Weston making plans for one ‘Amazing Week’
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n Weston's Amazing Week
June 20
- 1 p.m. solo performance at St. Paul's West Hall featuring a Songwriters Workshop with Russell Smith, a Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter, and The Amazing Rhythm Aces' Russell Smith; free admission
- 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. concert at St. Paul's West Hall featuring The Amazing Rhythm Aces live on stage, hosted by Todd Burge, $30 per person per show, reserved table seating with dining option, six person tables are only $150; BYOB
With the sunny skies of summer once again blanketing the Mountain State, it's time for folks to get out and enjoy all that's taking place around them.
In keeping with the amazing weather and surroundings, one small city in central West Virginia is planning its own amazing event with music, food, lots of activities, an antique market and so much more.
Plans to expand last year's Weston Weekend event into Weston's Amazing Week with day after day of downtown activities have been finalized, according to organizers. Weston's Amazing Week kicks off June 20 - West Virginia Day. The week's events continue through June 27 when the Weston Street Fair and the U.S. Carp Fishing Tournament will bring hundreds to downtown Weston for shopping, visiting and entertainment. There will also be a Bottle and Fruit Jar Show coordinated by the West Virginia Glass Museum as well as the third anniversary celebration at the KISS Community Building.
"What started out as a one day festival became an entire weekend and is now a whole week of celebration of things that make Weston a unique and fun place to work and play," said Weston City Clerk Kristin Droppleman.
June 20 will also see a Weston State Hospital employee reunion beginning at 9 a.m. on the grounds of the former mental care facility, now called the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum. Various activities and ceremonies are scheduled at TALA.
From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. June 20. guests are invited to a West Virginia Day Picnic at Weston City Hall, an event featuring free hot dogs and sodas. Public officials and local entertainers have been invited to appear at the picnic.
At 1 p.m., Todd Burge, recording artist and star of the West Virginia Mountain Stage, will host a free radio and Internet broadcast featuring songs and commentary by Burge and featured guest bandleader and singer/songwriter for The Amazing Rhythm Aces, Russell Smith, will be interviewed by Burge for an on-location production of his syndicated FM and Internet radio show "Songwriter Night." The broadcast will emanate from West Hall at 209 Second St. in downtown Weston, but may be moved to accommodate a larger than anticipated demand. The solo performance and the radio show recording are free to the public.
An Almost Heaven Birthday Celebration, also hosted by Burge, will be held later in the evening and feature performances by The Amazing Rhythm Aces, with dining provided by the Hickory House restaurant. The Arts Council of Weston is organizing the show.
Patrons for the early show by The Amazing Rhythm Aces at St. Paul's West Hall will have the option of dining on a menu designed to match the Almost Heaven Birthday Celebration theme of the event.
Two traditional West Virginia items, pork barbecue and seasoned catfish, will be offered as $10 plate dinners with choice of side dishes, corn bread muffins, beverages and a complimentary dessert. One other dinner selection - red pepper seafood Creole - will be available for $25 per plate with rice, garlic bread, cheeses, sorbet, chocolate truffle beverage and dessert. Each Creole dinner will be served with a complimentary glass of wine.
"We wanted to offer the traditional West Virginia items," said Jill Stewart, president of the Arts Council of Weston, the group behind the event. "Plus we wanted to offer something a little special with the Creole."
Since the first Arts Council production in June 2008, many who attended have high praise for the food offered along with the music appearing on the St. Paul's West Hall stage. Chefs Geoff Kraus, Chris Anderson and Katherine Trefz from Lewis County did the first dinner show, while Scott Duarte, a Harrison County culinary guru, designed the tapas menu for the second show in February.
"This time we're tapping other local talent who regularly cook for and entertain large groups at their homes and at community events," said Stewart. "The cooks themselves wish to remain anonymous."
The Almost Heaven Birthday Celebration is sponsored in part by the Lewis County Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Lewis County Commission, a fact greatly appreciated by Stewart.
"Without their visionary help and support, we could not be attracting all this attention to Lewis County, selling tickets to people from other counties and states, some of whom are spending the night at local hotels," explained Stewart. "They understand that unique, quality events are what draws people and creates the valuable word-of-mouth promotion.
"We plan for the concerts to have room for 100 seats per show, but each seat will be at a table with food service," Stewart said. "It will be a great time and an opportunity to see major recording artists up close and personal. Small towns like Weston seldom have a show like this one will be."
Tickets are now on sale for the June 20 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. concerts by the Grammy Award-winning band famous for their hits "Third Rate Romance" and "The End Is Not In Sight." The concert will be at West Hall in downtown Weston and will feature Burge as the guest host.
The Amazing Rhythm Aces, based in Nashville, Tenn., have been playing what they call "American music" for more than 30 years. Their music ranges from country rock to blues to bluegrass to pop hits.
Smith, the band's leader and singer, is a Grammy Award winner who critics have termed "one of the great songwriters of his generation."
Burge is a Parkersburg native, touring singer/guitarist and star of Mountain Stage who performs catchy and clever original folk songs as a solo act, but also is very active developing the music industry in West Virginia.
Topping the list of events for June 27, the last day of Weston's Amazing Week, will be the U.S. Carp Fishing Tournament. Fishermen from many states will come to Weston to test their skill at landing the biggest and meanest carp found in the West Fork River.
Also on June 27, the Weston Street Fair will have more than 50 vendor booths lining a closed-to-traffic Main Street with food vendors on one end of the two-block "fairgrounds" and all-day entertainment on a stage at the other end.
Vendors will be selling everything from homemade crafts and fine arts to auto accessories and antiques, plus local merchants whose stores line the street will be open for business as usual.
Weston Chamber of Commerce President Mike Hines said, "This event gets better and better. It really kicks up the energy in town and people have a great time."
Other activities during the week include a West Virginia Birthday Cake Decorating Contest coordinated by Susie Frederick. Many local merchants are also planning special promotions in conjunction with the weeklong event as well.
There will be an Amazing Weston Pet Show on June 23 at Weston's City Hall. Frederick will be coordinating the pet event. The Pet Show is open to all, adults and children, to enter their dogs, puppies, cats and other pets.
The entry fee will be dog food, cat food or supplies (toys, bedding, etc.) for the animal shelter. Categories include large dog, small dog, special tricks, Dog-a-Thon (obedience training) for adults (older than age 18) and children, cat and other pets.
Everyone is welcome to come out and have a good time with their four or two legged friends. Ribbons and prizes will be awarded.
Video game enthusiasts and music fans will enjoy the Mountain State Guitar Hero Tournament June 24 beginning at 6 p.m. in downtown Weston.
Tim Guice of Weston is the tournament organizer.
"We are really encouraging enthusiasts of all ages to come on out and 'shred' your guitar. This will be a lot of fun for the participants and the audience," he said. "There will be a set of rules and three divisions - expert, hard and beginner. The prizes vary for each division."
Guitar Hero is a music video game developed originally for use on the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game features a guitar-shaped controller (resembling a miniature Gibson SG guitar) that the player uses to simulate the playing of rock music. The player presses buttons on the guitar controller in time with musical notes that scroll on the game screen. The game features popular rock songs spanning five decades of rock, from the 1960s up through present, in addition to bonus tracks.
Guitar Hero became a surprise hit, earning critical acclaim and winning many awards from major video game publications when it was first released.
The game's success launched the Guitar Hero franchise, with more than $1 billion in sales, spawning several sequels, expansions and other game-related products.
During the Weston tournament, one player will vie against another player to win the most points. The person with the highest points at the end of the song will go to the next round.
Guice continued his explanation for the tournament evening, saying, "We would like to have people pre-register by contacting me but we will have registration that evening. Pre-registration is $10 but on the day of the tournament the registration will be $15," he said. "I think that once the word gets around, we will have a whole lot of interest in this tourney."
Guice can be reached at 304-269-6574 in the evening. Rules can also be picked up at the Municipal Building on West Second Street.
The fourth annual Weston Antique Mart Fair and Street Fair on June 27 will be the culmination of the Amazing Week.
Craft and antique vendors, an antique car show, and lots of food providers will fill Main Avenue in Weston.
Fair organizers are still looking for a few more antique vendors and interested parties can call the Weston City Building at 304-269-6141 and ask for an application.
For more information about the Mountain State Birthday Celebration and to order tickets for shows and events, call 304-269-3683, or Weston City Hall at 304 269 6141, e-mail MayorJulia26452@aol.com or WVJazzSociety@aol.com.
For more information on Weston's Amazing Week, contact Mayor Julia Spelsberg or visit WestonsAmazingWeek.com.
