9/13/2011
58th Heritage Weekend: Sept. 23-24, throughout Hardy County
This annual fall event honors the rich culture and history of Hardy County. Festivities begin on Friday evening with the opening of the quilt show and a living history demonstration. Additional activities throughout the weekend include: community yard sale, 5K/10K run, pancake breakfast, crafts, food music, art show, craft show, historic homes/buildings tours, railroad heritage photo/history exhibit, antique farm equipment show, craft demonstrations, jewelry auction, muzzle loading competition and demonstration, fiddle & banjo contest, jousting, South Branch Blue & Gray Ball, worship service, cow-chip bingo. Ride the Potomac Eagle through The Trough for scenic vistas of the county and bald eagle sightings. For more information, contact 304-897-8700 or visit
http://www.heritageweekend.com.
Mountain Heritage Arts & Crafts Festival: Sept. 23-25, Charles Town
About 200 juried artists and crafters will sell and demonstrate their products at this nationally acclaimed festival. Activities and attractions include: bluegrass music, great food, wine tasting, arts & crafts, quilts, leather, metals, wood products and children's craft workshops and much more. Hours are 10 a.m. -5 p.m. all three days. Contact 800-624-0577 or visit
http://www.jeffersoncountywvchamber.org for additional information.
National Hunting and Fishing Days: Sept. 23-25, Stonewall Resort, Roanoke
This annual two-day event includes: more than 100 vendors and exhibits, archery demonstrations, youth competitions, good food, sporting dogs, cooking demonstrations, door prizes, shotgun and black powder shooting, hands-on activities related to hunting, fishing and other outdoor-related topics, plus many more activities. Hours on Saturday are 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sunday from 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. For additional information, contact 304-558-2771 or visit
http://www.wvdnr.gov/hunting/nathuntfish.shtm.
Autumn Harvest Festival: Sept. 24, Union
Celebrating the end of the agricultural season in rural Monroe County, this festival has the best food; country, bluegrass and gospel music; handmade quilts & crafts; demonstrations and a large flea market. Competitions include: best grown vegetables, flowers, herbs, home canned foods and more. Tractor pulls for adults and children. Contact 304-772-3003 or visit
http://www.travelmonroe.com for more information.
Preston County Buckwheat Festival: Sept. 29 – Oct. 2, Kingwood
Late in the Great Depression, rural West Virginia and Preston County found economic recovery slow and tedious. Local farmers grew buckwheat because it was thought that perhaps this grain might spur agricultural economic growth. For this reason and for its uniqueness, buckwheat was chosen as the focus for an end-of-harvest homecoming when farmers could relax, have fun, and compete. Attractions for 70th Annual Preston County Buckwheat Festival include: buckwheat cake and whole hog sausage patty dinners, coronation of Queen Ceres and King Buckwheat, three parades, 70 arts and crafts exhibitors, 4-H and agricultural exhibits, livestock sale, big bucks bingo, carnival, entertainment by Darryl Worley with special guests The Davisson Brothers Band, lumberjack competition, draft horse pull, $10,000 cash giveaway contest and much more! To find out more about this festival, visit
http://www.buckwheatfest.com, email the festival secretary at
dkuhn@frontiernet.net or call 304-379-2203.
6th Annual Oglebay Plein Air: Sept. 30 – Oct. 2, Oglebay Resort, Wheeling
Paint Oglebay offers plein air painters the opportunity to recreate on canvas the rolling hillsides, beautifully landscaped gardens, nature trails and historic buildings of Oglebay – one of the nation’s premier resorts. This three-day celebration of plein air includes art demonstrations and workshops, food, music and exhibits. Most importantly, the weekend offers an opportunity for artists to share inspiration, experience and encouragement and for the public to interact with artists and gain a deeper understanding of art. Visit
http://www.oionline.com/paint/artists.htm or contact 304-242-6855 to register. Room packages at special rates for Paint Oglebay artists are available at Wilson Lodge by calling 800-624-6988.
October Sky Festival: Oct. 1, Coalwood
Visit the hometown of author Homer Hickam and meet Hickam and the rocket boys of the movie “October Sky.” The festival features: antique car show, book signing, coal museum, trolley ride, children’s activities, great food and souvenirs. Meet the stars of the current Spike TV series, “COAL.” A tribute to our veterans will be part of the opening ceremonies. Hours are 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Visit
http://www.coalwoodwestvirginia.com or contact 304-297-4960 for additional information.
38th Annual Burlington Old-Fashioned Apple Harvest Festival: Oct. 1-2, Burlington
The delicious aroma of simmering apples and spices mingles with the scent of wood smoke to tinge the air as scores of volunteers stir kettles of this mouth-watering concoction, known as applebutter. Activities include: old-fashioned applebutter making, grand feature parade, fireworks, antique auto, tractor and small engine show, chicken barbeque, fiddle/banjo/mandolin contest, flea market, heritage quilt display, games, pony rides, live country, bluegrass, and southern gospel music. The food court features many apple delights, country ham sandwiches, funnel cakes, kettle corn, breakfast foods and much more. Admission is free. Contact 800-969-0079 or 304-289-6010 or visit
http://www.bumfs.org for additional information.
Country Fall Festival: Oct. 1-2, West Virginia State Farm Museum, Pt. Pleasant
One of the main festivals celebrating fall harvest and hosted by the Farm Museum is the Country Fall Festival. Activities include: antique gas and steam engine show, gravely swap meet, working saw mill, antique tractor pull, CEOS quilt show, antique bottle show, church service, gospel sing, biggest pumpkin contest and sorghum/apple butter/apple cider making. A gun slingers show will take place on Sunday at 12 noon; 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Come hungry as the Country Kitchen and Country Store will be open. Admission is free and the hours are 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Visit
http://www.wvfarmmuseum.org or contact 304-675-5737 for additional information.
Ravenswood Octoberfest: Oct. 1 - Oct. 2, Riverfront Park and Pavilion, Ravenswood
It’s an exciting weekend full of fun for the entire family. Activities include: pancake breakfast, grand parade, pie eating contest, factory inflatable’s, petting zoo, apple butter making, duck pond, pony rides, raffles, haunted house, cake and pie contest and auction, corn hole contest, chili cook-off, fireworks, car show, sack races, pumpkin seed spitting contest and live music. Entertainers include Bo Bice, Mixx, Midnight Special, Chase Likens, Crashing Jericho and Johnny Staats. Contact 304-273-2621 or visit
http://www.ravenswoodoctoberfest.com for more information.
75th Annual Mountain State Forest Festival: Oct. 1-9, Elkins
The Mountain State Forest Festival is dedicated to the preservation and conservation of the state’s natural resources. Activities include: geocaching, ATV/motorcycle race, poker run, junior tennis tournament, golf tournament, horseshoe tournament, strong man contest, Irish Road Bowling, 10K run/walk, kid’s run/step off, amusement rides, grand feature parade, talent show, arts & crafts, vendors/exhibits, chainsaw carving, photography exhibit, lumberjack competition, antique & classic street rod car parade, archery shoot, muzzleloading contest, musical entertainment and much more. Hours vary for each event. For more information, visit
http://www.forestfestival.com or contact 304-636-1824.
Contact Information
Andrea Bond
304-957-9347
Andrea.B.Bond@wv.gov