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鈥檚 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鈥檚 rich sheep and agricultural history.
鈥淚t鈥檚 fun to watch sheep run down Main Street, but it鈥檚 cool to know where wool comes from and what your clothes are made out of,鈥� 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 鈥渙ld barn鈥� at Ross Manko鈥檚 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.
鈥淚鈥檓 so grateful we were able to replenish the flock and do this for him,鈥� Ross Manko said as she sat at the start-finish line hugging friends and well-wishers. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just so warm, and the sense of community and the families is exactly what he would鈥檝e wanted.鈥濃��
Her son was close friends with most of the volunteers in the 鈥渨ool crew鈥� 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鈥檚 interred overlooks the city.
鈥淚 just keep looking up there and thinking, 鈥楤uddy, we did it.鈥� Everybody loved him for a different reason,鈥� 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鈥檚 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鈥檚 sheep named 鈥淐hromium鈥� took the top spot as grand champion, but everyone left the festival feeling like a winner. Nearly two-dozen sponsors participated in this year鈥檚 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.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e fun to watch,鈥� 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.
鈥淢y red one won,鈥� 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鈥檚 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.
鈥淚t鈥檚 nice that it鈥檚 free and there are free kids activities when you鈥檙e looking for something to do,鈥� Erin Latimer said.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a nice community thing,鈥� 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.
鈥淵ou get more (vendors) if they don鈥檛 have to feel like they have to pick going to one or the other,鈥� Ringler said of changing the date so the two festivals are now on back-to-back weekends. 鈥淚t鈥檚 great. We鈥檙e happy to be here.鈥�