Umbrella sky to debut in Waynesburg on Rain Day
Rain or shine, Waynesburg will be colorful on its favorite summer holiday.
The annual Rain Day festival July 29 will have new decorations this year – an umbrella sky.
The Umbrellas Over Rain Day project will be a walkway under bright, colorful umbrellas hung 18 feet high on either side of the Greene County Courthouse. The borough plans to leave the display up from July 20 through July 30.
“That way people who can’t make it to the festival can still come out and see it,” said Athena Bowman, borough special events coordinator. “We thought the umbrellas would fit our festival because that’s what we’re celebrating. We’re hoping it’s going to bring people to the downtown.”
The umbrella project will be put up by Hughie’s Event Production Services, based in Pittsburgh. The company’s production coordinator, Joe Walsh, said this is the first time they’ve ever done a project like this.
“We’re excited,” he said. “We generally do large outdoor events, with sound, lighting, projections. This is something a little different than that. We can be a little bit creative.”
Walsh said he believes the umbrella sky concept originated in Europe and migrated to the United States. It was done in Pittsburgh during the 3 Rivers Arts Festival.
Rain Day will have its annual events, including a headlining band from Nashville, the Eskimo Brothers. Mayor Brian Tanner also has made the annual hat bet with KDKA sports anchor Bob Pompeani, who called it an “amazing tradition.”
Each year the Waynesburg mayor makes a bet with someone with some local or statewide notoriety, like Punxsutawney Phil, local athletes or local television personalities, that it will, indeed, rain on Rain Day.
“And while it has rained on the majority of the days, I see no rain in my forecast,” Pompeani said in a news release. “I bet that it won’t rain and I look forward to adding to my hat collection. But, if I should lose, I will get the Mayor a ‘Pompin’ Ain’t Easy’ hat to wear. Best of luck to all the good people of Waynesburg and I look forward to seeing the mayor to receive the hat.”
Other Rain Day events will include a dunk tank, window and umbrella decorating contests, diaper derby and petting zoo, along with dozens of vendors along High Street.