Chainsaw Rendezvous brings carvers and community together

RIDGWAY, Pa. (WTAJ) — For the 2024 Ridgeway Carvers Rendezvous, over 100 carvers showed up to sell their wares while also giving a live demonstration on how wood carvings are made.

The event has become a part of Ridgway tradition in the eyes of some.

“It means a lot to a lot of people, so that’s one of the reasons we keep doing it,” Joe Dussia, a woodcarver, said.

There was a wide variety of carvings to choose from in several different sizes. Animals were the primary focus, with carvings of bears, foxes and eagles all around.

“Cardinals are really popular. I can’t make them fast enough,” Austin Halbin, chainsaw carver, said.

The event also acts as a way for fellow carvers to bond and learn from one another.

“It’s just a wonderful sense of giving and sharing and we all grow from it,” Paul Waclo, a longtime carver, said. “We all get better because of this community.”

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Despite the tough work synonymous with the craft, events like the Ridgway Carvers Rendezvous allow carvers to live out their ideal lives.

“I’m covered in sawdust. I’m tired a lot of times, but I can’t imagine doing anything else with my life,” Waclo said.

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