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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.

Denise Giardina portrays American humorist Minnie Pearl.
Culture

Denise Giardina to portray Minnie Pearl at Bramwell Sept. 13

by David Sibray

Appalachian writer and former gubernatorial candidate Denise Giardina will portray late humorist “Minnie Pearl” at the Bramwell Interpretive Center at Bramwell, West Virginia, on Sept. 13. A character developed by theater student Sarah Colley during the Great Depression, Minnie Pearl earned world renown for her gentle Appalachian satire. While producing an amateur musical comedy in Baileyton, … Read more

Since 2016, Bridge Jam has been welcoming musical acts to Fayetteville, West Virginia.
Culture

Fayetteville’s Bridge Jam music fest moved to Aug 23-24

by David Sibray

One of West Virginia’s most remarkable music festivals has changed its dates and capacity, promising more bands, more music, and more craft beer, according to organizers.Originally designed to coincide with the Bridge Day Festival on the New River Gorge Bridge in October, “Bridge Jam” has been moved to late August to accommodate campers and the … Read more

Fans of the Mothman wander Main Street during the Mothman Festival at Point Pleasant, West Virginia.
Culture

Unique Mothman Festival expected to break attendance records

by David Sibray

Organizers of the annual Mothman Festival at Point Pleasant, West Virginia, say they’re expecting record visitation on the weekend of September 21 as interest in the legend of the winged beast grows world-over.Partly as a result of the recent release of the Fallout 76 video game—which features the Mothman and other alleged West Virginia beasts—as … Read more

Seth Withers, marketing consultant for West Virginia Explorer, gears up for a bike race.
Culture

New tourism marketer surprised about West Virginia vision

by Clyde Craig

A new marketing consultant for West Virginia Explorer Magazine says he’s found enthusiasm he hadn’t expected as he rediscovers the Mountain State after living in South Carolina.Seth Withers maintained a connection with his home state after moving in 2000—returning often to hike, bike, and visit family—but as he began to talk with clients, he was … Read more

A family of loggers poses with their beasts of burden alongside logs timbered in the mountains of southern West Virginia.
Culture

Discover Hatfield-McCoy country at Appalachian Heritage Day

by David Sibray

Though the Appalachian Mountains wander from Alabama to Newfoundland, there’s hardly a more quintessentially Appalachian territory than that in which the Hatfields and McCoys feuded in southern West Virginia.That’s why the inaugural Appalachian Heritage Day being hosted Aug. 24 in Logan, West Virginia, has all the makings of a world-class celebration of culture, according to … Read more

The Powell Mountain goat once grazed the cliffs along US-19.
Culture

Famous West Virginia goat has likely passed

by David Sibray

Her white coat gleaming against the grey cliffs atop Powell Mountain, a lonely she-goat that became the darling of motorists traveling U.S. 19 has likely passed.Anne Johnson, who helped popularize the Powell Mountain Goat through her photography, confirmed Wednesday that it had not been seen grazing above the expressway for six months.“The mountain looks a … Read more

Hatfield family performers pose for a promotional portrait for "Deadly Divide: The Hatfield & McCoy Story." Photo courtesy Crissy Musick Photography.
Culture

New feud performance attracts national TV attention

by Bianca Bosworth

A new outdoor-drama performance of the Hatfield and McCoy feud is packing the amphitheater at Chief Logan State Park and will host a national TV crew tonight during “Descendant’s Night,” during which members of the two famous families will be admitted at a discount rate. Director Bill France said the true-to-history drama that concerns the … Read more

The summer sun sets over the campus of Shepherd University at Shepherdstown, West Virginia.
Culture

Bee Line March celebrated in Shepherdstown July 21

by David Sibray

In June 1775, Colonel William Morgan hosted a barbeque just outside Shepherdstown, West Virginia, at what’s now known as Morgan’s Grove Park.The event marked the beginning of a march over more than 600 miles to join George Washington’s Continental Army in Cambridge, Massachusetts.The beginnings of the Bee Line March will again come to life Sunday, … Read more