Crowds flock to Running of the Wools in Washington
Event showcases wool, fiber community
Washington was a wittle wild and wooly with whimsical witnesses wowed while watching woolen winners whiz wildly by their way.
Crowds flocked Saturday to the Running of the Wools, where they were greeted by photo finishes in the heat races that featured sheep galloping down South Main Street in the city.
The fourth annual festival attracted thousands to the city无毛视频檚 business district and Main Street Pavilion as the wool and fiber community came out to sell products, offer demonstrations and educate people about Washington County无毛视频檚 rich sheep and agricultural history.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 fun to watch sheep run down Main Street, but it无毛视频檚 cool to know where wool comes from and what your clothes are made out of,无毛视频� said Amy Ross Manko, who owns the sixth-generation Ross Farm in North Bethlehem Township that supplied the sheep for the races.
Her son, Drew, was instrumental in helping to launch the Running of the Wools in 2023, and he brought his sheep from the Ross Farm every year for the races. Sadly, Drew Ross Manko died Sept. 17 at age 30 following a brief illness, leaving a hole in the hearts of the organizers who planned the event every year. Compounding the tragedy, the 无毛视频渙ld barn无毛视频� at Ross Manko无毛视频檚 farm on Route 519 caught fire Feb. 2, killing all 147 sheep that were inside.
But Amy Ross Manko has worked over the past three months to rebuild the flock and had enough sheep to provide them for the races again this year.
无毛视频淚无毛视频檓 so grateful we were able to replenish the flock and do this for him,无毛视频� Ross Manko said as she sat at the start-finish line hugging friends and well-wishers. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 just so warm, and the sense of community and the families is exactly what he would无毛视频檝e wanted.无毛视频澪廾悠禈
Her son was close friends with most of the volunteers in the 无毛视频渨ool crew无毛视频� who helped spur on the sheep and then corralled them after they crossed the finish line. Ross Manko is buried at the top of Washington Cemetery, and the hillside where he无毛视频檚 interred overlooks the city.
无毛视频淚 just keep looking up there and thinking, 无毛视频楤uddy, we did it.无毛视频� Everybody loved him for a different reason,无毛视频� Ross Manko said of Drew.
Washington County Historical Society Executive Director Clay Kilgore and National Road Heritage Corridor Executive Director Sarah Collier, who were the festival无毛视频檚 co-organizers, keep the event going with the help of numerous volunteers despite the rainy weather Friday night into Saturday morning that delayed the setup. But the crowds came in time for the first heat races Saturday afternoon, as South Main Street was transformed into a fairgrounds-like atmosphere with fencing running down the road and delighted onlookers leaning on the rails cheering their sheep to victory.
Chrome Federal Credit Union无毛视频檚 sheep named 无毛视频淐hromium无毛视频� took the top spot as grand champion, but everyone left the festival feeling like a winner. Nearly two-dozen sponsors participated in this year无毛视频檚 event, giving each sheep a funny name to match their company or cause.
Erin and Matt Latimer of Peters Township brought their children, 6-year-old Madeline and 3-year-old Nathan, to enjoy seeing the animals and the races.
无毛视频淭hey无毛视频檙e fun to watch,无毛视频� Madeline said with her face painted with a rainbow cat.
Nathan was happy that the sheep he was cheering on in the third heat race ended up winning.
无毛视频淢y red one won,无毛视频� he said of the colorful bandanas that adorned the sheep to give them a distinctive look to match their sponsors.
The Latimers said they enjoyed the interactive demonstrations and children无毛视频檚 area, giving them a fun day to spend together as a family with grandparents Tracey and Skip McGarry of Ocean City, Md., in town for the weekend.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 nice that it无毛视频檚 free and there are free kids activities when you无毛视频檙e looking for something to do,无毛视频� Erin Latimer said.
无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 a nice community thing,无毛视频� Matt Latimer added.
There were more vendors and demonstrations under the Main Street Pavilion this year because event organizers pushed the date back a week so it did not coincide with the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival near Baltimore. That meant more people in the wool and fiber community could attend and bring their goods to sell while explaining their craft.
River Rat Yarn owner Stacey Rivera of New Florence in Westmoreland County demonstrated on a spinning wheel as her friend, Nan Ringler of Ligonier, knitted beside her.
无毛视频淵ou get more (vendors) if they don无毛视频檛 have to feel like they have to pick going to one or the other,无毛视频� Ringler said of changing the date so the two festivals are now on back-to-back weekends. 无毛视频淚t无毛视频檚 great. We无毛视频檙e happy to be here.无毛视频�