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.
Maps donated to the George Tyler Moore Center for the Study of the Civil War will give researchers in the Battle of Antietam a clearer picture of the military movements that took place on September 17, 1862, according to Potomac region historians. Donated through the Shepherd University Foundation by Bonnie and Bill Stubblefield, the maps … Read more
Residents of the mountain counties of West Virginia have traditionally weathered the ravages of communicable diseases with some success. Isolation here flattened the peak of most outbreaks, with the notable exception of the air-borne “Influenza of 1918.”Outside the mountain counties, epidemics might destroy without restraint, and the cholera outbreak of 1832-1834, which battered the more … Read more
Each dollar spent on the arts in West Virginia turns into 23, the governor of West Virginia said during the fourth annual Arts-in-our-Communities Conference today at the West Virginia Culture Center in Charleston, West Virginia.Governor Jim Justice addressed groups of artists from across the state during the two-day conference hosted by the West Virginia Department … Read more
The Appalachian Studies and Communities at Shepherd University is accepting submissions by May 1 for its 2020 West Virginia Fiction Competition.The competition was created to encourage writers and storytellers whose talent and creative writing ability is distinctive and promising and to foster an appreciation of Appalachian culture and values represented in the diverse writing of … Read more
What do West Virginia high school students think about when they consider iconic West Virginia images? The winning entries for the 2020 Create-a-Quarter-for-West-Virginia contest reveal much.In conjunction with Presidents’ Day, the sixth installment of the Student Artist Series, was emceed by West Virginia First Lady Cathy Justice, who established the series to promote the arts … Read more
Opening a bookstore may not be the best way to turn a profit, but bookstores in West Virginia are doing well and diversifying, says an author who’s published a book on the matter.Matt Browning, the author of “Bookstore Explorer: West Virginia,” says thirty bookstores now exist in the Mountain State, often in areas where you … Read more
Would-be pets are among the victims of decline in the coalfields of southern West Virginia, but one community in Mingo County has managed to spearhead a rescue effort that’s off to a remarkable start.Gilbert Happy Tails, to host its first “Fur Ball” fundraiser this month in Gilbert, West Virginia, has already received support from across … Read more
This weekend’s Wizard Weekend in Fayetteville, West Virginia, seems ideally suited to the character of the whimsical town on the rim of the New River Gorge, organizers say.Beginning Thursday, the first annual community festival will see many of the town’s shops, restaurants, and attractions transformed into magical venues—wand shops, potion distilleries, and feast halls in … Read more
Spring skiing, free concerts, and a vibrant nightlife have conspired to make the annual Ballhooter Festival at Snowshoe Mountain popular with visitors from across the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and the Midwest.Snowshoe Mountain has announced the lineup of free village concerts for its eighth annual Ballhooter Festival, scheduled March 13-15, 2020, according to resort spokesman Shawn Cassell.Headlining … Read more
Events that celebrate the arrival of spring in West Virginia are expected to be bigger and more popular than ever, according to the publisher of West Virginia Explorer Magazine.Ramp dinners, wildflower walks, and maple-syrup festivals are all drawing more tourists to the Mountain State, says David Sibray, who says he expects the trend will continue.“Pocahontas … Read more
