Oct 3, 2002 By Steve Ferris 2 min read

Uniontown officials are hoping to extend a fairway from the PGA Tour’s 84 Lumber Classic at Nemacolin Resort and Spa’s Mystic Rock Golf Course into downtown next September for an arts festival that would be similar to a popular arts festival held annually in Pittsburgh’s Shady Side. Downtown Business District Authority Chairman Mark Rafail and Uniontown Zoning Hearing Board Chairman Richard Lee caddied the idea to Tuesday’s city council meeting.

They said along with providing artists and other vendors a chance to sell their creations to golf fans, the festival will also give the city a chance to attract business developers to downtown.

“This golf outing will attract a wide variety of business clientele,” Lee said. “If we pass on this, I think we’re passing on a very good thing.”

Nemacolin is reserving rooms in hotels in Fayette, Somerset and Westmoreland counties as well as in parts of West Virginia and Maryland for PGA sponsors and golfing fans who will attend the event scheduled for Sept. 15-21.

Nemacolin owner Joe Hardy Sr. and his daughter Maggie Hardy Margerko recently signed a contract to host the event through 2006 with an option for two more years.

Rafail predicted that many golf fans would go to the course to watch their favorite golfers, but not the entire event. An arts festival would give them something to do when they are not at the tournament, he said.

Vendors and artists will pay a fee to set their booths and the Storey Square Summer Lunch Series, which normally ends in August, could be extended to the classic, Rafail said, noting that the festival could become an annual event.

He said he hopes city council and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce likes the idea.

Mayor James Sileo said he and council will support the festival and asked that they be kept informed about the plans.