Not canceled this time: Windber Miners' Memorial Day Weekend.
After a two-year hiatus, the Windber Miners’ Memorial Day Weekend is coming back.
Nova Irons, the secretary and treasurer for the Eureka Coal Heritage Foundation, is co-chairing the event along with Dave Petrunak. Irons stepped into the job after years of volunteering when her aunt, the late Sandy Pritt, was chair and president of Eureka Coal Heritage.
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“I became treasurer after Jim Bubenko suddenly passed away and secretary after Peg Wahls passed. I have been involved with Eureka Coal Heritage and miners' day since 2005 or 2006,” she said.
Irons added that she has always enjoyed being a part of this festival weekend, especially since her late father, Hubert Oldham, worked as a mechanic at Mines 37 and 40.
“Miners’ day was first held 23 years ago to recognize the coal miner contributions to the community. Without the miners we would not have Windber. We must remember their sacrifice and what they did for Windber,” she said.
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Eureka Coal Heritage Foundation members started holding the event to raise money for maintaining their various projects such as the Clock Tower, the Arcadia Theater, the Mine 40 Overlook and the miner statue, along with Miners' Park.
“All these things need to be kept up,” she said.
She added that volunteers are needed each year to keep the festival going.
“I love Windber," Irons said. "Windber is a beautiful town.
"I like to say that Windber helps Windber. That is why I volunteer for miners' day. I love to help. I think I was put on this Earth to help people, so that is what I do. ... I am very passionate about miners' day, and the Eureka Coal Heritage Foundation mainly from my aunt Sandy. She was just so excited to be able to do this and bring this to Windber.”
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Windber Miners' Memorial Day Weekend requires a lot of planning. Irons said it takes almost a year to organize the event, which is the major fundraiser for the Eureka Coal Heritage Foundation.
“Having everything shut down (because of) COVID the past two years has really hurt the foundation,” she said, noting that people are happy to learn they are holding the event this year.
“We have received some wonderful financial donations for our bands this year. I think everyone is enthusiastic about just being able to come out.”
Schedule of events
The 21st Windber Miners' Memorial Day Weekend is to officially start Thursday with a "show-and-shine" extravaganza for any truck or ATV that's licensed and insured from 6 to 10 p.m. A street dance featuring That Oldies Band is to be held on Graham Avenue from 7 to 10 p.m.
On Friday, at the Gazebo above Graham Avenue, the Johnstown-area group Button Box is to play polka music from 5:30 to 7 p.m. At 6 p.m. a “topless” convertible car cruise-in is to start, along with a street dance featuring Ole 97. Both events are to end at 10 p.m.
The following day, Saturday the official opening ceremony is to be held at 10:30 a.m. across from the old fire hall along Graham Avenue. Irons said a parade is planned for 11 a.m. down Graham Avenue and throughout Windber. The group Bazooka Joe is to take the stage at 1 p.m., followed at 4 p.m. by teenage singer and musician Allison Borek.
“She is just amazing,” Irons said.
A motorcycle show is scheduled from 5 to 7:30 p.m. with dash plaques given to the first 100 bikes. The band Rust is to perform from 7 to 10 p.m.
“Rust and Button Box are the only bands that have been here before," Irons said.
She added that the one disappointment committee members had in planning this year was not being able to finance the fireworks show on Saturday night.
“With not holding the event the past two years we just couldn’t do it. We hope to bring the fireworks show back next year,” Irons said.
At noon on Sunday is perhaps one of the largest car shows and cruise-ins in the area. All makes and models of cars and trucks are welcome to participate. Twenty-six “fun awards” are to be presented along with dash plaques for the first 200 entrants. At 4 p.m. the entrants are to be judged by racing stars from local speedways.
Food vendors are to be located at the parking lot next to the Windber Community Building, according to Irons.
“We will have craft vendors from 10 a.m. to dusk on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday located all along Graham Avenue. We have forms on our Eureka Coal Heritage (Foundation) page that vendors can download if they are interested in having a booth,” she said.
To help raise funds for the foundation, a large basket party is to be at the old fire hall along 15th Street and Graham Avenue.
“The drawing for the basket party will begin at 3 p.m.," she said. "We are still accepting donations of baskets if people would like to help.”
Also on the agenda is a duck race in Paint Creek at 2 p.m. Arcadia Theater Guild members are having their annual masquerade jewelry sale in the theater each day. It's to open at 5 p.m. on Friday night, 11 a.m. on Saturday and noon on Sunday.
The Shaffer Museum along 15th Street is to be open on Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. showcasing the early days of Windber.
“We really need this year to be a good year,” Irons said. “We really need to raise funds for all our projects. Everyone seems to be thrilled that we are having miners’ day. It really is a fun time.”
More information can be found on the foundation’s website at www.echf.org and on its Facebook page, "Windber Miners’ Memorial Day Weekend."
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Windber Miners' Memorial Day Weekend returns in 2022
