By Kathy Chouteau
Time to bust out your polka-dots! The Rosie the Riveter Trust has announced that this year’s Rosie Rally Home Front Festival—commonly known as the “Rosie Rally”—will be held Sat., Aug. 10, 2019, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Craneway Pavilion, 1414 Harbour Way South in Richmond.
The quintessential annual gathering brings out thousands of people from all corners of the community—varying in age, gender and cultural backgrounds—dressed as the iconic Rosie the Riveter, in a collective tip of the hat that not only honors the groundbreaking women who worked on the home front during WWII, but also recognizes Richmond’s role in that extraordinary effort.
According to Rosie Rally organizers, the free, family friendly event will feature great food, costume contests, dancing and other fun activities. Past rallies have included real-life Rosies, WWII-era music and dancing, vendors with Rosie the Riveter wares and info, speeches by local leaders and people—many accompanied by their dogs—dressed in Rosie garb, i.e., a red bandana with white polka-dots, blue work shirt, red socks, work boots and jeans or a blue work jumpsuit.
“This year, instead of breaking the Guinness record, we encourage everyone to update Rosie or represent home front occupations in creative ways, or to come in traditional garb to join the largest Rosie celebration and festival yet. This year’s event will honor original WWII Rosies and home front workers and celebrate the ordinary people from many backgrounds, races and communities across the U.S. who stepped up to extraordinary challenges during WWII,” the event organizers said in a statement.
The 2018 Rosie Rally brought out approximately 2,000 attendees, including some participants from as far away as France. For more info about this year’s Rosie Rally and Home Front Festival, click here.
