Youghtoberfest draws hundreds for Ohiopyle borough fundraiser
Downtown Ohiopyle was filled with people checking out artisans, food trucks and breweries Saturday as the borough celebrated its fourth annual Youghtoberfest.
The event typically raises about $35,000 to $40,000 for the borough, which goes toward improving its aging sewage system.
Costs for upgrading the system fall on the borough, which event organizer Abby Greenbaum said has about a dozen residents. But it’s also responsible for meeting the demand from visitors to Ohiopyle State Park, which draws about 1 million visitors annually.
“We can’t maintain it with just the residents, so that’s why we have this fundraiser and another one in the spring,” Greenbaum said, referring to the Ohiopyle Wine & Arts Festival, which has been going on for the past decade.
Sherman and Lincoln streets were lined with booths from 40 artisan vendors, a food truck and kettle corn, while the Ohiopyle Volunteer Fire Department also sold food for a fundraiser. People could also buy tickets for a tasting area where they could sample the wares of breweries, wineries and distilleries locally and from the surrounding region.
Those tasting areas alone sell about 500 tickets, Greenbaum said. Add in the other people shopping at the vendors or listening to the live bands in the park, and that number doubles.
“There’s a big race here in town today too with the Laurel Highlands Ultra, so we’re hoping to get some of those folks here that are from all over,” Greenbaum said. “It’s just nice having something for them to do on this beautiful day.”
Since 2023, the festival has acquired a dedicated following of people who will rent a house or hotel for the weekend to come back and support the borough, Greenbaum said.
“It’s kind of fun seeing that as an organizer — they make a whole weekend of it and not just one day,” she said. “They came to support the local restaurants, the fire department and the borough. So it’s nice that they now are keeping it a yearly thing.”
Matt Giordanengo and Luann Giordanengo of Rostraver Township have been coming in for the festival every year. They’ve got their routine down: finding a prime parking spot and calling ahead so a fresh loaf of whole wheat bread is waiting for them at the bakery.
For Matt, it’s a continuation of a relationship with Ohiopyle that dates back more than 60 years.
They also visit for Ohiopyle’s other fundraisers, like the spring wine festival and next month’s Buckwheat and Pancake Festival.
“I believe in giving back,” Matt said. “From my youth, these were the best times I had, and I never forgot that. They always treated us with kindness. So I do whatever I can to help, even the fire department.”
They don’t come for a particular vendor, but would act if they saw “something unique,” Luann said. A product of the hippie era, Matt likes to look for tie-dyed goods and candles.
In addition to the devoted regulars, Youghtoberfest also draws its crowd from people who hadn’t even known a festival was going on until they came through town.
Sean Park of Centreville, Va., was part of a group of 16 people on a bicycle fundraiser sponsored by his church. Their ride on the Great Allegheny Passage from Pittsburgh to Cumberland, Md., took them through Ohiopyle, where they stumbled upon Youghtoberfest.
“It’s wonderful,” he said. “It’s a great rest stop. It’s good to see the selection of food and the different booths here, so we’re enjoying ourselves.”
Learning that the proceeds were going to a good cause made Park happy “on multiple levels.”
“We have our own fundraiser, and this community is having a fundraiser, so it’s like a win-win for everyone,” he said.