‘Wayne Drop’ ready to make Rain Day debut
WAYNESBURG – Rain is in the forecast for Friday, and his name is Wayne Drop – the new Rain Day mascot.
“He’s a raindrop,” said Athena Bowman, a Rain Day committee member. “He attended the Rain Day Race, and he was a big hit with the kids.”
Bowman said a committee member suggested they find a mascot for Rain Day, and after some online research, the team found a raindrop costume.
But Wayne Drop isn’t the only new feature hitting the streets for Friday’s festival. Bowman said the committee was working on a big surprise this year.
“Look down at the sidewalks when it rains and you’ll see rain-activated art,” she said.
Bowman also said they’ll have new children’s activities this year, put on by leaders of the First Assembly of God in Eastview, which will include a petting zoo, carnival games, face painting and water balloons.
There also will be a magic act from Billy Heh of Pittsburgh at 3 p.m. when he’ll be on the courthouse lawn with balloon art.
The announcement time for the Rain Day hat bets with Mayor Duncan Berryman was moved from 7 p.m. to 11 a.m., because that’s when A.J. Dereume, “The Rainmaker” of Punxsutawney’s Groundhog’s Club Inner Circle will be at the event with the famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil.
Bowman said she’s anticipating rain Friday, which would mark 115 years it rained out of the 143 years of the Rain Day festival.
That prediction was bolstered by Rodney Smith, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, who said there is a 60 to 65 percent chance of rain Friday in Waynesburg.