Published: June 26, 2009 12:12 am      

Wheels & Wings keeps on growing

EBENSBURG — They came by the dozens – on motorcycles, in custom or classic cars or walking down side streets – to feast on wings made by competing chefs and to admire antiquity in autos.

For the fifth year in a row, organizers were awed Thursday by the growth and popularity of the annual Wheels & Wings celebration in the streets of downtown Ebensburg.

What started as an event to co-celebrate Johnstown’s Thunder in the Valley has rapidly gained a reputation of its own.

“To me it’s amazing how quickly this event has grown, and how every year it runs better and more smoothly than the year before,” said Ebensburg council member Doug Tusing.

“It’s overwhelming,” said Christine Strugala, Ebensburg’s community development director and one of the main organizers of the event.

“I just can’t get over how it gets bigger and bigger each year.”

For the second year in a row, Pizza Hut in Ebensburg was the winner of the best wings. Prizes for the winning classic and antique cars are to be announced today.

By 6 p.m., just one hour after the official start of the event, motorcycles formed a steady stream into the borough.

Last year, an estimated 15,000 people attended, and organizers estimated that more attended this year.

Throughout the evening, a record number of vendors sold wings and side dishes, while customers sat and sampled at the rows of tables lining the nearby streets.

The competition was friendly but serious.

“The secret to winning wings is crispiness and flavor, said Rick Polchito, owner of Kosta’s Restaurant at the Ebensburg Mini-Mall.

Kosta’s wings have won top prize twice in the past five years.

On the next street, the Holy Name Hawk Wings booth was set up for the first time, with proceeds to benefit Holy Name Catholic School in Ebensburg.

It was the idea of Nick Sikora.

His wife, Lisa, was the wings chef.

“The whole idea is to make money for the school,” Nick Sikora said.

They offered spicy, mild and oriental flavored wings, plus potato salad.

Nearby, Ebensburg’s Dauntless Fire Company sold beer but no food. The goal was to raise money for the volunteer fire department.

In all, a record 14 food vendors competed for the title of best wings, including B&T Concessions, Pit Stop Concessions, Wings-N-Things, Pizza Hut, Ebensburg Area Ambulance, Firehouse Grill, Castle Pub, Portage Area Summer Fest Committee, Carol's Concessions, Holy Name Hawk Wings, Nikki D's Wings from The Grove, Kosta’s Restaurant, Yahnert's Concessions and Friendship Fire Company.

That’s twice as many as in the past, Strugala said.

Downtown parking lots quickly filled up with antique and classic cars, and a panel of judges plus onlookers inspected entries like a Model T Ford and a 1957 black Chevrolet convertible.

Drawing the most attention in one parking lot was a custom-built car, duplicating a 1927 Model T Roadster.

Owned by Buzz Wingard of Johnstown, it took two months to build and cost $9,700, a poster said.

New this year is camping at the Cambria County Fairgrounds in Ebensburg and games for children.