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.
The full extent of the record-breaking 2019 World Scout Jamboree in West Virginia might be difficult to imagine, but photographer Gary Hartley was willing to hang out of an open helicopter to help. “[I] had the opportunity to fly with my good friend Chandler Swope over the Summit Bechtel Reserve/World Scout Jamboree and take photos,” … Read more
MOUNT HOPE, W.Va. — Thousands of scouts attend the Boy Scouts of America Jamboree in southern West Virginia, filling a virtual city of about 10,000 acres built around outdoor recreation at the edge of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve. The scouts and their guests engage in the many outdoor activities for which the … Read more
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
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 … Read more
The West Virginia State Fire Marshal’s Office is reminding residents and visitors to buy and use consumer fireworks in a safe manner. Fireworks can be dangerous, causing serious burn and eye injuries. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, on average, 280 people go to the emergency room every day with fireworks-related injuries in the … Read more
Organizers of the 57th annual art and craft fair at Ripley, West Virginia, have returned the landmark event to the July 4 weekend, during which the town and fairground become one of the most celebrated destinations in the Mountain State. After a two-year experiment during which the fair was held in September—a move intended to … Read more
West Virginia Day is being celebrated this coming week, and Governor Jim Justice and state Tourism Commissioner Chelsea Ruby are encouraging West Virginians and those who love the state to celebrate and help build tourism on social media. “It’s time to celebrate America’s best-kept secret with seven days of wall-to-wall West Virginia on social media,” … Read more
It may have been more than 200 years since the thunder of native drums echoed across the vale of the Cheat River in the Allegheny Mountains. That will change October 5-6 when organizers of the “We Are Still Here” pow-wow welcome what they expect to be hundreds of guests to celebrate West Virginia’s Native American … Read more
Artists in downtown Beckley, West Virginia, have engaged more than 40 partners in BEX, a remarkable collaborative exhibition set for June 22-30 that includes workshops, installations, a film festival, a maker’s fair, and an oddities-and-curiosities bazaar. More than 35 events—including a “human library,” three camera obscuras, and a smell-o’-vision demonstration—have been arranged to underscore diversity … Read more
Boasting fairies, mermaids, unicorns, and a real elephant, the West Virginia Renaissance Festival is ideal for families with children, according to organizers who say they’re expecting traffic to double during this, its second year. Set for four weekends in June in the Greenbrier Valley near Lewisburg, West Virginia, the 2019 festival is set in an … Read more
