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.
Perhaps one of the most frightening aspects of the “Nightmare on the Gorge” haunted house attraction near Oak Hill, West Virginia, is that a serial killer had really stalked the hills in the early 1960s and may have lived less than a mile away. But the team who brought the Mad Butcher to life at … Read more
A new generation is discovering the history of the West Virginia Mine Wars, says a scholar who will speak as a guest lecturer Oct. 3 at the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, West Virginia. Waged between 1912 and 1921, the conflict erupted as miners fought to secure better working conditions in coal … Read more
Falling leaves in autumn reveal a landscape in which old farms, ghost towns, and other historic sites have been cloaked through summer. That’s why it’s a favorite time for rangers and historians in southern West Virginia who wait all year for the region’s annual Hidden History Weekend, during which more than a dozen special hikes … Read more
West Virginia’s annual celebration of National Hunting and Fishing Days is returning to Stonewall Jackson Resort State Park on Sept. 21-22, 2019 according to state officials. While many of the popular attractions are back, outdoor enthusiasts can expect the Mountain State’s largest hunting and fishing show to sound a little different this year. In addition … Read more
Makers of all ages will compete for cash prizes and bragging rights Oct. 4 during West Virginia’s largest maker festival on the Huntington campus of Marshall University. The sixth annual “West Virginia Makes Festival,” hosted by the Robert C. Byrd Institute, is a celebration of creativity and ingenuity in all their forms, according to organizers. … Read more
West Virginia Archives and History will present a series of four hour-long lectures regarding West Virginia during the Civil War on Saturday, Sept. 28, in Charleston, West Virginia. During an hour-long break between the morning and afternoon sessions, attendees will have an opportunity to inspect Civil War artifacts from the personal collections of presenters and … Read more
If you’re a fan of the Mothman legend and haven’t visited its alleged lair, also known as the TNT Area, you owe yourself the hair-raising experience, says the executive director of the Mason County Convention and Visitors Bureau. “And if you really want to experience Mothman, you’ve got to be in the TNT area at … Read more
(NOTE: The time of the movie on September 20 has been changed to 7 p.m. and the final event, storytelling with Adam Booth and Diane Macklin, has been changed to September 27.) Shepherd University’s 24th-annual Appalachian Heritage Festival will take place during the week of September 20-28 and features the work of Affrilachian poet and … Read more
Good weather and gate specials helped the State Fair of West Virginia reach record food and carnival sales in 2019, according to Kelly Collins, CEO for the fair, who provided a breakdown of figures. “Although school calendars have affected attendance for the State Fair of West Virginia, we were fortunate to have great weather,” Collins … Read more
As any student who attends West Virginia University at Morgantown can tell you, there’s an air of mystery that grows over the Monongahela Valley at night. Ranked among the most haunted locales in West Virginia, Morgantown—and all of the Monongahela Valley, from Pittsburgh to the Allegheny uplands—is imbued with a sense of the uncanny. It … Read more
