Best Family Venue
Launch Pad Trampoline Park
After cabin fever sent the Helbig family to Pittsburgh a few times to bounce it out, January and Josh Helbig thought a trampoline park would work great right here in Morgantown. They opened Launch Pad Trampoline Park in 2016, and it quickly became a favorite spot for freestyle jumping, gymnastics, birthday parties, and fitness classes for kids and adults of all ages. Try your best flips on the expanse of trampoline floor—or dunk like an NBA pro in the launch hoops, dive into the foam pit, scramble up the climbing wall, or take a break in the video arcade. Check the schedule for events like homeschool hours, glow parties, and cardio workouts. 22 Rousch Drive, Westover, 304.322.2959, launchpadtrampolinepark.com, @launchpadtrampolineparkwv
Best Festival
West Virginia Wine & Jazz Festival
This annual September festival is forever a crowd favorite. Pack your picnic blanket or lawn chair and head to Camp Muffly for two days of good wine, smooth jazz, and artisan goods. Proceeds go to music scholarships and concerts for students. wvwineandjazz.com
Best Dance Studio
Morgantown Dance Studio
Whether spinning in a pirouette or busting a hip-hop move, the students of Morgantown Dance Studio learn athleticism, flexibility, and creativity. The nonprofit offers a variety of classes for all ages and experience levels. 5000 Green Bag Road, 304.292.3266, morgantowndance.org, @morgantowndance
Best Local Fundraising Event
WVU Medicine Children’s Gala
Classy dining, entertainment, and dancing along with live and silent auctions make the WVU Medicine Children’s Gala a frequent BOM voter favorite. The theme always makes for colorful fun—”The Land of Oz” for the 16th annual gala, in February 2019—and the cause inspires everyone. wvuchgala.com
Best Band
Davisson Brothers Band
Country music twang with a southern rock vibe, this West Virginia foursome’s sound continues to draw attention in Nashville. Here are the DBB basics:
The group consists of brothers Chris and Donnie Davisson—guitarist and lead vocals, respectively—along with bassist Russell Reppert and drummer Aaron Regester.
Fans from Down Under catapulted their hit single “Po’ Boyz” to the top of Australian music charts.
Latest album Fighter, released last year, is jam-packed with tunes that uphold the band’s deep-rooted messages of hard work and determination. davissonbrothersband.com, @davissonbros
Best Yoga Studio
BlissBlissBliss
Yoga calls to people for many reasons, says BlissBlissBliss owner Elizabeth Halliday-Reynolds: to be fit, to be flexible, to be strong. Here are Bliss instructors’ recent favorite poses.
Instructor: Heidi Sherwin
Pose: Downward Facing Dog
Why: Forever humbling, never boring. The real bliss is when my alignment clicks and I simply abide in active relaxation from hands to hips to feet.
Instructor: Julie Harris
Pose: Supported Prone Savasana
Why: It allows for complete relaxation and surrender.
Instructor: Kelly Nix
Pose: Dragon with a Twist
Why: My hip flexors are tighter than normal from sitting at my computer.
Instructor: Rachel Karpency Dyer
Pose: King Pigeon Pose, Kapotasana
Why: It’s known to bring up emotions ranging from anxiety and fear to vulnerability and sadness. I expect on the other side there will be some peace and strength.
Instructor: Mary Angel Blount
Pose: Wheel Pose, Chakrasana
Why: It lets me access the energy that’s already present in my body and helps me realize I don’t need outside substances.
Instructor: Elizabeth Halliday-Reynolds
Pose: Seated Forward Fold, Paschimottanasana
Why: It helps me create a space to get silent and go inward. The stillness allows a connection beyond the physical.
Instructor: Amanda Bever
Pose: Easy Seat, Sukhasana
Why: We think if we pause for a moment we aren’t being “productive,” but sitting with yourself and listening is powerful. All is well. Just breathe.
3101 About Town Place, 304.413.0270, theblissblissbliss.com, @theblissblissbliss
Patty’s Art Spot
Patty’s Art Spot has left its mark on Morgantown—and on quite a few of its residents. The experienced artists ensure customers at both studio locations feel at ease while getting their newest tattoo or piercing with rocking music, funky hanging artwork, and friendly conversations. 1836 Listravia Avenue, 304.598.0190; 425 Beechurst Avenue, 304.292.2885; pattysartspot.org, @pattysartspot
Best Gym / Fitness Facility
Pro PerformanceRx
A wide variety of classes and sports leagues, state-of-the-art equipment, and expert trainers and physiologists make Pro PerformanceRX a fifth-time BOM winner. In 2018, Pro Performance launched an app that allows members to sign up for classes, lessons, and tournaments and manage their accounts at their convenience. In 2019, it will make the Pierpont location a full-service, 24-hour-access gym. properformancerx.com, @properformancerxfitnessandsports
Best Radio Station
WVAQ 101.9
A Best Radio Station winner every year, WVAQ has Morgantown’s ear. Check out the weekday line-up:
6–10 a.m., Jack and Nikki in the Morning
10 a.m.–3 p.m., Just Jaime
3–7 p.m., Matt Kelly
7 p.m.–midnight, The Knight Show with Jason Knight
Check out the 102 WVAQ app for the latest from MetroNews and The Dominion Post—and of course to listen to the hits. 101.9 FM; @102WVAQ
Best Gallery
Monongalia Arts Center
Monongalia Arts Center has served Morgantown as a home for the visual, performing, and literary arts since it opened 40 years ago. Catch an art opening or exhibit in the MAC’s galleries, buy art for your walls, enjoy a musical or theater performance, or choose a class from the active calendar of events. 107 High Street, 304.292.3325, monartscenter.com, @monartscenter
123 Pleasant Street
When “the Brick Row Building” was built on Pleasant Street in the early 1890s, the row houses’ prime location between Main Street and the train station and river docks made them the heart of Morgantown. Much has changed, but 123 Pleasant Street remains the heart of town … or, rather, of its music scene. The nightclub hosts local, regional, and national bands spanning everything from country to punk multiple nights a week.
A great layout also contributes to 123’s popularity. The central stage is flanked by bars on separate levels, ideal for club-goers looking for a break from the main floor. The tin ceilings are reminiscent of the 1920s storerooms, and signs for the Underground Railroad and Nyabinghi Dance Hall recall incarnations from before owner L.J. Giuliani revitalized the condemned building in the late ’90s.
In October 2018, a sold-out performance commemorated 123 Pleasant Street’s 20th anniversary—and kicked off another decade of great live music. 123 Pleasant Street, 304.292.0800, 123pleasantstreet.com, @123pleasantstreet
Best Live Performance Theater
Creative Arts Center
What do The Sound of Music, STOMP, and a symphony orchestra have in common? They’re all some of the many recent performances at the CAC. Purchase a ticket for an upcoming musical, concert, or family event at the box office, settle into your seat, and wait for the curtain to rise on your next evening out. 1 Fine Arts Drive, 304.293.7469, events.wvu.edu
