West Virginia culture is a captivating blend of rich Appalachian traditions and vibrant high culture infused with the jazz of surrounding U.S. cities like Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C. The state is renowned for its deep-rooted Appalachian heritage, which is showcased through folk music, storytelling, and traditional crafts such as quilting and woodcarving. Visitors can experience this authentic culture at local festivals and heritage museums throughout the Mountain State. At the same time, West Virginia also embraces high culture, with world-class performances at the West Virginia Symphony Orchestra, acclaimed theater productions at the Greenbrier Valley Theatre, and art exhibitions at the Huntington Museum of Art. This unique mix of mountain traditions and refined artistic offerings makes West Virginia a true cultural gem in the heart of Appalachia.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Photographers visiting West Virginia’s state parks, forests, and rail trails this autumn have until November 6 to enter a statewide photography contest for a chance to win a resort stay and other prizes for images that capture the season’s changing colors. The West Virginia State Parks Foundation invites amateur and professional photographers … Read more
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — In August 1906, a Huntington physician conducted an experiment to test the reputed supernatural abilities of Elizabeth Winn Blake, a spiritualist medium whose séances were drawing visitors to the Ohio River Valley. Dr. L.V. Guthrie, superintendent of the West Virginia Asylum at Huntington, reported that a voice claiming to be his deceased … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Producers of the History Channel’s American Pickers are searching for unusual antiques and private collections in West Virginia ahead of filming planned for November. David Lavender, executive director of the West Virginia Film Office that issued the announcement, said he thinks the series and its audience are drawn to the state’s distinctive culture … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — A West Virginia University construction manager who helped restore the holiday lighting at historic Woodburn Hall after more than a decade without it has received a university award for his work. Adam James, a three-time university graduate and construction manager for WVU Planning, Design and Construction, received a WVU Impact Award for … Read more
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Two of West Virginia’s most famous legendary monsters will appear at the State Capitol Complex on October 29, when the West Virginia Department of Tourism hosts a free Halloween celebration featuring folklore, games, and activities for children. Mothman and the Flatwoods Monster, whose reported appearances have become part of the state’s cultural … Read more
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — Visitors attending Bridge Day at the New River Gorge on Saturday, October 17, can expect temperatures well below the event’s historical average, though an analysis of more than four decades of weather records shows that West Virginia’s largest single-day festival has endured considerably colder conditions. The National Weather Service forecast will be … Read more
POINT PLEASANT, W.Va. — Visitors searching for the legendary Mothman in the woods near Point Pleasant are finding the remains of a massive World War II explosives factory that employed thousands of workers and supplied explosives for American military munitions. Chris Riser, executive director of the Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau, says relatively few … Read more
RICHWOOD, W.Va. — As temperatures fall across West Virginia in late autumn and early winter, an old Appalachian tradition comes to mind— hog killing. For generations, mountain families depended on the cold to slaughter the hogs they had raised, preserving enough pork to feed their households through the winter. Historian and publisher Jim Comstock documented … Read more
THURMOND, W.Va. — A crying baby, a wailing woman, and a headless man are all said to have haunted a coal-company house in the New River Gorge in the 1930s. According to local legend, the disturbances grew so persistent that the coal company eventually demolished the building. The Haunted House of Red Star is one … Read more
HINTON, W.Va. — For decades, special passenger trains brought hundreds of visitors to this historic railroad town each October, drawing the crowds that helped make Hinton Railroad Days one of West Virginia’s enduring fall traditions. When the excursions ended, local officials faced a difficult question: Could a festival built around train arrivals survive without them? Hinton Mayor Jack … Read more
