The 2020 Rain Day Festival is just days away on, and event organizers once again are prepared to offset hopeful precipitation with a full slate of fun activities.
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The 2020 Rain Day Festival is just days away on, and event organizers once again are prepared to offset hopeful precipitation with a full slate of fun activities.
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COVID-19 may have ended up limiting the number of Katie Swauger’s experiences as Miss Rain Day, but she said there is no limit to how many wonderful memories she made since winning the crown in 2019.
Miss Rain Day 2019: Katie Swauger
(Follow on Facebook and like the page to view the Virtual Rain Day Event)
(EDITOR’S NOTE: Even though this year’s Rain Day Festival is going to be virtual on the festival’s Facebook page due to safety concerns caused by COVID-19, the Messenger was asked to publish some history about the traditional annual street festival.
1939 — Al Abrams, Sportswriter*
Each year, a new Baby Rain Day King, Queen, Prince and Princess are crowned. Contestants must be a resident of Greene County.
COVID-19 may have greatly impacted the original plans for the 2020 Rain Day Festival, but six young ladies from around Greene County will not let the pandemic dampen their spirits and enthusiasm as they compete for the coveted crown of Miss Rain Day.
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Whether it rains or not, Waynesburg will be drenched with things to see, do and hear on July 29.
Main Stage/Lower Stage – in front of Greene County Courthouse
Waynesburg Mayor Brian Tanner said he is very proud to have made this year’s Rain Day Hat Bet with the award-winning KDKA sportscaster Bob Pompeani.
By Samantha Karam
Three young ladies from around Greene County will compete in the 41st annual Miss Rain Day Scholarship Pageant. Sponsored by Rain Day Scholarship Inc., the competition will begin at 4 p.m. in the Waynesburg Central High School auditorium Sunday, July 28.
1939- Al Abrams, Sportswriter*
Each year, Baby Rain Day contestants are chosen by the public in the following categories: king, queen, prince and princess. Kings and Queens are from ages 19 months and one day to 5 years old. Prince and Princesses are from one day old to 19 months. Winners in each category are determined by the number of votes received from the public. The contestants’ entries will be displayed at the Special Events Commission booth on Rain Day until 3 p.m.
No matter what time of day you attend the Rain Day Festival, you’ll hear an earful of live entertainment pouring from one of the event’s three stages.
One hundred and one years ago, between July 28 and 29, 18 soldiers lost their lives during the battle of Grimpettes Woods, which took place outside of Courmont, France during World War I. All of them were from Greene County. Due to Rain Day, July 29, is a day of celebration in Waynesburg but it is also a day of remembrance.
The Baby Rain Day contest, sponsored by the Special Events Commission of Waynesburg Borough, will happen once again this year.
WAYNESBURG — Greene County residents will once again flock to downtown Waynesburg on July 29 to celebrate the annual tradition of Rain Day. And those who attend this year’s festivities in hopes of finding a little rain will also find a full slate of activities throughout the day.
When Eden Rogers, 17, of Sycamore, entered last year’s Miss Rain Day Pageant, she said she didn’t expect to win.
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WAYNESBURG – The Central Greene School District continues to be a pathway to the Miss Rain Day title as Loren Schroyer, who will be an eighth-grade student this fall at Margaret Bell Miller Middle School, claimed the title Sunday at the annual pageant, held at Waynesburg Central High School’s auditorium.
WAYNESBURG – From the first hat bet in 1939 with Pittsburgh sportswriter Al Abrams to last year’s bet with with Bob Huggins, men’s head basketball coach at West Virginia University, many athletes, politicians, musicians, actors and local or regional “celebrities” have been lured into betting a hat that it would not rain on July 29 in Waynesburg.
Miss Rain Day 2017 - Eden Rogers
When Waynesburg mayor, Brian Tanner, heard Ferris Bueller’s Revenge play during the Pittsburgh Penguins’ ’80s Theme Night at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, he liked what he heard so much he suggested to Athena Bowman, Rain Day special events coordinator, that she book the band for Waynesburg’s annual July 29 celebration.
Editor’s note: This history of Waynesburg’s Rain Day was compiled from several sources, including the writings of John Owen and John O’Hara.
7-10 a.m Buckwheat Pancake Breakfast - St. Ann Church
1939- Al Abrams, Sportswritern
WAYNESBURG – For the third year in a row, a Waynesburg Central High School student was crowned Miss Rain Day when Eden Rogers claimed the title Sunday at the annual Miss Rain Day Scholarship Pageant held in the Waynesburg Central High School auditorium.
Congratulations to Eden Rogers, Miss Rain Day 2017!
WAYNESBURG — Several hats are being wagered this year as a group of young softball champions and a member of the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club Inner Circle are betting it will not rain on Waynesburg’s annual Rain Day celebration.
It’s been several decades since disco was the craze of night club dance floors. But here we are in 2016, and that unmistakable 70s and 80s disco, funk and dance music will be resurrected at Waynesburg’s Rain Day celebration when “Dancing Queen” takes to the upper stage at 7:30 p.m.
1939: Al Abrams, Sportswriter
WAYNESBURG – The whirlwind year-long reign of 2015 Miss Rain Day came to a close for Claire Kreider as the crown was set upon a new head this Sunday.
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WAYNESBURG – For the second year in a row, a Waynesburg Central High School student was crowned Miss Rain Day when Bryn Patton claimed the title Sunday at the annual Miss Rain Day Scholarship Pageant held in the Waynesburg Central High School auditorium.
WAYNESBURG — On Sunday, a 16-year-old Waynesburg Central High School junior became the 42nd young woman to be crowned Miss Rain Day, ending Carmichaels Area High School’s three-year year run of laying claim to the title.
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Hundreds of residents flooded High Street on Wednesday to enjoy a full slate of food, entertainment and fun during the annual event known as Rain Day.
The 2015 Baby Rain Day contest will once again be held. Each year a new Baby Rain Day King, Queen, Prince and Princess is crowned and honored on the Rain Day stage.
Five young ladies from around Greene County will compete in the 37th annual Miss Rain Day Scholarship Pageant.
Children’s activities will be held on Rain Day from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on the courthouse lawn. The schedule is as follows:
WAYNESBURG — A year ago around this time, five young women stood on the stage in the Stanley Fowler Auditorium at Jefferson-Morgan Junior-Senior High School and waited for the judges to announce who would become Miss Rain Day 2014.
Aspiring country artists will compete on Rain Day during the 34th annual “Country Showdown,” for a chance to further their dreams as country singing stars.
7:00-10:00 a.m. — Buckwheat Pancake
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.
Miss Rain Day 2014: Morgan Voithofer
The Baby Rain Day contest will once again be held this year.
WAYNESBURG — High Street will be packed with people July 29, many looking to the sky to see if rain clouds are moving in.
WAYNESBURG — Waynesburg Mayor Duncan Berryman apparently likes the local angle when it comes to making the traditional Rain Day hat bet.
WAYNESBURG — Those who enjoy a variety of music from the last four decades will be in for a treat when Stonestreet, a top-40 band from Charleston, W.Va., takes to the main stage to wrap up a long day of good food and entertainment at this year’s Rain Day.
Rain Day Window Decorating
JEFFERSON -- Morgan Voithofer, 15, was crowned 2014 Miss Rain Day during the 36th annual Miss Rain Day Scholarship Pageant, which was held Sunday in the Jefferson-Morrgan High School auditorium.
Jefferson-Morgan's Kyle Clayton secured a return trip to the WPIAL Class AA Boys Individual Golf Championship Monday after shooting a medalist round in the Section 8-AA qualifier at Chippewa Golf Course.
Trenton Carter threw three touchdown passes to Michael Stewart and also scored on a run Friday night to lead Carmichaels to a 43-8 Tri-County South Conference victory at Mapletown.
Sept. 13
The Laurel Highlands was named the third best destination in the U.S. to view the beautiful leaves of the fall season.
The past few weeks, months, years have been difficult for many of us to understand. It may be because our families raised us to believe we should leave this world better than we found it. Lately the challenge has been understanding how people are seeing what seems like black and white issues…
As the years wear on, I have made the truthful and accurate observation that for almost all people on this planet, life is more difficult than not. Each day, week, month, year, brings with it lots of frustration, grief, turbulence and regrets than general happiness, comfort and wholesome pleasure.