Yough River Rally returns to Connellsville after 20 years
The Yough River Rally, a three-day event that has been dormant for nearly 20 years, is returning to Connellsville today.
“At the time, it was one of the biggest festivals in Connellsville,” said Sharon Rendine, secretary/treasurer with the General Braddock’s Fish Club. “And it was just a tradition of the fish club.”
Rendine said the festival, which ended sometime in the late 1990s, was a celebration of the club’s passion of raising trout from receiving the fish in July, raising them in nurseries and finally stocking the adult fish in April.
“They wanted to share that enthusiasm with everyone in Connellsville,” Rendine said, adding that some of the older members of the club have been excited to hear that the rally is going to return, as there have been discussions in the club of bringing it back.
The three-day event at Yough River Park includes a kids fishing derby and adult fishing tournament on Saturday, where 2,000 trout were stocked in the river; Children’s Royalty on the Yough Pageant on Sunday; local food vendors and microbreweries; a 50/50 rubber duck race on Sunday; and tug-o-war, and anything-that-floats contests, both on Saturday.
“You don’t have to worry about speed, as long as you remain floating and can move forward,” said Rendine of the qualifications to participate in the contest where whoever makes it to the finish line with a vessel that’s still seaworthy wins.
Other entertainment includes DJ Macky D, Rod Wilkins and Abacus Jones on Friday; DJ Macky D, Tres Lads and Fungus on Saturday; and The Clarks (Scott, Rob and Greg) on Sunday.
Rendine said the rally and festival was made in conjunction with the Connellsville City Recreation Board, both of which will be sharing proceeds from the event.
She added that the event couldn’t have been possible without help from the city, their sponsors and Magisterial District Judge Ronald Haggerty Jr., who’s also a board member of the fish club.
“He was instrumental in pulling this together,” Rendine said of Haggerty, as the decision to put on the event was made in March, leaving little time to put an event like the river rally in motion. “He worked diligently to make this happen.”
Rendine said there has been a lot of buzz in the community concerning the return of the river rally – so much so in fact, that they’re already planning to have one next year.
“This is a big thing to celebrate Connellsville, Yough Park and celebrating the Youghiogheny River,” Rendine said. “It’s a wonderful thing to bring back.”
Due to many COVID-19 restrictions being lifted and because it’s an outdoor event at Yough River Park, Rendine said there will be no masking requirements.
“Let’s get out of the house and come down and enjoy our Yough Park, and let’s be all together and have a great time,” she said.
Information on the Yough River Fest, including details of the fishing tournaments and other events, can be found on the Yough River Fest’s Facebook page.