Lots of Hoodie Hoo frivolity
Levona Lazzari, otherwise known as the Monongahela Balloon Lady, shows her finest costume Saturday at Hoodie Hoo Day in Charleroi.
Meg Malady of Charleroi gives a shout out to warmer weather Saturday during a Hoodie Hoo Day celebration in her hometown.
Jamie Protin, president of the Mon Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce, stands out in the crowd with his tall hat Saturday during Hoodie Hoo Day in Charleroi.
It was Hoodie Hoo, not Horton Hears a Who, yet the atmosphere was sheer Seussian.
Lots of cats in hats, lots of silly clothes, lots of bright colors, lots of fun.
Hoodie Hoo Day was a hoot Saturday in downtown Charleroi, where about 300 people convened at Magic City Square to have – simply – a grand time. That was the intent of a Pennsylvania couple in the mid-1990s when they declared Feb. 20 to be a day of revelry, a break from the monotony of winter. It is a “holiday” of sorts that a smattering of towns have adopted.
Charleroi did so in 2014, at the urging of Debra Keefer, executive director of Mon Valley Regional Chamber of Commerce. And while the initial Hoodie Hoo was well received, frigid conditions forced cancellation last year.
But the celebration rebounded big time Saturday, thanks in equal parts to sunshine and 60 degrees, and to partyers in a joyous mood.
They danced to DJ Donn Henderson’s recorded hits, some in costumes, some competing for a trophy in dance or costume or both. Kids worked hula hoops. Residents who hadn’t been outside much recently renewed acquaintances. Some took selfies with borough police officers.
Levona Lazzari strolled through the crowd with, seemingly, 500 balloons wrapped around her. She lives in Monongahela, where she said she is known as “The Balloon Lady.” She will now be recognized as such in Charleroi, following her initial Hoodie Hoo.
Festivities began at 11 a.m. and ended about two hours later. At the midpoint, following a countdown by Henderson, the event hit a peak. Precisely at noon, revelers waved their hands above their heads and yelled “hoodie hoo” three times.
Seconds later, Dana Dolfi, in an open parking lot 200 yards away, sounded a contraption he cobbled together and calls “The Great American Horn Machine.” It’s made up of an old steel mill whistle and 34 horns that plays songs – loudly – via laptop. His high-noon selection, which somehow seemed appropriate, was the theme from “2001: A Space Odyssey,” a film classic. “When the Saints Go Marching In” was a later selection.
“I kind of dropped in today,” said Dolfi, an uninvited guest who added an inviting touch. He lives in Forward Township and usually plays the horn machine at private parties.
The good times certainly rolled for chamber president Jamie Protin. He is pleased by the positive strides downtown Charleroi is making and said events like Hoodie Hoo are an ideal showcase.
“This is fantastic,” he said. “When (Keefer) first suggested this, we thought it would be fun, but we never expected it to be this good.
“It’s great to have people coming into the community, and it’s really good to see all the little ones. There are a lot of nice things going on in Charleroi, and this is a good way to show it. We’re on the rise.”
Keefer said 25 borough merchants participated, each offering special or discount prices in their businesses during the day.
“We want people eating in the restaurants and shopping in the stores,” she added.
They did that, too, on a springlike day in February, wearing short sleeves or light sweatshirts.
“Winter is over,” Henderson shouted into the microphone.
That, unfortunately, isn’t the case. But on a resplendent morning and afternoon, more than the sun shone brightly in Magic City.