About

History of The Running of the Wools

The “Running of the Wools” is a new event being held in downtown Washington, PA, where local farmers take their sheep to Main Street to compete for bragging rights as the fastest sheep in Washington County.

This fun event pays tribute to the region’s roots in sheep farming: In the early 1800s, Southwestern Pennsylvania was an epicenter for sheep farming. By the time of the Civil War, Washington County led the nation in wool production, and sheep in the county outnumbered people 7 to 1.

This annual event features a full weekend of activities ranging from; a breakfast crawl, vendors and farm artisans, refreshments, contests, and of course, sheep races.

As the run-up to “Running of the Wools” continues, folks are invited to email their best sheep jokes to shana@downtownwashingtonpa.com. They will be in two categories, Sheep Jokes and Sheep Jokes after Dark.