The Covered Bridge Festival takes place Saturday and Sunday in Washington and Greene Counties - and marks the counties' biggest tourism weekend of the year. The festival takes place at ten sites and celebrates southwestern Pennsylvania's rural roots and the beginning of fall. JR Shaw with the Washington County Tourism and Information Agency said the event, now in its 42nd year, gives the public a glimpse of the past.
"Just understanding the simple life, and farming and agriculture and a simpler time. The bridges kind of symbolize that for a lot of the people around here and they kind of represent a bye-gone era, which is kind of nice to look back to."
Shaw noted that most of the 23 bridges in Washington County are no longer in their original locations and are now in township or county parks. The festival is packed with activities, from heritage demonstrations and reenactments, to arts and crafts, to food and music. Featured bridges include Ebenezer in Mingo Creek County Park, Wyit Sprowls in East Finley Township Park, and Carmichaels in "Old Town Carmichaels" Greene County.
Most of the state's covered bridges were built in the late 1800s - around 200 remain statewide. More information on the Covered Bridge Festival can be found at visitwashingtoncountypa.com.
