The arts in West Virginia reflect the state’s rich Appalachian heritage, creative spirit, and thriving talent. From vibrant galleries and community theaters to renowned music festivals and artisan craft shops, West Virginia offers an endless array of ways to experience authentic Appalachian art and culture. Visitors can explore local studios, enjoy live performances of bluegrass, folk, and contemporary music, and discover handmade pottery, quilts, and woodwork that celebrate traditional craftsmanship.
Performed among the very mountains over which Devil Anse Hatfield walked, a new, historically accurate retelling of the Hatfield and McCoy Feud will debut this summer as an outdoor drama at Chief Logan State Park in Logan County. The new-written play breaks from previous performances of the tale that simplified the story of clans engaged … Read more
In Fallout 76, abandoned mine shaft story-lines play an important role, yet beyond the video game, abandoned coal mine openings in West Virginia pose a real-world problem. While many mine openings have been sealed or gated, historian and publisher David Sibray says abandoned mine openings are a concern for law enforcement in the Mountain State. … Read more
Winter in West Virginia may be more varied than in any other eastern U.S. state: Its northern panhandle suffers the brunt of lake-effect snows, while its Potomac lowlands and sheltered southern valleys witness only a few blanketing snows per season. Rising to more than 4,000 feet above sea level, its Allegheny Mountains are practically Canadian in climate … Read more
Many monsters featured in the Fallout 76 video game are based on real-world West Virginia legends, about which David Sibray, publisher of West Virginia Explorer, has had much to say. A folklorist and historian, Sibray has been featured on many interviews since news of the game’s release was announced in early 2018. What are the … Read more
The potential economic impact of the newly released Fallout 76 video game in West Virginia is all-too-obvious to a graphic designer who has recently returned to invest in the Mountain State. Bowski Calhoun, who today launched several new lines of T-shirts for fans of Fallout 76 and West Virginia, says the video game set in … Read more
Five nationally recognized authors who specialize in paranormal investigations will gather November 17 in Braxton County—home of the legendary Flatwoods Monster—for a public discussion of UFOs, hauntings, and the paranormal. Dave Spinks, Stan Gordan, George Dudding, Seth Breedlove, and Eric Altman will be speakers at the forum and meet-and-greet to be hosted from noon until … Read more
Editor’s note: The sixth installment in John Barton’s examination of a map of the soon-to-be-released Fallout 76 video game investigates The Forest, based principally on the large, hilly heartland of central West Virginia. When players first set foot outside Vault 76, they’re blinded by sunlight then overwhelmed by the natural beauty that opens around them. … Read more
A science-fiction author who popularized monsters featured in the Fallout 76 video game also penned a story set in a future West Virginia that survives a nuclear apocalypse. Both the story and the game take place in versions of central Appalachia insulated by mountain ranges that protect it from atomic blasts — explosions that decimate eastern … Read more
Braxton County’s monster is unique among legendary West Virginia creatures in that its origins are quite clear: it came from outer space! Beyond that, little is known of the monster, also known as the “Green Monster” or “Flatwoods Monster,” or of what became of it, at least as far as the legend goes, says David … Read more
Wheeling Heritage is asking artists to share their vision of Wheeling, West Virginia, for a mural to be installed in the city’s Kossuth Park, a downtown greenspace at the junction of W.Va. 2 and I-70. Alex Weld, project and outreach manager for the Wheeling National Heritage Area, said the organization will enlist the community to … Read more
