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.
FAIRMONT, W.Va. — A lesser-known encounter with an extraordinary Mountain State cryptid is still capturing the imagination of West Virginians a half century later. On a warm July day in 1968, in the hills near Grant Town, West Virginia, Jennings Frederick was hunting for groundhogs when he heard a high-pitched noise that morphed into a … Read more
FAYETTEVILLE, W.Va. — This winter, the small mountain town of Fayetteville, perched at the edge of the New River Gorge National Park and Preserve, will swap its usual crowd of rock climbers and whitewater paddlers for a different kind of adventurer—artists. In January 2026, Fayetteville will launch “Fayetteville Creates,” a month-long, town-wide artist residency inviting … Read more
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — From cauldrons to candy corn, favorite Halloween traditions in the U.S. have been brewing for thousands of years, according to two West Virginia University religious scholars. Aaron Gale and Alex Snow, associate professors of religious studies in the university’s Eberly College of Arts and Sciences in Morgantown, West Virginia, say that modern … Read more
HUNTINGTON, W.Va. — One of the most appealing of all Appalachian legends is that of the tale of the Lost Silver Mine of Johnathan Swift. More than 200 years after the alleged events in this story transpired, treasure hunters continue to search for the vein of silver that Swift claimed to have lost. Many believe … Read more
HARPERS FERRY, W.Va. — It’s fair to say that almost anyone who has listened to or read the history of American folk songs is familiar with the haunting melody and words of the “Shenandoah” folk song. “Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you, Roll away, you rolling river Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you, … Read more
PRINCETON, W.Va. — Artists, educators, and community leaders from across West Virginia will converge in Princeton’s Grassroots District from Oct. 24–26 for the Create Your State Convening, a three-day program focused on how the arts can drive economic and social revitalization in small towns. Hosted by the RiffRaff Arts Collective, the event turns Princeton’s downtown … Read more
RIFFLE, W.Va.— The blockbuster Men in Black film franchise might seem a world away from the hills of West Virginia, but the legend starts here in a quiet corner of the Mountain State where an obscure and mysterious writer sat pecking away on his typewriter. Gray Barker, born 100 years ago in Riffle, in Braxton … Read more
LITTLETON, W.Va. — In the summer of 1918, a procession of billions of ravenous “worms” passed through the hills of eastern Wetzel County, spreading disorder wherever it traveled. Some who saw it claim to have been attacked in the march. Others claimed to have lost crops and, seemingly, cattle. Wetzel County worm invasion shocks residents … Read more
BIRCH RIVER, W.Va. — Each day, more than 10,000 motorists speed past the turn-offs onto Polemic Run Road in central West Virginia, but few leave the expressway and wander into the wooded hills to the west. Those who do gain access to a world few others see. The one-lane road mounts steeply up Barnett Hill, … Read more
GREEN BANK, W.Va. — A renowned paranormal investigator says West Virginia has a remarkable association with UFO activity because of its role in the search for extraterrestrial life and because it was the location of many early alleged UFO encounters. Dave Spinks, perhaps best known for his appearances on the Travel Channel, the History Channel, … Read more
