Feel the Rain Beat on Main Street this summer

Brace yourself: unique, hand-painted, one-of-a-kind rain barrels will be taking over the downtown areas of both Loudonville and Ashland and Loudonville during the month of August. And best of all, not only will these beautiful rain barrels help increase awareness of the importance of stormwater, but they will also be available for local residents and businesses to bid on and take home with them.

Gigi Obringer of Ashland works diligently on her rain barrel for Rain Beat on Main Street sponsored by the Samaritan Foundation.

Rain Beat on Main Street is being coordinated by Ashland Soil and Water Conservation District, but is a real community-wide effort to increase awareness of stormwater issues and raise funds of water quality education. Ten rain barrels have been sponsored by Ashland County businesses, and ten volunteer artists have been working hard to transform the rain barrels from merely functional to absolutely fabulous.

The Boyer sisters of Ashland work on their barrel for Ward Realty/Coldwell Banker.

The rain barrels will be displayed in Loudonville’s Central Park from July 30 to August 11, and they will then move to Ashland’s Corner Park from August 13-25. While the rain barrels are on display, residents will be asked to help pick their favorite rain barrel by voting for the People’s Choice Award. Plus, an online auction will be taking place on the rain barrels. All proceeds raised from the sale of the rain barrels will go toward water quality education projects in Ashland County.

Shown here are Gigi Obringer’s rain barrel creation sponsored by the Samaritan Foundation as well as Nataleigh Everett’s rain barrel artistry sponsored by Hilltop Custom Fabricating.

The event would not be possible without the support of the 10 local businesses who answered the call to sponsor rain barrels: The Back Forty Embroidery Company, Cowen Truck Line, Hilltop Custom Fabricating, Loudonville Farmer’s Equity, Next Home Next Stepp, Park National Bank, the Samaritan Foundation, Simonson Construction, Spreng-Smith Agency, and Ward Realty/Coldwell Banker. And not to be outdone, Charles River Laboratories sponsored the sealant for all of the barrels.

The rain barrels are 65-gallon capacity urn-style barrels with a built-in planter on top, and they normally retail for $165. But after 10 local artists beautify the barrels, they will become priceless, one-of-a-kind works of art.  Stay tuned to Ashland SWCD’s Facebook page for auction and people’s choice award voting details!