Watching for rain in Waynesburg and hitting the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Watching for rain in Waynesburg and hitting the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
FAIR SCHEDULE
** SATURDAY, AUGUST 10 **
FAIR QUEEN CONTEST
DEMOLITION DERBY
** SUNDAY, AUGUST 11 **
HARNESS RACING BUCKEYE RODEO OLDIE SHOW ON TOUR
** MONDAY, AUGUST 12 **
HARNESS RACING PRO STOCK TRACTORS ** HOT SEMIS SENIOR CITIZENS DAY
** PERFORMANCE BY ** AC & THE RESISTORS
** TUESDAY, AUGUST 13 ** MOTOCROSS
** PERFORMANCE BY ** GOOD KARMA BAND
VETERANS DAY
** WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 14 **
SENIOR HIGH BANDS SCHOOL BUS DERBY
** PERFORMANCE BY ** SCOTT BLASEY LEAD SINGER OF THE CLARKS
** THURSDAY, AUGUST 15 ** KOI DRAG RACING
** PERFORMANCE BY ** RUFF CREEK
$5KIDSENTRY 12 & UNDER
** FRIDAY, AUGUST 16 **
DEMOLITION DERBY
** PERFORMANCE BY ** JOEY ADAMS
** SATURDAY, AUGUST 17 ** STREET STOCK TRUCKS
** PERFORMANCE BY ** BON JOURNEY
The Whiskey Rebellion Festival
(Photo by Johnny Interval)
The RebellionWhiskeyFestival: Downtown Washington brings its ‘spirit’ to life
by Ben Moyer
All photos courtesy of Johnny Interval
The 1st Virginia Regiment reenactors will demonstrate drilling and tactics at the festival. The regiment represents the militia assembled by President George Washington to put down the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794.
Washington’s annual Whiskey Rebellion Festival on Friday and Saturday, July 12-13, will commemorate one of early America’s most significant but poorly understood national crises. Visitors to downtown Washington will enjoy local spirits and food, music, historical reenactments and more in a festive setting. But from 1791 to 1794, this region flamed in protest against federal policies that frontier farmers saw as oppressive as the British tyranny they’d thrown off just a few years before.
As the 1790s opened, the newly formed states faced enormous financial hardship, including lingering debt from the Revolution. Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton pushed the federal government to assume states’ debts, and Congress enacted an excise tax on whiskey to pay the bills.
The whiskey tax was like the tax we pay today on gasoline, a predetermined amount per gallon collected at sale. The tax seemed a good idea among politicians
and in eastern cities. But west of the Appalachians in southwestern Pennsylvania, the tax hit backwoods farmers unfairly and hard.
Whiskey was a form of currency on the frontier, and western Pennsylvania farmers were experts at distilling it. “Monongahela Rye” and other whiskey variations not only flowed free in the local economy, but distilling made growing grain profitable on the frontier, far from eastern markets. Hauling bulk grain over the mountains on packhorses was inefficient and unprofitable. Western grain could not compete with that grown in the fertile lands around Lancaster and Reading. But once that grain was distilled into whiskey, westerners here had a high-value product they could transport long distances and still clear a profit.
The tax cut into those profits and whiskey rebels refused to pay it. When federal agents arrived in Washington, Allegheny and Fayette counties to collect the tax, they were harassed, attacked and literally “tarred and feathered.” Whiskey rebels burned the
Children listen to stories of life on the frontier. The Whiskey Rebellion Festival was envisioned as a family event and remains so.
homes of local landowners who cooperated with the agents, and armed confrontations led to at least two deaths among the rebels.
By 1794, President George Washington realized the federal government’s authority had to be enforced, or the young nation might disband. He assembled a federal militia of 12,000 recruits from eastern Pennsylvania and sent it west to quell the revolt. When the militia arrived, local citizens met the force with angry demonstrations but little violence. In fact, most of the Whiskey Rebellion’s leaders had already fled. The militia apprehended some suspects and marched them to Philadelphia for trial. Only two were convicted. Hoping to heal the discord, Washington pardoned both.
The unpopular whiskey tax remained in force until 1802, but the federal government’s erratic collection of the tax never justified its remaining in force. Eventually, it was repealed, owing mainly to negotiations by Albert Gallatin, appointed Secretary of Treasury by President Jefferson in 1801.
The Whiskey Rebellion stands as an important milestone in the historic tension between federal authority and local interests. Even though the whiskey tax was an administrative failure, the dissolution of the Whiskey Rebellion established federal authority in far-flung regions. In 1807, Congress passed the Insurrection Act, largely in response to the Whiskey Rebellion in southwestern Pennsylvania. The Act defines when federal troops may be deployed on American soil, including to quell domestic violence.
Whiskey Rebellion Festival activities center on South Main Street in downtown Washington, between East Maiden and East Wheeling streets.
“The Whisky Rebellion Festival is a great way for us in Washington County and this region to celebrate the rebellion and what it meant in American history,” said Jeff Kotula, president of the Washington County Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Promotion Agency.
“A bunch of us, including the Chamber of Commerce, got together about how to celebrate the
Fiddle music brought enjoyment and social interaction to the hard, isolated life of the western frontier.
city of Washington. We had all kinds of events planned and one of the things that came out was our strong heritage in distilling. We wanted to run with that.”
One of the festival’s most popular and historically appropriate events is the annual Whiskey & Spirits Walk, which will take place this year on July 12 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Walk participants purchase a ticket (online purchase at bradfordhouse.org), register at the Meeting House on South Main Street and are given an identifying wristband, walking map and a special sampling glass commemorating the Rebellion. Equipped with those essentials, walkers can stroll the festival and sample wares of distillers and wineries from around the region. Participants can purchase bottles of spirits they like. For walkers’ convenience, festival “runners” circulate among the vendor booths, collecting purchased bottles. These are returned to the registration area at the Meeting House, where walkers can retrieve their bottles after the walk’s completion. Whiskey & Spirits Walk participants must be 21 years of age.
No festival is complete without food. A varied assortment of food trucks will be set up on the lower level of the Main Street Pavilion. Food, whiskey and beer will also be available at the Blue Eagle Tavern nearby.
“Not only does this festival celebrate our history,” Kotula said. “It also helps to focus on the city of Washington, which is no different from other small cities suffering from decreasing population and declining main streets. This event brings people downtown to show off our pride and progress here and inspires hope for greater things in the future.”
Some enthusiasts have dubbed the Whiskey Rebellion Festival “part history lesson and part party.”
“I don’t know how you go wrong with a festival based on whiskey,” Kotula quipped. “Still, this was envisioned to be a family celebration, and it remains so.”
Visitors will find the party more “meaningful” if they also take advantage of some history. From noon until 6 p.m. on Saturday at the Bradford House Gardens (175 S. Main), members of the 1st Virginia
Food is part of every good festival. A variety of food trucks will be set up in downtown Washington, serving throughout the Whiskey Rebellion celebration.
Regiment reenactors will demonstrate 18th century drilling and tactics. The Bradford House is the restored home of David Bradford, principal leader of the Whiskey Rebellion. Guided tours are available. Bradford fled to Spanish West Florida in 1794 as the militia approached Washington.
The Whiskey Rebellion Education and Visitor Center will be open for walk-in tours both days of the festival, and a wide range of regional historical associations will meet with visitors at booths set up in the Washington Financial lot at the corner of South Main and Wheeling streets. Some of these exhibitors at past festivals have included Meadowcroft Rock Shelter, the Mon-Yough Society for Pennsylvania Archaeology chapter and the National Pike Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution.
Music acts perform all day and night on Saturday at the Main Street Pavilion. Street theater, featuring antagonists Alexander Hamilton and David Bradford, will move up and down Main Street all day Saturday.
Festival parking can be found at Citizens Library, 55 S. College St.; Crossroads Parking Garage, 50 N. Franklin St.; public parking lot, 70 N. Main St.; Observer-Reporter parking lot, Main and
Wheeling streets; Washington Financial lot, across Wheeling Street from the festival stage and at meters throughout downtown except on Main between Wheeling and Maiden.
“A lot of things have come together to make this a great example of how people can work together and celebrate their history,” Kotula said. “Here, they can learn while enjoying the best of this region’s products, produced here and now.”
To learn more or get involved visit mtwatershed.com or call 724-455-4200
Actors portraying Whiskey Rebellion antagonists David Bradford and Alexander Hamilton will perform street theater in downtown Washington all day July 13.
Smoketown
DAILY SPECIALS
TUESDAY: MEATLOAF OR PORK CHOP DINNER
WEDNESDAY: CHICKEN AND BISCUITS, SPAGHETTI WITH MEAT BALLS, MEATBALL HOAGIE, AND CHICKEN PARMESAN
THURSDAY: TACOS OR WINGS
FRIDAY:
Depar
Se petember 6 - 10, 2024
Motor coach to Watkins Glen, New York. Cr uise on Seneca Lake before checking in to Hampton Inn Penn Yan for a 4 night stay. Visit the Cheese Company, Har riet Tubman house, Watkins Glen Grand Prix Festival, plus touring and tasting at 4 local wineries. $1899 per per son (double)
WVU at PITT
Se ptember 14, 2024
Motor coach to Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh for the 2024 Backyard Brawl. See the WVU Mountaineers take on the Pittsburgh Panthers. $179 per per son
Waynesburg’s Rain Day Festival: A celebration of happenstance weather
by Ben Moyer
All photos courtesy of Waynesburg Special Events Commission
Rain Day’s official mascot, Wayne Drop, shows off his umbrella during Rain Day Festival at the Greene County courthouse in downtown Waynesburg.
If you were charged with devising a quirky twist that would make a celebration unique and stand apart from all others, you might suggest its organizers hope for rain on that very day. Who does that?
Nobody does that — except the Borough of Waynesburg. Every July 29, Waynesburg hopes for rain and throws a big party to welcome the drops. Waynesburg has held its Rain Day Festival every 29th of July since 1979.
“Of course, we’re hoping for rain on the 29th of July,” said Krysten DeBolt, special events coordinator for Waynesburg Borough. “The ideal is for a little bit of rain early in the morning, then clearing up later for the festival activities in town. Early rain kind of takes the pressure off, and people enjoy the festival all day.”
But the Rain Day mystique started long before
Waynesburg held its first official festival. Sometime late in the 1890s, a Greene County farmer named Caleb Ely happened to remark to town pharmacist William Allison that he’d noticed it always seemed to rain on July 29.
Ely had served with distinction in the Civil War, riding with the 44th Cavalry Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers. He was wounded during fighting in Virginia in 1863 but lived to age 85 on his farm near Oak Forest, Center Township, Greene County.
Ely’s comment about dependable rain on July 29 piqued Allison’s interest, and the druggist began keeping records of the weather on that day each year.
The trend continued, and William Allison’s brother Albert took over the tally. The annual rain phenomenon sparked so much interest that Byron
A young visitor makes a sand sculpture on a recent sunny Rain Day. Free kids’ activities are popular attractions at every Rain Day Festival.
Daily began keeping track after Albert’s death.
In the 1930s, Waynesburg newspaperman John O’Hara began sending his stories about Rain Day to other newspapers, and Rain Day’s fame spread.
Finally, in the late 1970s, Waynesburg formed a Special Events Commission to organize an annual celebration of rain on July 29.
By 1985, Rain Day was a topic of interest on national television when famous NBC Today Show weatherman Willard Scott talked about Rain Day in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, for three consecutive days. Ironically, it didn’t rain in Waynesburg that year.
But the rain has been oddly dependable since Ely began keeping tabs in 1874. His records, then the Allison brothers’ and Byron Daily’s, show that rain fell in Waynesburg every July 29 for 46 consecutive years, from 1874 through 1920. Since then, there have been a few “dry spells,” but rain has fallen 118 out of 150 years.
“Sometimes, of course, rain is obvious, and there’s no doubt,” DeBolt said. “But we depend on town Boy Scout troops to keep watch for us. The scouts camp out in the park all night and keep a rain vigil from midnight on. If they feel drops, they take a video and note the time so we can proclaim it rained. People from all over call here to see if it officially rained in Waynesburg.”
This year’s Waynesburg Rain Day Festival falls on a Monday. Music is always a big part of the celebration, and the Special Events Commission has packed in more acts than ever. Entertainment begins at the stage in Fountain Park at 10:50 a.m. when Greene County native Sydney Fox sings the National Anthem. The music flows continuously until 9 p.m., featuring Samuel James, Lucien Schroyer, Rebecca Krofcheck, Recycled Vinyl, a classic rock band, Andy and Randy duo, Tyler Jeffries, Josie Salvitti, Dan Baker and Cassidy Paige.
Wayne Drop celebrates Rain Day with Waynesburg Police.
When the music finally fades, a festival-first drone light show will light up the night above Monument Park. Waynesburg restaurants and retail shops will set up booths all day on the 29th.
“This drone show will be something different for us,” DeBolt said. “We’ve never done one before, and we’re excited about it. Normally, we have fireworks, but we wanted to try something new.
“But there’s something to do all day long,” she continued. “There are multiple free activities for kids and families, free admission, lots of attractions, and this festival is part of our town’s history. It continues to grow every year.”
Kids enjoy Wayne Drop, the big blue raindrop that serves as the Rain Day mascot. Wayne scampers around town all day, celebrating rain and bringing smiles to all.
There’s also an umbrella decorating contest, a Little Miss Rain Day Pageant and a window decorating contest where downtown businesses compete for the best Rain Day window display.
One especially popular feature of Waynesburg’s Rain Day Festival is the annual Hat Bet. Each year, some celebrity makes a bet with Waynesburg about whether or not it will rain. The loser forfeits a hat that is significant to the bettor. Past Rain Day Hat bettors have included such notable personalities as Bob Hope, The Three Stooges, Muhammed Ali, Arnold Palmer, Johnny Carson, Franco Harris, Mr. (Fred) Rogers, Troy Polamalu and Brett Keisel.
“We’re still working on this year’s Hat Bet, but we’ll find one,” DeBolt said. “It makes Waynesburg known around the world.”
Rain Art sculpture displayed near the Greene County Courthouse.
A variety of music acts will perform all day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 29 on the stage in Fountain Park, Waynesburg.
Waynesburg is in the center of Greene County, at the intersection of Routes 21 and 18. Downtown and Monument and Fountain parks are easily reached from exit 14 on I-79. From the interstate, head west for two miles to Waynesburg.
“A lot of people come into town for the festival,” DeBolt said. “People who left here come back just for this day to celebrate. It’s worth the trip.”
The annual Hat Bet is a feature of every Rain Day Festival. Celebrities bet the Borough of
that it won’t rain on July 29. Most have lost a hat, which goes on permanent proud display in
Waynesburg
Waynesburg.
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
Fifteen miles of this 70-mile inter-county trail pass through Fayette County’s most compelling landscape, offering scenery, exercise and adventure.
A day hiker enjoys the view of Youghiogheny Gorge between mile markers 2 and 3 on the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail, just north of Ohiopyle. (Photo by Ben Moyer)
Photos and story by Ben Moyer
Ohiopyle’s selection as the Best Small Town in the Northeast by readers of USA Today will entice more visitors to this exciting gem in the mountains of Fayette County. Many will arrive via the Pennsylvania Turnpike and then head south on Route 381.
Others will travel Interstate 70 and I-68 from the east coast, continuing west on the National Road (Route 40) to turn north on Route 381.
Some, heeding a creative GPS, may even wind eastward from Route 119 through the mountains above Dunbar, destined then to snake down the plummeting descent to Cucumber Falls on Ohiopyle’s outskirts.
However, only a few adventurous people will arrive in Ohiopyle by a very different means of travel. They’ll follow the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail southward from near Johnstown to the trail’s southern end in Ohiopyle. They’ll pop out of the woods at the perfect spot to end a challenging backpack — the Falls City Pub and Restaurant with its selection of cold local brews and hunger-slamming menu. The rest of downtown, with its eateries, shops and adventure outfitters, is just across the Route 381 bridge over the Youghiogheny River.
The Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail exists because of a vision shared by outdoor recreation planners and conservationists who wanted residents and visitors to this region to experience its unique geography and scenic landscapes. They found a way to route a footpath, traveling almost entirely on publicly owned land for 70 miles from the Conemaugh River at Johnstown to the Youghiogheny River at Ohiopyle. The path follows the crest of northeast-southwestbearing Laurel Ridge the entire way, over rock outcrops, winding among boulders, through hot-pink mountain laurel blooms, past breathtaking vistas and crossing frothy mountain streams (on log bridges). Only a few road crossings, including Route 30, Route 31 and Maple Summit Road, draw hikers out of the deep forest shade.
The trail’s route is a tribute to a diverse approach to landscape conservation. It passes through Forbes State Forest, two tracts of State Game Land, Laurel Ridge State Park and Ohiopyle State Park. The corridor also crosses Seven Springs Mountain Resort and skirts the 5,500-acre Bear Run Nature Reserve owned by the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, the same organization that operates nearby Fallingwater.
Aaron Moyer, of Wake Forest, North Carolina, pauses along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail to admire this whimsical tictac-toe game fashioned from wood deep in the forest along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
If you’ve driven the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Donegal and Somerset, you’ve passed under a gracefully arching footbridge at the top of Laurel Ridge, emblazoned with the words “Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.” That bridge carries hikers on the trail across the busy highway. The next time you travel that way, you might see some of them marching across the span above, their backpacks laden with sleeping bags and water bottles. Whether headed north or south, they’re about halfway through their trek.
“The LHHT has continued to grow in popularity. Backpackers and hikers are somewhat obvious,” said Mike Mumau, operations manager at Laurel Ridge State Park, which maintains the trail throughout its corridor. “The growing trend of user groups has been trail-runners. Annually, we receive, officially, around 100,000 visitors but I believe that number to be higher. We receive visitors from all over the U.S. as well as other countries. This is largely due to the quality trail experience and strong sense of place visitors find here. It is the best of what the Laurel Highlands has to offer.”
One of the LHHT’s most appreciated assets is the series of camping shelters spaced at about 10-mile intervals along the way. The shelters are rustic but comfortable (by backpacking standards). They’re dry and relatively spacious. Each features a massive stone fireplace with a cooking grate facing the interior. Once you get a fire going, the stone radiates heat into the shelter all night. Laurel Ridge State Park staff stashes dry firewood handy at each shelter complex. Each cluster of five shelters also features drinking water and vault toilets.
A group of experienced hikers from Alabama encountered along the trail proclaimed it their favorite. “We hike all around the country,” one
Alabaman said. “This is our favorite anywhere for its blend of wilderness experience with the convenience of shelters and toilets along the way. This trail is unique in that mix of qualities.”
Registration with Laurel Ridge State Park is required to camp in the shelters or to use the trail on any overnight hike. You can register at pennsylvaniastateparks.reserveamerica.com or by calling 724-455-3744.
“The LHHT has been there atop Laurel Ridge for nearly 50 years,” Mumau said. “In some places, it’s so popular it has been loved to death. Currently, we are working with staff and volunteers to assess the major tread and drainage issues. We are working collaboratively to address these for a better experience when out on the trail. Whether a day hike or a through-trip backpack, we want everyone to enjoy this precious resource and connect with nature in a meaningful way.”
As Mumau points out, you don’t need to be a hardcore backpacker to enjoy the LHHT. And there’s no reason to fear getting lost. Within Fayette County alone, road crossings and trailheads offer shorter day-hike options that let you sense the backcountry without an overnight stay or a heavy backpack to lug. Along the LHHT’s entire route, yellow blazes on trees are just frequent enough to keep hikers on the trail without spoiling the view of the woods. Mile markers track progress along the way. The miles are numbered south-to-north, with Mile 1 at Ohiopyle and Mile 70 at Johnstown.
You can start in Ohiopyle and hike north. Designated parking for this hike is along the railroad tracks at Ferncliff Peninsula in Ohiopyle, across Route 381 from Wilderness Voyageurs Outfitters. From there, you can hike just under 3 miles to the most scenic overlook on the entire LHHT, where the view is straight
A group of through-hikers enjoys their overnight rest at one of the camping shelters, spaced at 10-mile intervals along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail. Registration is required to use the shelters. Shelter areas also offer drinking water and vault toilets.
View of the Pennsylvania Turnpike from the footbridge that carries the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail over the ‘pike atop Laurel Ridge between Donegal and Somerset exits.
upriver into the Youghiogheny Gorge, with Sugarloaf Mountain on the far horizon. From Ohiopyle, it’s a scenic 11 miles to Maple Summit Road, where a Game Commission parking lot allows for stationing a vehicle for the return trip by road. Otherwise, hikes will be “out and back,” retracing steps. Be advised that the southern end from Ohiopyle is the steepest and most rugged span of the entire LHHT.
“Flatter” day-hike options within Fayette County can be enjoyed a little farther north. Public parking is available at the Cross-Country Ski Area, where Route 653 crosses the LHHT at the top of the ridge. From there, it’s a more leisurely 5-mile hike to Pletcher Road, 7 miles to Pritts Distillery Road or 9 miles to Seven Springs, where you could station a shuttle vehicle. Or park vehicles at Seven Springs and the Route 31 trailhead, just 4 miles north, for the hike between.
If you want to do a longer hike without backtracking and won’t have a second vehicle for the shuttle, you can often arrange shuttle service with Wilderness Voyageurs. Call 800-272-4141. Shuttle service availability varies with season and staffing capacity.
Fayette County boasts many other better-known destinations. But for adventure, mountain scenery, and an enjoyable day in the nearby “wilderness,” explore the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail.
Spiritual
Saint Joan of Arc Catholic
(Across
724-329-4522
Reverend James F. Petrovsky, Pastor Daily Mass at 8:30 AM Saturday Vigil at 5 PM Sunday Masses at 8 AM and 11 AM
There’s always at least one who needs that post-dinner snooze, so why not help their
UPCOMING EVENTS NEAR YOU
All event information was gathered from local tourism websites and was accurate at the time of publication. Event details are subject to change. Please call ahead or visit the websites provided for more information. This is not exhaustive.
ONGOING
Sundays
W.A. Young & Sons Foundry and Machine Shop
Guided Tours
$10 114 Water St., Rices Landing riversofsteel.com/experiences/tours/machineshop-tour
Mondays through July
Kids Movie Mondays
1 p.m.
Flenniken Library, 102 E. George St., Carmichaels flenniken.org/summer-reading.html
Mondays through October
Upper Yough Release
11:45 a.m. to 5 p.m.
White Water Adventurers, 6 Negley St., Ohiopyle wwaraft.com 724-329-8850
Tuesdays through August
Sounds of Summer Concert Series
6-8 p.m.
Lions Club Community Park, Waynesburg e-clubhouse.org/sites/waynesburg
Tuesdays through Sept. 10
Canonsburg Farmers Market
3-7 p.m.
317 W. Pike St., Canonsburg greatercanonsburgchamberofcommerce. wildapricot.org/Farmers-Market
Wednesdays
Waynesburg Farmers Market
10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Corner of High and Morris streets facebook.com/Waynesburg-Farmers-Market-236396956398280
Peters Township Farmers Market
4-7 p.m.
905 E. McMurray Road, Venetia
Thursdays
Main Street Farmers Market
3-6 p.m.
139 S. Main St., Washington
Waynesburg VFW Post 4793 Bingo
Doors open 5:30 p.m., early birds at 6:30 p.m.
Waynesburg VFW Post 4793, 445 E. Lincoln St., Waynesburg facebook.com/groups/WBGVFWPOST4793
Fridays
Monongahela Farmers Market
3-6 p.m.
Chess Park, 142 W. Main St., Monongahela facebook.com/MonongahelaFarmersMarket
Saturdays
Cooking Demonstrations with Kate in the Kitchen Cabin Free
Bradford House Museum, 175 S. Main St., Washington bradfordhouse.org
Farmers Market on the Panhandle Traill 9 a.m. to noon
McDonald Trail Station and History Center 161 S. McDonald St., McDonald mcdonaldtrailstation.com
July 2
Red Hot Chili Peppers: Unlimited Love Tour
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
July 4
Greater Canonsburg Fourth of July Celebration Free
10 a.m. to 10:20 p.m. Canonsburg canonsburgjuly4th.org
Fourth of July Car Show $10 per vehicle
Registration at 10 a.m., event noon to 3 p.m. Waynesburg Lions Club Community Park waynesburglionsclub.org
History of Ryerson Station State Park 11 a.m.
Ryerson Station State Park Office, 361 Bristoria Rd., Wind Ridge events.dcnr.pa.gov/event/history-of-ryerson-station
Waynesburg Fourth of July Celebration 6 p.m.
Waynesburg Lions Club Community Park waynesburglionsclub.org
July 5
Third Annual Community Fireworks Night 6-10 p.m.
116 Route 40 W., West Alexander
July 6
Spark in the Park
$5 per person or $20 per car 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Washington Park and Pool, 283 Dunn Ave., Washington parksrec.egov.basgov.com/washington
Fabulous Booze Brothers 6 p.m.
Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
July 6-21
Stiles and Drewe’s “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” $15-25
Little Lake Theatre Company, 500 Lakeside Drive S., Canonsburg littlelake.org
July 7
Car Cruise Registration $10 4-8 p.m.
132 Caddie Shak Road, Donegal caddieshak.com
July 9
Lincoln’s Burial 6:30 p.m.
Rostraver Township Historical Society, 800 Fellsburg Road, Rostraver Township 724-396-4599
Third Eye Blind with special guest Yellowcard: Summer Gods Tour 6:30 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
July 12
Chris Stapleton’s All-American Road Show 7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Whiskey and Sprits Walk
$50
Bradford House Museum, 175 S. Main St., Washington bradfordhouse.org
July 12-13
Whiskey Rebellion Festival Main Street, Washington bradfordhouse.org/whiskey-rebellion-festival
July 12-14
Rib and Wing Festival
$5-12
4 p.m.
Seven Springs Mountain Resort, 777 Waterwheel Drive, Seven Springs 7springs.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/events.aspx
Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” $20 adults, $15 kids under 12
The State Theatre, 27 E. Main St., Uniontown mstcuniontown.org/project/disneys-the-little-mermaid
July 13
Freedom Car Show
$10 registration per car
Registration 10 a.m. to noon, event noon to 3 p.m.
Waynesburg VFW Post 4793, 445 E. Lincoln St., Waynesburg facebook.com/AuxilaryVFW4793
“A Day in the Country” Concert 11:30 a.m.
Trax Farms, 528 Trax Road, Finleyville
XGO PLORE |
7 Bridges: Eagles Tribute
6 p.m.
Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
Bret Michaels: Parti Gras 2024
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
July 13-14
Legendary Con
EQT Rec Center, 400 EverGreene Dr., Waynesburg legendarycomiccon.com
49th Annual Antiques and Collectibles Show and Sale
$7-12
9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Washington County Fairgrounds, 100 Ridge Ave., Washington duncan-miller.org
July 14
Flashlight Drags
$40 racers, $10 spectators 2-6 p.m.
Greene County Airport, 417 E. Roy Furman Highway, Waynesburg flashlightdrags.com
Clint Black: 35th Anniversary of Killin’ Time Tour
$60-115
7 p.m.
Timber Rock Amphitheater, 3360 National Pike, Farmington timberrockamp.com/events/clint-black-35th-anniversary-of-killin-time-tour
July 16-20
Jacktown Fair
Jacktown Fairgrounds, 440 W. Roy Furman Highway, Wind Ridge
July 19
Ludacris
8 p.m.
The Meadows Event Center, Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, 210 Racetrack Road, Washington ticketmaster.com
July 20
Christmas in July
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Greene County Historical Museum, 918 Rolling Meadows Road, Waynesburg facebook.com/events/s/christmas-in-july/714414597462800
Sam Hunt: Locked Up Tour
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
July 25 through Aug. 3
Fayette County Fair
132 Pechin Road, Dunbar fayettefair.com
July 27
Ice Plant’s Annual Car Show
$10 per vehicle
Registration 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., event until 5 p.m.
342 Stoney Hill Road, Greensboro facebook.com/iceplant
Six Gun Sally and Artimus Pyle Band with Bo Bice
6 p.m.
Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
The Adios Pace for the Orchids Hollywood Casino at The Meadows Free meadowsharnessracing.com/adios-pace-forthe-orchids
July 27 through Aug. 3 (closed July 28) McSummerfest Free
Heritage Park, McDonald facebook.com/McDonaldMcSummerfest/
July 28
Miss Rain Day Pageant
Doors open at 3:30 p.m., pageant begins at 4 p.m.
Waynesburg Central High School, 30 Zimmerman Drive, Waynesburg facebook.com/MissRainDayPageant
Car Cruise
Registration $10 4-8 p.m.
132 Caddie Shak Road, Donegal caddieshak.com
July 29
Rain Day
11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
College Park (Fountain Park) and Monument Parks, Waynesburg raindayfestival.com
Hozier: Unreal Unearth Tour 2024
8 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
July 31
Styx, Foreigner and John Waite: Renegades and Jukebox Heroes Tour
6:45 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 1-11
“Schoolhouse Rock Live! Jr.”
Little Lake Theatre Company, 500 Lakeside Drive S., Canonsburg littlelake.org
Aug. 2
First Friday: Americana Free 4-8 p.m. Main Street, Washington
Dan + Shay: Heartbreak on the Map Tour
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 2-4
“Cabaret” $20
The State Theatre, 27 E. Main St., Uniontown mstcuniontown.org/project/cabaret
Aug. 3
Highwaymen Live: Cash, Jennings and Nelson
6 p.m.
Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
Creed: Summer of ‘99 Tour
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 4-10
Greene County Fair
Greene County Fairgrounds, 107 Fairgrounds Road, Waynesburg greenecountyfair.org
Aug. 5-9
Hands-On History Day Camp $100 per child
Bradford House Museum, 175 S. Main St., Washington bradfordhouse.org
Aug. 7
Slipknot: Here Comes the Pain 25th Anniversary Tour
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 9-11
National Pike Steam, Gas and Horse Association Show
$5-7
10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
222 Spring Road, Brownsville nationalpike.com
Aug. 9-14
PONY League World Series
Lew Hays PONY Field plws.org
Aug. 10
Come Together: Beatles Tribute
6 p.m.
Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
Jason Aldean: Highway Desperado Tour 2024
7:30 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Shaggy
8 p.m.
The Meadows Event Center at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, 210 Racetrack Road, Washington ticketmaster.com
Aug. 10-17
Washington County Fair
10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Washington County Fairgrounds & Expo Center, 2151 N. Main St., Washington washingtonfair.org
Aug. 13
Dangerfield Newby’s Fight for Freedom Free
6:30-8 p.m.
Rostraver Township Historical Society 800 Fellsburg Road, Rostraver Township 724-396-4599
Aug. 14
Imagine Dragons: Loom World Tour 7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 15
Aaron Lewis: The American Patriot Tour $60-105
7:30 p.m.
Timber Rock Amphitheater, 3360 National Pike, Farmington timberrockamp.com/events/aaron-lewis-the-american-patriot-tour
Aug. 16
Kidz Bop Live 2024
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 16-24
Westmoreland Agricultural Fair
123 Blue Ribbon Lane, Greensburg westmorelandfair.com
Aug. 17
Connecting through Inspiration Arts Festival
Free
Noon to 6 p.m.
111 W. Pike St., Canonsburg archumanservices.org/calendar-of-events
Rally on Main
139 S. Main St., Washington rallyonmain.com
Hollywood Nights: Bob Seger Tribute 6 p.m.
Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
Tedeschi Trucks Band Deuces Wild 2024 with special guest Margo Price
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 17-18
Mr. Speed KISS Tribute $32
8 p.m.
The Lamp Theatre, 222 Main St., Irwin lamptheatre.org/mr-speed-kiss-tribute
Aviation Days
Free
Greene County Airport, 417 E. Roy Furman Highway, Waynesburg soarofgreenecounty.org
Westmoreland Airshow
Arnold Palmer Regional Airport, 148 Aviation Lane, Latrobe palmerairport.com
Aug. 17-24
PA Bituminous King Coal Show
GO PLORE | JULY,
Carmichaels and Cumberland Township Volunteer Fire Co., 420 W. George St., Carmichaels facebook.com/kingcoalassociation
Aug. 20
The Doobie Brothers
7 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 81, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug 22 through Sept. 8
“On Golden Pond”
$15-25
Little Lake Theatre Company, 500 Lakeside Drive S., Canonsburg littlelake.org
Aug. 24
Bituminous King Coal Charles Workman Memorial Car and Motorcycle Show
$10 per car
Registration opens at 9 a.m., event 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
355 Ceylon Road, Carmichaels facebook.com/kingcoalassociation
Smoke and Spirits Festival
$35-50
Washington Wild Things, One Washington Federal Way, Washington https://www.facebook.com/events/s/smoke-spirits-festival/929942511803661/
California Riverfest Free 12:30-9 p.m. caboroughrecauth.com
Tonight’s the Night: Hybrid Rod Stewart Tribute 6 p.m. Monongahela Aquatorium, 200 Railroad St., Monongahela monaquatorium.com
Aug. 24-25
Corks and Kegs Free Hollywood Casino at The Meadows corksandkegsfestival.com
Great American Banana Split Celebration Free Noon to 4 p.m. 811 Ligonier St., Latrobe bananasplitfest.com
Aug. 25
Food Truck/Car Cruise Sunday 1-5 p.m.
Greene County Historical Museum, 918 Rolling Meadows Road, Waynesburg greenecountyhistory.org
Flashlight Drags
$40 racers, $10 spectators 2-6 p.m.
Greene County Airport, 417 E. Roy Furman Highway, Waynesburg flashlightdrags.com Aug. 29
Cage the Elephant: Neon Pill Tour
6:30 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Aug. 30 through Sept. 2
31st Annual Pennsylvania Arts and Crafts Labor Day Festival
$3-$6.50
10 a.m.
Westmoreland Fairgrounds, 123 Blue Ribbon Lane, Greensburg
Aug. 31
7th Annual Car Show and Swap Meet Spectators free, car registration $5, parts vendors
$20
10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monongahela
90th Annual Pilgrimage in Honor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help
500 W. Main St., Uniontown
90s Country Legends: Little Texas and Shenandoah
$45-69
6:45 p.m.
Timber Rock Amphitheater, 3360 National Pike, Farmington timberrockamp.com/events/90-s-country-legends-little-texas-shenandoah
Concert on the Lawn: Hollywood Nights Free
Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, 2201 University Drive, Lemont Furnace fayette.psu.edu/alumni-and-development/concert
Sept. 1
Car Cruise Registration $10 4-8 p.m.
132 Caddie Shak Road, Donegal caddieshak.com
Sept. 2-7
West Alexander Fair
116 Route 40, West Alexander westalexfair.com
Sept. 3
Rob Zombie and Alice Cooper: Freaks on Parade 2024 Tour
6 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Sept. 4-8
Farmers and Threshermens Jubilee 3054 Kingwood Road, Rockwood ncrvfc.com
Sept. 7
Sandyvale Wine Experience 80 Hickory St., Johnstown sandyvalememorialgardens.org/wine-festival
An Evening with James Taylor 8 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Sept. 10
Staind and Breaking Benjamin 5:30 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Experiences of a Holocaust Survivor Free
6:30-8 p.m.
Rostraver Township Historical Society, 800 Fellsburg Road, Rostraver Township 724-396-4599
Sept. 12
Falling in Reverse 5:45 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Sept. 14
West Newton River Cleanup - Fall Free
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
West Newton Public Launch mtwatershed.com/event/west-newton-rivercleanup-fall
50s Fest and Car Cruise Free registration
10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Greene County Courthouse, 10 E. High St., Waynesburg
Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan, John Mellencamp: Outlaw Music Festival
5:30 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Tracy Lawrence with Special Guest Will Jones $50-77
6:45 p.m.
Timber Rock Amphitheater, 3360 National Pike, Farmington timberrockamp.com/events/tracy-lawrence
Sept. 14-15
Stahlstown Flax Scutching Festival $5 1703 Route 711, Stahlstown
Sept. 15
Mt. Morris VFD Car and Truck Show $10 registration
Registration 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., event until 4:30 p.m.
Mt. Morris VFD, 295 Mt. Morris Road, Mt. Morris facebook.com/mtmvfc
Sept. 18
Pitbull: Party After Dark Tour 8 p.m.
The Pavilion at Star Lake, 665 Route 18, Burgettstown concerts.livenation.com
Sept. 19
Fifth Annual Farm to Table Dinner $75
5-8 p.m.
157 Riggin Hill Road, Uniontown facebook.com/Fayettefarmbureau
Sept. 20
Easton Corbin
8 p.m.
The Meadows Event Center at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, 210 Racetrack Road, Washington ticketmaster.com
Sept. 20-21
Washington Italian Festival
139 S. Main St., Washington primoitaliano.org/festival
Johnstown Slavic Festival
Free
Seventh and Broad, Johnstown jaha.org/events/johnstown-slavic-festival
Sept. 20-22
Pennsylvania Bavarian Oktoberfest Pike Street, Canonsburg facebook.com/PABavarianOktoberfest
Sept. 21-22
Washington and Greene Counties’ Covered Bridge Festival
Nine festival sites visitwashingtoncountypa.com/covered-bridge-festival
Sept. 22
Flashlight Drags
$40 racers, $10 spectators 2-6 p.m.
Greene County Airport, 417 E. Roy Furman Highway, Waynesburg flashlightdrags.com
Sept. 26 through Oct. 13
“Little Women” $15-25
Little Lake Theatre Company, 500 Lakeside Drive S., Canonsburg littlelake.org
Sept. 27
Tesla
8 p.m.
The Meadows Event Center, Hollywood Casino at The Meadows, 210 Racetrack Road, Washington ticketmaster.com
Sept. 27-29
Mount Pleasant Glass and Ethnic Festival Free 11 a.m.
One South Diamond St., Washington Street and Veterans Park, Mount Pleasant
Sept. 28
BattleAxe 5K
$69 to $89 for individuals, $279 to $289 per four-person team
9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Morris Township VFD, Nineveh adventuresignup.com/Race/PA/Nineveh/BattleAxe5KFirstResponder
Indian Creek Watershed Festival Free
10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
C.W. Resh Memorial Park, Indian Head mtwatershed.com/event/indian-creek-watershed-festival
Farm to Fork Greene County
3-8 p.m.
Thistlethwaite Vineyards, 151 Thistlethwaite Lane, Jefferson farmtoforkevent.com
Sept. 28-29
Cecil Township Fall Festival
Cecil Township Park, Cecil facebook.com/profile.php?id=100020514086273
Lippencott Alpaca Farm Days Free
Lippencott Alpacas, 265 Meadowbrook Road, Waynesburg facebook.com/LippencottAlpacas
