Oh my gourd—it’s officially fall celebration season. And we couldn’t be more excited. Here are five fall West Virginia celebrations that everyone should attend.
Our Preston county neighbors host the Buckwheat Festival—a celebration of a historically important local crop. Scheduled for September 26-29 this year, the Buckwheat Festival hosts a full schedule of parades, live music, arts and crafts, vendors, carnival rides, and the beloved buckwheat cake and sausage dinners. The whole family is in for a treat (Kingwood, 40 minutes, buckwheatfestival.com).
The Mountain State Forest Festival is one of the oldest, largest, and most popular festivals in West Virginia, and we know why. Enjoy decades-old traditions, like the royal coronation of Queen Silvia and the lumberjack competitions. Grab a caramel apple and walk around town while enjoying the sights of the fall foliage, September 28 through October 6 (Elkins, 1h30m, forestfestival.com).
At the Pumpkin Festival in Milton October 3–5, celebrate the autumn and the fall harvest. Enjoy more than 100 artisans, special exhibits, and much more. Be sure to snap a photo with some of the largest pumpkins in town (Milton, 2h45m, wvpumpkinpark.com).
October 12–13, celebrate at the Apple Butter Festival in Berkeley Springs. This free festival will have activities for all ages. Have fun taking turns stirring the—apple butter—pot. Also enjoy a fun line-up of music, games and contests, and much more (Berkley Springs, 1h50m, berkleysprings.com).
Once a year, people from around the world meet for Bridge Day, West Virginia’s largest single-day festival. Adventurers and thrillseekers will meet on October 19 to watch as base jumpers and rapellers make their descent off the 876-foot-high bridge (Fayetteville, 2h15m, officialbridgeday.com).
Enjoy West Virginia’s beautiful fall season at one of these great Mountain State celebrations.
Photographed by Carla Witt Ford
Leave a Reply