Published: May 09, 2008 11:15 pm      

Bathing belles dunk greased-pig event

NANTY GLO — After animal-rights activists pressured Nanty Glo Recreation Authority to halt a greased-pig contest slated for the first Pool ’n Pork festival, planners found themselves without a big attraction to kick off the event.

This small coal town is answering last year’s call from Thunder in the Valley organizers to regionalize the popular biker event, which has downtown Johnstown bursting at the seams.

The inaugural Pool ’n Pork fest is being planned at Nanty Glo’s Pool and Park to coincide with the annual motorcycle rally that will begin June 26.

Jay Evans, event organizer, said there was never any intention of hurting or killing the pig.

“An animal-rights activist got in touch with Thunder in the Valley, and they asked us not to have the greased-pig contest,” Evans said. “So we had to come up with something else.

“We decided to go with a swimsuit competition since our festival is being held at the park and pool, and the proceeds benefit the pool. We thought it would bring in some pretty girls and some bikers.”

The swimsuit contest will begin at 2 p.m.

But the men were not left out, Evans said: “We’re also having a belly-flop contest in the pool.”

After the 2007 biker rally drew an estimated 200,000 people to Greater Johnstown, rally organizers encouraged other locales to get involved and further regionalize Thunder in the Valley.

Jayne Korenoski, director of advertising and sales for Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Convention and Visitors Bureau, con-firmed that the pig plan drew opposition.

“The last thing we’d want to see is anyone upset about animals,” Korenoski said.

“Nanty Glo was fantastic about withdrawing it.”

She said she was glad to hear that Evans found a substitute.

“The swimsuit contest is no different from Miss Pennsylvania or Miss USA pageants,” Korenoski said. “Besides, it makes sense because swimsuits coincide with the swimming pool.”

Women 18 and older are invited to don their favorite swimsuit and compete before a panel of local celebrity judges to win more than $300 in cash and prizes, including a beauty makeover.

Evans is building his judging team, which so far includes county Commissioner Milan Gjurich, television personality Sherry Stalley and a competitor from the Miss Thunder in the Valley court.

Evans is looking for more judges and hoping he gets a lot of contestants.

He said he has had a great response to his plea for vendors.

The Pool ’n Pork event is patterned after a once-popular Nanty Glo homecoming festival that was held more than 20 years ago.

Anyone interested in competing in the swimsuit contest may preregister by June 23 by calling Evans: 659-2396.