Festival-goers snatch up thousands of geraniums
Richard J. Finch Jr.
Despite a chilly morning, people turn out for the annual Connellsville Geranium Festival on Saturday.
Sarah Weyandt (right) and Maria Sipe look on as Chelsie Skovira (center) has her face painted by Robin Dice at the annual Connellsville Geranium Festival on Saturday.
Johanna Harden (left) of Fayette Friends of Animals and Rachel Connell, of Harrisburg, with her prize-winning dachshund Rudy at the Pooch Parade, were part of the the annual Connellsville Geranium Festival on Saturday.
Richard J. Finch Jr.
Eugene Gibson (left) talks with George Wettgen, who purchased geraniums for his wife at the annual Connellsville Geranium Festival on Saturday.
CONNELLSVILLE — A chilly May morning greeted the vendors who were setting up tents for the Geranium Festival on Saturday.
But the unseasonably cold morning wasn’t a deterrent for the crowds.
“I’ve been wanting to come for years,” said Marsha Noschese of Greensburg. “It’s the first chance I really had to do it.”
Noschese, a Connellsville native, and her friend Linda Dugger of Connellsville, were each able to purchase a tray of geraniums before the Connellsville Garden Club sold out of the flowers.
“She (Dugger) said it was so cold, but I told her to grab a sweater,” Nochese said. “I heard they sell out really fast. And you can’t beat the price — $2 a plant.”
Nearly 3,000 colorful geraniums were carried away by festival-goers by noon, with four hours of festival activities left to go.
“It helps the local organization (the Connellsville Garden Club),” Dugger said. “They put a lot of effort into the town.”
The Connellsville Garden Club hosts the festival, which is in its ninth year, each May.
Bev Opperman, Geranium Festival chairwoman, said the garden club is not interested in making a profit from the day’s festivities. Instead, any money that is raised is put back into the community through various city projects.
Susie Coleman, garden club member, said the flowers sold out more quickly than last year.
“Last year, it was so warm that people planted their flowers early — before May,” Coleman said.
With cooler temperatures, festival-goers were more willing to walk around and frequent the vendors that lined Crawford Avenue, she said.
“We’ve had some of the same vendors all nine years — they’ve been with us since day one,” Opperman said. “We have a nice variety.”
The Fayette County Cultural Trust was one of the vendors. The trust was selling the summer 2013 issue of Connellsville Crossroads, which was recently published.
“It started as an outreach to let people who have left town know what’s going on, and we have been able to do that,” said Michael Edwards, trust president. “It’s been very successful.”
Several area churches, including the Payne A.M.E. Church in Connellsville, provided ethnic food choices.
Patrons also visited vendors that were selling jewelry, purses, handmade place mats and woodcarvings, while others were flocking to organizations that were furnishing lemonade and root beer floats, despite the cooler temperatures.
“This year, we seem to have a record crowd, especially for as cool as it is,” Opperman said.
There were also activities for children, including the garden club’s “Little Princess” contest.
Adorned in pink and white frilly dresses, the girls answered questions under the gazebo in Lion’s Square as part of the contest.
Bella Petrone took first place, while Tessa O’Nell was runner-up.
The pet parade also drew interest from the crowd.
Opperman said each dog was unique, but Jimmy Connell’s dog, a dachshund, won in the “best overall” category.
Musical performances provided a backdrop to the flurry of activity along Crawford Avenue.
The Molinaro Band, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary, marched into downtown, signaling the start of the festival, and also played about six marches in Lion’s Square.
The festival also featured musical performances by Taney Basinger and Shelly McCombie, as well as music by Disc Jockey Mark Holden.