The Freedom Fighters team races through obstacles during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

Not even a heat warning could keep people away from the fifth annual Zelienople Bed Derby, held Thursday, July 2, at Zelienople Community Park.

“My favorite part is probably watching the people watch the race … seeing people’s expressions as the racers go through the obstacles,” said event volunteer Amy Kellner, an adult services librarian at the Zelienople Area Public Library who has been involved with the event since its beginning.

Zelienople Mayor Thomas Oliverio, who helped kick-start the event in 2022, said he was inspired by seeing a similar event in Wisconsin two years earlier.

“I do a lot for the senior citizens and businesses and so forth, but there’s not much I do for the kids in Zelienople,” Oliverio said. “I thought bringing a bed derby here in Zelienople would get the kids, the students and so forth, involved with it. And it’s been working out pretty nice.”

Team American Barbies is nominated for best bed during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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This year marked a major shift for the Bed Derby, as it moved for the first time to the Community Park after spending the previous four years at the intersection of High and Spring streets.

“We thought this would be an easier location,” Kellner said. “It has more parking. We don't have to close the street like we did when we had it on High Street.”

In the Bed Derby, four team members push one rider on a bed down a 300-yard obstacle course to compete for the fastest time.

Before they reached the finish line, the pushers encountered a series of challenges, including navigating cones, tenpin bowling with cornhole beanbags, turning their bed in a perfect circle around a table, hula hooping and cup stacking, among others.

According to Oliverio, this year’s Bed Derby saw an increase in entries, with 11 participants taking part compared with last year’s nine.

Among those participants were new faces, such as first-time Bed Derby racer and practicing attorney Trey Robinson, who assembled a team to represent his law firm, Conlon Tarker. The rest of the Conlon Tarker team consists of Robinson’s wife, Kayla — who rode in the bed — and three of his friends from Butler High School.

“I live in Zelienople and I saw some funny articles in the Butler Eagle and I decided I wanted to participate this year,” Robinson said.

The Veterans Breakfast Group bed makes its way to the starting line during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Among the repeat participants are Evans City Borough Council members Brad Rubinosky and Mark Widdersheim, part of a team representing the borough’s Lions Club. Both have taken part in all five Bed Derbies to date and have used the same bed each time.

“We come to have a good time and to donate to the (Zelienople) library,” Widdersheim said. “It’s a good way to spend 30 bucks.”

One team, the Scouts BSA Troop 457 of Zelienople entered two separate teams to push the same bed.

“There are five people to a team,” said Scouts co-leader Peter Culley. “We have seven in total, so some people are going to be on both teams. Everybody is going to get a workout, for sure.”

The Scouts made their third consecutive appearance at the Bed Derby, using the same bed as the two previous years. They came to Thursday’s derby hoping for a better result than they received in 2025.

“The first time (in 2024) we did OK. It was just normal,” said Scout team member Eddie Lakes. “The second time, one of our wheels came off. We had to put the wheel back on in about five minutes, and it worked and it didn’t fall apart the second time.”

Competetors in the Zelienople Bed Derby walk the course before the race, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Keith Grill rides in a bed during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Evans City Lions Club team races down the road during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Keith Grill sits on the bed he will race in during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Conlon Tarker team competes during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Owan FitzGerald with Boy Scout Troop 457 cheers his team on as he rides in their bed during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Armstrong team weaves around cones in the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Conlon Tarker team compete during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Conlon Tarker team celebrate after being named the winners of the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Sydney Widdersheim unstacks cups during the final obstacle of the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Freedom Fighters team spins through the roundabout obstacle during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Boy Scout Troop 457 team competes during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Armstrong team crosses the finish line after completing the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Conlon Tarker team competes during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Jake Kaufman with Conlon Tarker throws bags at a cornhole board during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Boy Scout Troop 457 team runs down the road during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

The Boy Scout Troop 457 team weaves around cones during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

The Boy Scout Troop 457 team weaves around cones during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

The Boy Scout Troop 457 team runs down the road during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Marcus Buxton with Boy Scout Troop 457 chugs ice tea during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Kevin Snyder with the Armstrong team throws bean bags at bowling pins during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Mark Widdersheim attempts to chug a carton of ice tea as part of the obstacles in the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

Dave Tompkins attempts to chug a carton of ice tea as one of the obstacles in the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Clark Culley with the Boy Scout Troop 457 team rolls dice as part of the obstacles slowing participants during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Shelly Natali with the Evans City Lions Club team throws bags at a cornhole board during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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Hunter Shoaf with the Armstrong team throws bean bags at bowling pins during in the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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The Freedom Fighters team roll dice to get three of a kind as part of the obstacles lining the road during the Zelienople Bed Derby, Thursday, July 2, 2026. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

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