Zelienople’s Horse Trading Days brings back the summer fun
For three days every summer, Zelienople’s population burgeons, as visitors flock to the town for the popular, annual summer tradition of Horse Trading Days. This year’s festival, the 59th annual, kicks off Thursday, July 20.
Horse Trading Days has run every year since 1963, barring one cancellation in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the name, horses play only a minor role in the event, which was founded by business owners in Zelienople to capitalize on a popular horse show that occurred in town around the same time.
“It wasn’t really ever about trading horses,” said Matthew Edwards, director of Horse Trading Days and executive director for the Zelienople Area Business Association. “But we do have horses at the festival. We offer pony rides and a petting zoo.”
All three days of the festival will feature used book sales at the Zelienople Public Library, live music, inflatable bounce houses, train rides for children, and, of course, food and drink vendors.
Most of the major festival events take place on Saturday, July 22, including staples such as the fourth annual hot dog eating contest, the eighth annual Hot-to-Trot 5K run, and the third annual dog show.
The dog show, run by Windrose Animal Hospital, has been such a hit that organizers have had to cap entries.
“It’s an incredibly fun family event, and it’s incredibly popular,” Edwards said. “It’s so popular for people to bring their dogs out in various costumes doing various tricks, and that really packs in the crowds at our main stage venue.”
For the hot dog eating contest, the organizers have increased the amount of prize money, which lured some competitive eaters who had not previously competed. This year, the winner can take home a top prize of $1,000 by downing at least 20 hot dogs in 10 minutes.
For music lovers, Horse Trading Days will feature live music on all three days, with no fewer than eight different acts across multiple genres. Added security will keep sidewalks and roads from being clogged, which occurred last year when people without tickets crowded outside the music venue during an open-air concert.
“It was our first time putting on a show of that caliber, so there were just some things that we’ve learned from,” Edwards said.
This year, the headline act is Eve 6, a Southern California alternative rock band that has been performing since 1995.
“Eve 6 is a multinational platinum recording artist,” Edwards said, noting that snagging the band took special effort. “This isn’t a local band. This isn’t somebody who we have quick and easy contacts with. It’s the type of act who you’d be used to seeing in front of a much larger audience. So we’re very excited to bring them to Horse Trading Days.”
