WINDBER, Pa. – It was a day of family fun and celebrating the coal mining history of Windber Borough during Miners’ Memorial Day Weekend on Saturday.
Events began with a show-and-shine extravaganza for trucks and ATVs along with a street dance featuring on Thursday, continuing Friday with a topless car cruise-in and music in the borough’s gazebo and rolled into Saturday as Graham Avenue was lined with families for the opening ceremony and parade.
Small children ran to the edge of the street to catch candies and lollipops tossed from politicians and business owners before they enjoyed food or played games with their families.
“Windber was built on coal mines,” Windber Borough Mayor Mike Thomas said, adding that the mining company owned much of the property in town including the homes that the miners lived in. “We kind of celebrate what the miners put up with. They had a tough time. We’re doing this every year to honor those people that put the blood, sweat and tears into this town.”
Thomas said that the roots of many in the area go back to those who worked in the coal mines.
“It reminds us of what they did for us and what they did to make this town a real close-knit town,” he said.
Dave Petrunak, of the Eureka Coal Heritage Foundation, said that he has been involved in the event’s planning for 21 of its 22 years.
He said that the event is the organization’s largest fundraiser and funds go to support the Arcadia Theater and other projects that the group maintains.
“We raise money to keep the theater going,” he said. “Without this event, we could not keep that theater open.”
Taryn Block said attending the event is something she had done when she was a small child and continues with her almost 3-year-old daughter Daisy Mock.
“It’s been a family tradition since I’ve been little and we love Miners Day. That is definitely one of our favorites and we live real close. So we definitely look forward to it,” she said.