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.
Harpers Ferry National Historical Park on June 24 will honor pianist Barry Harris and bassist Rufus Reid during the sixteenth annual Don Redman Jazz Heritage Awards & Concert at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. One of the most significant jazz pianists of the late 20th century, Harris made his first recording in 1958. Born and raised … Read more
The Huntington home of one of West Virginia’s pioneer black educators and civil-rights activists is being developed as a museum, according to officials at the Carter G. Woodson Memorial Foundation. The former home of Memphis Tennessee Garrison at 1702 10th Avenue has been stablized since being purchased in 2007, and foundation members are now seeking … Read more
Even after half a century, new information is coming to light regarding the gruesome murders of two hitch-hiking students who disappeared from the campus of West Virginia University in 1970. Morgantown-based Kromatic Media today announced the release of the first three podcasts in the series “Mared and Karen: The WVU Coed Murders,” which explores the kidnapping, murder, … Read more
It begins with an errant wind on a balmy day. Leaves on trees turn upward, revealing their silvery undersides and a rolling cushion of cloud builds in a darkening sky. Suddenly, a jagged light flashes, and rumbling thunder answers. The show begins. As a storm chaser and photographer, I’m enthralled by lightning! At the hint … Read more
Three Rivers Avian Center will present its popular “Wings of Wonder – Birds of Prey” program at 12 West Virginia state parks in summer 2017, introducing audiences across the Mountain State to live birds of prey. The avian center’s programs have been park favorites for more than 20 years, said Sissie Summers of the Parks and Recreation Section of … Read more
The tale of the Green-Harrison Tragedy is among the most enduring legends handed down from the settlement of the lower Kanawha Valley region of West Virginia. As far as most sources are concerned, in 1813 settlers Charles Green and Alexander Harrison died while hunting bear on the upper waters of Eighteenmile Creek in Putnam County, West Virginia, … Read more
An estimated 25,000 are expected to turn out this weekend to celebrate regional culture at the West Virginia capitol during the 41st annual Vandalia Gathering in Charleston. The Mountain State’s annual celebration of traditional arts, the free festival’s blend of ethnic and mountain heritage has earned it a reputation as one of the region’s hallmark events. … Read more
Set for June 10, the Celebrate Princeton! Street Fair in Princeton, West Virginia, continues to grow in attendance, attracting thousands of visitors to the community’s historic Mercer Street district annually, according to organizer Lori McKinney. This year the 10 a.m.-5 p.m. event presented by the Princeton Renaissance Project will feature performances by the Cirque-de-Vol Aerial … Read more
The new Hatfield-McCoy Country Museum at Williamson, West Virginia, on the Kentucky border, features the world’s largest collection of artifacts of the world-famous Appalachian feud, a resource bound to help draw more visitors to the region. A stream of news outlets began touring the site as soon as its doors opened, according to Professor Bill … Read more
Coming off its successful first year, Greater Huntington launches its second season of weekday family festivities during “Funington” in June and July. The region-wide program provides discounts and specific scheduling to help area families arrange family-fun events, according to Anna Adkins, spokesman for the Cabell-Huntington Convention and Visitors Bureau. Adkins said the program was so … Read more
