BEAVER, W.Va. — Spring ramp festivals are drawing more attention than ever, thanks to a renewed interest in West Virginia and Appalachia, says the publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine, one of the Mountain State's chief guides to the feasts.
Ramp festivals witnessed a leap in attendance in 2024, according to David Sibray. He expects the number of people attending the festivals in 2025 to grow due to increased interest in the state as a vacation and residency destination.
"Thanks to the post-COVID interest in an escape to West Virginia, the ability of local organizations to profit from ramp dinners and all-out feasts is growing," Sibray says.
"People are moving to West Virginia in numbers we've not seen in more than a century, and they're vacationing here with record-breaking frequency."
Sibray said the trend for those not directly impacted by tourism and the housing market is most noticeable in coverage by global magazines, which have been reporting on the state as a vacation destination.
Sibray says hosts were enthusiastic about seeing the boost in attendance.
"Everyone with whom we spoke reported continued increase in attendance year after year," Sibray said.
A seasonal staple of Appalachian cuisine, ramps or rampion, a wild leek native to eastern North America, are among the first edible plants to appear in the mountains in spring.
Settlers would gather for ramp feeds, which later became traditional community events. Today, non-profit organizations often host ramps feasts and festivals as fund-raisers. Churches and volunteer fire departments are customarily sponsors of large dinners.
Some dinners have grown into full-fledged festivals. The Feast of the Ramson at Richwood, West Virginia, for instance, will celebrate its 85th annual ramp festival in 2025.
Sibray said most organizations now depend on purchasing ramps selectively to prevent overharvesting.
Most ramp dinners in West Virginia are hosted in late March, April, and early May.
For more information on upcoming festivals or to submit information on a ramp festival, visit West Virginia Ramp Dinners & Festivals.
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