Covered Bridge Festival to kick off fall season
Observer-Reporter
The Krepps Covered Bridge on Covered Bridge Road in Mt. Pleasant Township
People ride a wagon over the Carmichaels Bridge during the Covered Bridge Festival in 2013. The covered bridges of Greene and Washington counties are featured this weekend. The festival takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Leaves take on new colors and fall effortlessly to the ground, creating a scenic masterpiece, temperatures gradually tail off and the earthy aroma of harvest welcomes Southwestern Pennsylvania’s fall season.
A charming atmosphere and wide variety of activities will surround the 10 festive locations in Washington and Greene counties during the 45th annual Covered Bridge Festival, which takes place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Handmade arts and crafts, home-style foods, historical re-enactments, crafting demonstrations and entertainment will all be part of the festival, which celebrates the history of the area’s covered bridges.
Year by year, the allure continues to bring more people out to the covered bridges to welcome the new season.
“The main thing our guests like about our venue is that it’s a very family-friendly and safe environment,” said Ron Stewart, who has been in charge of the planning for the Krepps Covered Bridge in Hickory since moving to the area seven years ago. “Our people (volunteering at the festival) are extremely friendly, and it’s an inexpensive way to spend a weekend with the family.”
With larger and larger crowds comes a demand to improve the venues and put more money into entertainment. The event is coordinated by the Washington County Tourism Promotion Agency.
The Krepps Covered Bridge has nearly doubled its vending booths and has expanded its entertainment and children’s zone.
“That’s what we decided to use our money for. There is no commercial food, it all comes from the (Hickory United Evangelical Presbyterian) church,” Stewart said. “Our philosophy is to be an outreach for the community.”
One of the largest events is held at the Ebenezer Bridge and Henry Bridge, both in Mingo Creek County Park. It also features entertainment, crafts and re-enactments.
Other bridge locations around Washington County include Brownlee Bridge in McGuffey Community Park, Hughes Bridge in Amwell Township, McClurg Bridge in Hanover Township Park, Pine Bank Bridge at Meadowcroft Mueseum of Rural Life and Wyit Sprowls Bridge in East Finley Township Park.
The festival also travels south into Greene County with the Carmichaels Bridge and the White Bridge near Garards Fort.
“It’s definitely a lot of fun and the signature event of Southwestern Pennsylvania as far as welcoming the fall season,” Greene County Tourism Director Elizabeth Menhart said. “It’s that last bit of summer … so usually we’re blessed with good weather for the festival. It just hits at the perfect time of the season.”
Menhart said there will be a variety of arts and crafts at each bridge location, along with history lessons and Civil War re-enactors at the White Bridge. The sensations one feels while standing inside the bridge are indescribable, Menhart said.
“When you’re standing in that space, you could be standing there 100 years ago and it would feel the same exact way,” she said. “You’re immersed.”
For more information, go to VisitWashingtonCountyPA.com or call 724-225-3010.