Music, pageants, a car show and, of course, fireworks will be part of the area's Independence Day celebrations with events spread out over two weekends.
For the 28th year, hot rods, muscle cars, pick-ups and classic cars will rumble into Elkins for the Mountain State Street Machines Auto Extravaganza. The annual celebration is a family friendly event packed with a weekend of activities.
The Elkins-Randolph County Chamber of Commerce is hosting the event that brings anywhere from 400 to 500 classic cars to Elkins.
"We have one of the largest car shows in the state," Kate Reed, chamber director, said. "It is a family friendly event with games in the park for the kids."
The festivities kick off on Friday with the one of the largest cruise-in events in the Mountain State. Cars will arrive to Railroad Avenue and Third Street around 5 p.m. Disc jockey Dan Barklay will provide rock 'n' roll music at the depot throughout the evening as drivers arrive. At 7 p.m., the Elkins Depot & Welcome Center will host live entertainment by Johnny Cochran and the Trail Blazers in town square. A fireworks display to celebrate Independence Day will light up the sky at dark.
Reed said the live performance is a new event during this year's festivities and on Saturday the celebration will move to the Elkins City Park.
Fact Box
Where are the fireworks?
Friday
Downtown Elkins
Elkins Speedway
Saturday
Thomas
July 4
Robert L. Bland Middle School
July 7
Barbour County Fairgrounds
Buckhannon-Upshur High School
Snowshoe Resort
The Mountain State Street Machine Car Show will open in the park at 9 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Registration for the show will begin at 8 a.m. both days. There is a $15 registration fee, which includes a participation plaque and entry into drawings for hundreds of dollars in prizes.
Reed said also new this year is a "Digital Scavenger Hunt." She explained people will use their cell phones equipped with cameras to take pictures of certain items.
"Everyone who registers can pick up a sheet to find 20 items," she said. "The first three people who turn it in by 2 p.m. will receive a prize."
Reed said the chamber will sell concessions and several other vendors will be set up in the park. She said the Lions Club and the Kiwanis Club will be on hand providing food.
For more information about the Mountain State Street Machines Auto Extravaganza, call 304-636-2717.
The Elkins Speedway also will celebrate Independence Day with a "gigantic" fireworks display on Friday. The display is one of the largest in the area with professionals blasting the fireworks into the sky.
On July 4, WV Patriots will host family-oriented events including music, free watermelon, games for children and a dunk tank in Elkins City Park.
Former POW Jessica Lynch will be the guest speaker for the Fourth of July God and Country Rally beginning at noon. Music will be provided by soloist Stephanie Leigh Pyle and gospel group the Chewning Family.
Tucker County
Tucker County will host a number of exciting Fourth of July celebrations this weekend and next week. Thomas' annual Mountaineer Days will run from Friday through Saturday. The event will include craft and food vendors, music and tons of fun activities. On Friday, attendees will get to see the coronation of Mr. and Miss Mountaineer and, for the daring or boisterous, participate in karaoke. Saturday's activities will include the Fireman's Waterbattle, a parade, live music and fireworks starting at dark. Sunday morning, a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Thomas Fire Department will wind up the event.
At 3 pm, Sunday, Canaan Valley Resort will host a free concert performed by The Wheeling Symphony Orchestra. The symphony's traditional annual performance is being hosted by the Tucker County Alpine Festival and will feature award- winning Music Director Andre Raphel.
Timberline also will host a weekend long celebration. The Mountain Bike Center and Timberline Stables will be open daily and scenic lift rides to the summit of Herz mountain will be available. The Fireside Grill and Timbers Pub will both be open, with live entertainment in Timbers Pub beginning at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday. There will be no cover charge.
On Tuesday, the Tucker Community Foundation will host its 23rd Uncle Sam's Birthday Party fundraiser. Event chairwoman Donna Patrick said tickets includes dinner for two, beer, wine and a chance to win $5,000, as well as plenty of other prizes, which come to a total value of $14,000.
The event will raise funds for the Tucker Community Foundation, which supports many different Tucker County causes by dispensing grants and scholarships every year. For those interested in attending, call Amy Barb or Patrick at 304-866-8680 or Rob Burns at 304-478-2930.
From July 6 through 8, Canaan Valley Resort will host Windfest, a high-flying Independence Day celebration featuring all sorts of kite-related fun. The event will offer a smokehouse barbecue dinner buffet on July 6; a kite building workshop, jumbo kite flying, stunt kite demos and a prime rib buffet dinner on July 7; and more kite building and flying, on July 8.
Lewis County
The Weston Volunteer Fire Department will host its annual Firemen's Festival on July 4 at Robert L. Bland Middle School.
The festivities kick off at 4 p.m. with the coronation of the Fire Queen at the fire station. A parade will step off at 5 p.m. through the streets of Weston. The lineup will begin at 4 p.m. at the middle school. Gates to the festival open at 5 p.m., and Bowyer Drive will provide the musical entertainment. There will be games, a dunking booth, bounce houses and concessions. There will competitions among the various departments.
The fireworks will light up the night sky at 10:15 p.m.
Pocahontas County
Pocahontas County will host several Fourth of July holiday events, including the Annual Public Reading of the Declaration of Independence. The traditional ceremony will begin at noon on July 4 in front of the Pocahontas County Courthouse.
On July 6, the Pioneer Days History Contest will be conducted at 3 p.m. at the Pocahontas County Museum.
Also on July 6, and running through July 8, Snowshoe Mountain Resort will offer the Homegrown Arts & Music Festival, a celebration of the music, arts and culture of Appalachia and the Mountain State.
Residents are urged to experience the traditions of yesterday and enjoy the talent of today with the festival's many vendors and bands, featuring styles from old-time bluegrass to new soul-infused rock.
Snowshoe Mountain Resort's Community Appreciation Day is set for July 7. The resort will offer a free Snowshoe Fun Pass to residents of Pocahontas, Randolph and Webster counties. Snowshoe also will present a mountaintop fireworks display on July 7.
Upshur County
Upshur County will celebrate our nation's independence on July 7 with a fire works display at Buckhannon-Upshur High School. Sponsored by the West Virginia Strawberry Festival, the gates will open at 5:30 p.m.
Barbour County
Barbour County will celebrate Independence Day with free activities on July 7 and 8 at the Barbour County Fairgrounds, located between Philippi and Belington on U.S. 250. Parking is complementary.
Starting at 8 a.m. both days, visitors can browse vendor booths in the second annual all-county flea market.
At 4 p.m. July 7, young contestants will compete in the Lil'l' Miss Barbour County Pageant. The pageant is followed by a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. in honor of troops and veterans.
Immediately after the ceremony, the Demolition Derby will take place, but a specific time has not been scheduled.
"The idea is very simply that the ceremony honoring the troops and veterans will begin at 6:30 and the demolition derby will start at its conclusion," said Don Smith, director of the Barbour County Chamber of Commerce.
According to the chamber, the celebratory activities will conclude with a massive fireworks display presented by Little Big Shot following the Demolition Derby after dark on July 7. Fireworks are funded with the financial assistance of the Barbour County Commission, business contributors and by donations from the public collected at the gate.
Fireworks will be set off from the Barbour County Park, but will be fully visible from the fairgrounds. There is no specific time planned for when the fireworks will begin.
