A strongman competition and pepperoni roll eating contest make for wholesome Appalachian fun at the Three Rivers Festival this weekend.
Has it been too long since you screamed on the Tilt-a-Whirl or saw the view from the top of a Ferris wheel? When was the last time you saw someone lift an insane amount of weight—or eat a year’s worth of pepperoni rolls in 10 minutes? Scratch that festival itch at the 47th West Virginia Three Rivers Festival at Palatine Park in Fairmont this weekend.
The main festivities kick off at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 27, with a Grand Feature Parade. They ramp up Friday evening with a pepperoni roll bake-off and live entertainment by Black Dog Hollow and Rick K. Road Trip. Saturday events include Kids’ Day in the Park, illusionist Josh Knotts and Lea,
Saturday highlights include, at 4:30 p.m., a good-natured face-off between strongmen American Nightmare Bobby Thompson of Fredericksburg, Virginia, will face off against “T-Rex” Evan Singleton of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The two are among 25 strongmen who will compete two weeks later at the 2021 World’s Strongest Man event in Sacramento, California.
Also not to be missed, at 8 p.m. on Saturday, is the 10th Annual World Championship Pepperoni Roll Eating Contest. No. 1 world champion competitive eater Joey Chestnut will be joined by other top-ranked eaters from across the nation in the 10-minute all-you-can-eat contest. Chestnut set a new world record in 2019 when he ate a staggering 43 pepperoni rolls in 10 minutes. Former record-holder Geoffrey Esper ate 37.5 and Darron Breeden finished in third place with 26. Chestnut faces fierce competition this year from Esper and other top-ranked eating talents.
There will also be a car show, wood carving, and more. Carnival rides run through Saturday evening, and fireworks cap the festival off Saturday night.
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