They鈥檙e baaaaaaaaack: Running of the Wools returns to downtown Washington for the third year
File photo
They’re baaaaaaack.
On the same weekend that nation’s premier racehorses will be circling the track at Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, some not-so-sheepish sheep will be tearing down Washington’s Main Street Saturday for the annual Running of the Wools, which celebrates the area’s rich heritage in farming and its continued importance.
The Running of the Wools is now in its third year. The race – a play on the annual Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, Spain – was the brainchild of Clay Kilgore, the executive director of the Washington County Historical Society, and Sarah Collier, executive director of the National Road Heritage Corridor.
There will be a handful of sheep races starting at 1 p.m. Saturday, culminating in a championship race at 2:30 p.m. But the sheep-centric fun will start the day before at the First Fridays event at the Main Street Pavilion in downtown Washington. Visitors will get a glimpse at the track. On Saturday, the pavilion will open at 10 a.m., with vendors, an area for kids, and educational demonstrations.
The races start at 1 p.m., and culminate in a championship competition at 2:30 p.m.
On Sunday, several churches from the Washington area will be taking part in a community blessing service at the Main Street Pavilion starting at 1 p.m.
Additional information on the Running of the Wools is available at runningofthewools.com.