Spring Celebrations Continue This Weekend Around the Region

By JULIEANNE COOPER, Region Editor
With warm sunny days — and still others filled with showers — it seems that nature is springing back to life in the Mountain State. All around, the birds are chirping, flowers are blooming and folks are simply enjoying these kinds of day.

Headed into the first weekend of May, celebrating spring is the thing once again this weekend. Great fun in the great outdoors will be featured in Pendleton, Tucker and Preston counties. In addition to outdoor recreation, there’s lots of music, arts and crafts sales as well as many more events headed this way.

The Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce will once again sponsor Spring Fest Friday through Sunday in Franklin. Highlights of the weekend will include a trout rodeo, music shows, food vendors, crafts, flea market, games, dancing, a taxidermy show and a car show.

Festival officials said for this year’s event, they tried to hit on as many amusements as they could to appeal to families, local participants and visitors.

The main event is the Fishing Rodeo and is open to all ages. Registered anglers can wade the edges of the South Branch of the Potomac River for about two miles on Saturday while attempting to catch a tagged trophy trout for cash and other prizes. The Fishing Rodeo is sanctioned and follows the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources rules and regulations. Fish will be provided by Greer Lime Co. in Germany Valley, and Rodney Kiser and Bob Grimm will tag the fish before releasing them into the river.

Landowners have given permission to fish on Saturday only. Stream marshalls will be present to clip tags from catch-and-release trout and register tag numbers along with the name of the angler to authenticate prize awards.

The festival will feature a taxidermy show, and to coincide with the trout rodeo, attending taxidermists with the best mounted fish will receive a $50 cash prize based on the public’s selection.

While many enjoy the sport of fishing, others would rather just have the reward that comes following hours by the water. For those folks, the festival will cook up some mountain cuisine during a fish fry on Friday. Hot dogs, biscuits and gravy and more traditional food will also be available during the event.

Festivalgoers can swing their partners round and round on Friday and Saturday during square dancing at the Potomac Highlands Recreation Center, all accompanied by live music. On Saturday, aspiring entertainers can take the stage during an open mic session at the Treasure Mountain Festival craft building. More music will be featured on Sunday from the Rev. Jerry Smith, also at the TMF building.

Festival officials have added many new events this year including a “Wheel of Fortune” where $1 purchases a spin to win a prize or some cash.

For more information, call 358-3884.

In preparation for the Cheat River Festival, the Cheat River Massacre-ence begins Friday and folks are invited to “paddle or watch this challenging 12-mile whitewater race,” according to an event spokesperson. There is a fee to enter and river race registration will be from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. followed by racing action at 5 p.m. The registration desk will be located at Cheat Fest’s main entrance in Albright. The race is sponsored by Friends of the Cheat. For more information, call 329-3621.

The following day, the Cheat River Festival Watershed Celebration featuring live bluegrass, old-time Celtic and folk music, kids’ programs, local cuisine, paddlegear vendors, an artist market, educational booths and more will be from 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Albright. Admission is $15 at the gate or $10 in advance. Children ages 12 and younger will be admitted free with an adult.

Joining in the great outdoors spirit, Canaan Valley Resort will host a the first of its Family Trail Days Saturday. The eight-mile guided hike travels Canaan Mountain between Blackwater Falls and Canaan Valley Resort state parks. A fee will be charged for those participating and registration is required.

In addition to the hike, the resort will also join in Kentucky Derby festivities with its “Kentucky Derby Party” on Saturday. Guests are invited to watch the derby in the Laurel Lounge on the big screen and mint julip drink specials and more will be offered.

The May Daze Arts and Crafts Extravaganza will be Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Peterson-Central Elementary School. Vendors from throughout West Virginia, as well as local artisans and crafters, will offer a variety of high quality arts, crafts and specialty items for sale.

The Lewis County 4-H Leaders’ Association will provide a food concession for shoppers for this special event, one of the most important fundraising projects that the organization sponsors with proceeds benefiting Lewis County 4-H programs. There is no admission charge and crafters will offer demonstrations throughout the day.

For more information, call the West Virginia University Lewis County Extension Service office at 269-4660 or stop by at 104 Center Ave. in Weston.

The twings and twangs of guitar strings will be featured at The Purple Fiddle Coffeehouse and Mountain Market today through Sunday.

The versatile singer, guitarist and songwriter Brian Ashley Jones takes the Fiddle stage today at 8 p.m. Admission is $5.

Bill Toms and Hard Rain bring their “gritty” rock-n-roll at 8:30 p.m. on Friday. Admission is $7.

On Saturday, one of the many favorites in the Purple Fiddle lineup — Special Ed and the Shortbus — returns with their bluegrass, old-time jazz, wild antics and satirical pop references at 8:30 p.m. Paleface will open the evening’s entertainment and admission is $12.

Another local favorite, the Ginsangers, will perform Sunday at 8 p.m., “taking the blue highway into the heart and roots of American music,” according to a concert spokesperson. Admission is $7.

Music will be swirling about the West Virginia Wesleyan College campus Friday as the Concert Chorale presents an evening of music at 8 p.m. in Wesley Chapel. The performance will be part of Wesleyan’s 2008 Commencement Weekend celebration and the concert is free and open to the public.

The first half of the program will feature “An American Triptych” by Leo Nestor, which include the American hymns “How Firm a Foundation,” “How Can I Keep From Singing?” and “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.”The Concert Chorale will also present “Song of Stillness” by English composer Andrew Carter, The piece will feature Dr. Melody Meadows, professor of music, as the organist and Karl Paoletti, assistant professor of music, as the baritone soloist.

The second half of the program is “Ashirah Vaazam’s rah Af k’ vodi” (I will Sing and Chant with All My Soul), “The Tree of Peace by Gwyneth Walker,” “I Dream a World,” poetry by Langston Hughes, “Wayfarin’ Stranger,” “Sometimes My Mind Gets Weary” and “Sit Down Servant.”

Dr. Larry Parsons, vice president for academic affairs and professor of music, will direct the group which annually performs throughout the region. Jessica Scott, a 2004 lecturer in music, and Dr. Meadows will accompany the Chorale.

A special quilting retreat continues today, Friday and Saturday at Camp Horseshoe in Tucker County. The retreat offers “something for everyone,” from the beginner to the experienced quilter, according to an event spokesperson. For registration and fee information, call 478-2481 or e-mail horeseshoe@hi-y.org.

The Randolph County Community Arts Center will welcome storyteller Ilene Evans Saturday at 7 p.m. to present her rendition of the West African folktale of Anansi. Her performance will round out the 2007- 2008 Children’s Concert Series.

Tickets are $5 per person or $20 per family (two adults and up to four children) and are available at the RCCAC office or at the door beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Saturday. Following the performance, refreshments will be served by RCCAC volunteers.

The RCCAC is located at Randolph Avenue and Park Street in Elkins. For more information on this and other upcoming events, call 637-2355 or visit www.randolpharts.org.