Crowds turn out for event
WAYNESBURG – The annual Rain Day celebration came and went yesterday with a lot of sunshine and humidity, but as of press time no rain, making it only the 23rd time it hasn’t rained in the 132 years since the rain watch began. The official word as of 10 p.m. was “no rain,” but there was still a chance the rain would fall before the midnight deadline. The rain record – it has rained 109 out of the last 132 years in Waynesburg on July 29 – took a hit with the dry weather, but that didn’t stop thousands from cramming into the community for the daylong event.
“I think it’s really nice this year with it being on a weekend,” Greene County Commissioner Pam Snyder said. “More people are able to come because they’re not working.”
Snyder was confident by mid-afternoon that the sunny weather would give way to a few drops of rain. However, despite her wishful thinking, the only raindrops to be found were those decorating the many booths and businesses set up along High Street.
Besides the raindrops, the other popular decorations were almost all political. Most of those walking among the Rain Day booths were sporting political signs, buttons or stickers, as both Democrats and Republicans attempted to take advantage of the high volume of Rain Day traffic.
Greg Hopkins, a Republican who is running against state House incumbent Democrat H. William DeWeese in November, was taking advantage of his first Rain Day as a political candidate with a large booth and several supporters selling lemonade and handing out political attire.
“It’s a great way for candidates and elected officials to get out and see people,” Hopkins said. “It’s a lot more efficient then going door to door.”
In addition to Hopkins and DeWeese, the day also featured stops by Republican gubernatorial candidate and former Pittsburgh Steeler Lynn Swann, Pennsylvania 12th District Republican Congressional nominee Diana Irey and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate Bob Casey Jr.
“I’ve been to Greene County for a lot of years but I’ve never been to Rain Day,” Casey said. “But I got some good advice that I should come down here (on Rain Day).”
With candidates from both parties for several different races campaigning during the same day there were some angry words exchanged, including an interesting scene of an elderly man with a Casey sign berating a Santorum supporter wearing a duck costume. According to the masked man’s sign, Casey has been “ducking” the issues.
But regardless of a few partisan skirmishes, the extra attention for the uniquely Greene County event was welcomed.
“Every town should have something great like this that draws people in,” said Kay Laskody of Waynesburg during a break in the shade.
“This is a good thing and it’s great that they’ve kept it going all these years,” added her husband, Tom Laskody.
The daylong street festival featured an umbrella-decorating contest, a Baby Rain Day pageant, a merchant window-decorating contest, a husband-calling contest, children’s games and activities, crafts and food booths, and free entertainment from several bands, dancers and other acts.
In another Rain Day tradition, this year’s hat bettor was Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu, who bet his hat that it wouldn’t rain.
Celebrities who have bet their hats in the past and lost include Bing Crosby, Bob Hope, Jay Leno, the Dixie Chicks and Harry Anderson, whose commemorative Rain Day ball cap was a fixture on the bookshelves behind his desk on the set of his show, “Night Court.”
Miss Rain Day for 2006 was Ali Nelson of Waynesburg, who was crowned during the annual pageant on July 23.
The full day of events in the hot sun could be tiresome, but for many who strolled the streets of the celebration on Saturday, it was the opposite. They just couldn’t get enough.
“I’m here every year. I don’t miss this. I wouldn’t miss this for anything,” said T.J. Saveley of Franklin Township. “It’s like a family reunion. I’m almost 70 years old, but it’s still a lot of fun.”