fighter Josh Koscheck.

Each year, the mayor bets a celebrity that it will rain on July 29, with the loser having to hand over a hat of their choice. Previous hat bettors have included a number of celebrities such as Donald Trump, Will Ferrell and Chubby Checker, and sports figures such as Troy Polamalu, Troy Aikman and Mario Lemieux. The 2010 hat bettor — and loser — was Annis D. Parker, mayor of Houston, Texas.

Those who attend Rain Day will find the event’s setup to be similar from last year, in which the vendor booths that have traditionally lined up along the sidewalks of High Street in downtown Waynesburg will be set up in the middle of the street.

Officials said the change makes it more convenient for those attending the Rain Day festivities, as it opens up the sidewalks and allows more room for the existing businesses. All of the spaces allotted for booths along High Street and North and South Washington streets have been filled, officials said.

This year marks the 137th year of the rain watch. It has rained 112 out of the last 136 years, including last year.