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Fall colors

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Fall colors attract sports and nature lovers to Mountain State areas like Twin Falls State Park.

Events for October 2017

• 12th annual Charleston Boulevard Rod Run and Doo Wop

  October 04, 2017 to October 08, 2017 — Charleston, Kanawha

  A concert by a KISS tribute band and celebrity appearances by the host of a car television show are two of the highlights of the 12th annual Charleston Boulevard Rod Run and Doo Wop, slated for Oct. 4-8. Kanawha Boulevard will be closed from Capitol Street to Magic Island from Wednesday evening around 6 p.m. until Sunday afternoon. Dressed To Kill — The Ultimate KISS Tribute Band, which will perform Saturday, is one of several bands to perform at the Rod Run. Other bands at the event will include The Esquires on Thursday night, Audio Outlaws on Friday and Crimson Conspiracy II, which will perform before Dressed to Kill on Saturday.

  Lou Santiago, host of “Car Fix” and the former host of “MuscleCar,” will be the celebrity guest for the weekend and is scheduled to make appearances Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. More information at http://www.charlestonwvcarshow.com
• Creators Panel: “Creating Musical Theater”

  October 04, 2017 — Charleston, Kanawha

  “Original musical theater is alive and well in West Virginia! …. Join with two veterans (Scarpelli, Kehde) with 2 rookies from this medium (Groce, Boyd) … in an informative and enlightening conversation. We may even hear an original song or two from our composers…“

  Originally from Connecticut, Mark Scarpelli is a Charleston, WV- based composer/ musician. He studied music composition under Joseph Schwantner at Eastman School of Music in Rochester, New York. Four operas, eighteen musicals, six ballets a Mass and a number of musical adaptations and arrangements are in his compositional catalogue. Mark’s works have been critically acclaimed and have been performed by the WV Symphony Orchestra and the Huntington Symphony Orchestra. He is currently a retired educator who has spent 33 years in the public school system teaching gifted and talented. http://www.markscarpelli.com

  Award-winning playwright and local director of the Contemporary Youth Arts Company, Dan Kehde continues to create new and challenging works for the stage. With his focus on sharing the creative process with young artists, Dan finds some of his greatest rewards in finding fresh, new artists to bring his works to life. Since his first work premiered in Washington, DC in 1974, Dan has worked as a playwright, librettist, song-writer, novelist, acting coach and director, including a stint in New York with producer Robert Whitmore, in Orlando with luthier Michael Tobias and, most recently, as a collaborator with local composer Mark Scarpelli. For the past 21 years, Dan has been managing director of the Contemporary Youth Arts Company in Charleston where he premieres many of his works.

  Larry Groce is one of the founders of West Virginia Public Radio’s Mountain Stage and host/artistic director since its beginning in 1983. He was also executive director of FestivALL Charleston from its beginning in 2005 until 2015. He has recorded twenty-four albums (the most recent, Live Forever, was released in 2016), wrote and recorded the top ten hit song “Junk Food Junkie” as well as many Walt Disney records for children (including gold and platinum sellers), one of which was nominated for a Grammy Award. His most recent project is a musical version of the Daniel Boyd film, “Paradise Park”, in collaboration with the noted film maker and graphic novelist. The musical was commissioned by Theater West Virginia and is slated for production in 2018.

  Daniel Boyd is an acclaimed filmmaker (Chillers, Strangest Dreams, Paradise Park), a two-time television regional Emmy nominee, and is a multi-nominated graphic novelist (Chillers I & II, CARBON, SALT). Currently, Boyd and Gold/Platinum albums recipient and NPR’s Mountain Stage co-creator and host, Larry Groce, are collaborating on a full staged musical adaptation of Paradise Park commissioned by Theater West Virginia, scheduled for release in summer 2018. A retired media studies professor, Boyd continues to serve as Artist in Residence at WV State University’s Economic Development Center.

  Wed, October 4, 2017, 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM EDT

  WVSU EDC, 1506 Kanawha Blvd West, Charleston, WV 25387

  Free registration
• 2017 West Virginia Makes Festival

  October 06, 2017 — Huntington, Cabell

  The Robert C. Byrd Institute and a group of statewide partners present the West Virginia Makes Festival, a celebration of ingenuity and creativity. The Oct. 6 event, which will run from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., will feature a Design Challenge for makers of all ages as well as hands-on activities for everyone.

  Join us on the Huntington campus of Marshall University at the Memorial Student Center for the 2017 WV Makes Festival.

  If you’d like to set up an exhibit or if you’d like to join us as a sponsor, we have registration links below. With your participation we intend to make this year’s fourth annual festival the best one yet!

  Our annual Design Challenge will provide makers the opportunity to demonstrate their new ideas and skills, and will reward their creative inspirations. Hobbyists, inventors, enthusiasts, artists and students of all ages who enter the Design Challenge are eligible for one of several prizes.

  The celebration is open to everyone. In addition to a Design Challenge, the West Virginia Makes Festival will feature 3D Printing, some of your favorite local artists, special exhibits and other attractions. Call 304.781.1675 if you need more information or any assistance in registering.

  “Our festival celebrates makers,” said Charlotte Weber, RCBI Director & CEO. “It taps into the inventive community of entrepreneurs and innovators so they can interact with likeminded creative individuals.”

  http://www.rcbi.org/index.php/events/west-virginia-makes-festival
• 150th Anniversary Storer College Commemoration

  October 06, 2017 to October 08, 2017 — Harpers Ferry, Jefferson

  Discover the legacy of Storer College at Harpers Ferry

  October 6-8, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park will honor the legacy of Storer College with music, living history, academic speakers, and youth activities on the campus where the college was established 150 years ago.

  Storer College was founded in October 1867, becoming the first higher education institution in West Virginia open to African Americans, and operating continuously until 1955. The weekend of events, including the gathering of Storer College alumni and their families, will make the former campus come alive. Noted presenters include Pulitzer Prize winning author and historian David Levering Lewis, Ph.D., and 2017 Grammy Award nominee Catherine Russell.

  Public events will kick off Friday evening at 6 p.m. Parking for the evening will be located on Camp Hill at 51 Mather Place, Harpers Ferry. Saturday’s events will start at 9 a.m. and continue until 6:30 p.m., and Sunday’s events will run from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Parking for Saturday and Sunday will be located at 171 Shoreline Drive, Harpers Ferry. Shuttle buses will be available to transport visitors throughout both days, with the first stop being Camp Hill.

  For more information, please call the visitor center at 304-535-6298 or visit the park’s website for a detailed schedule of events at go.nps.gov/Storer150
• Fall Craft Workshop

  October 08, 2017 to October 13, 2017 — Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Jackson

  Five workshops are available October 8-13 at Cedar Lakes Conference Center. Learn rug hooking, photography, woodturning, watercolors, and dulcimer. Call 304-372-7860 for details.
• Harpers Ferry Civil War Round Table

  October 11, 2017 — Harpers Ferry, Jefferson

  Join the Harpers Ferry Civil War Round Table this year for its series of stimulating lectures and dinners. Dinners will be at 6:30 pm, with programs following at 7:30 pm on the second Wednesday of each month, at Camp Hill-Wesley United Methodist Church, 645 W. Washington St., Harpers Ferry. Programs are free and open to all, but dinners are by reservation only. Contact Chris Craig at ccraig@laurellodge.com to be added to the monthly announcement list.

  Schedule of 2017-18 programs:

  • Sept. 13 – Dennis Frye, Chief Historian, HFNHP: “Did McClellan outthink Lee during the First Invasion?”
  • Oct. 11 – Gary Gimble, Author and President, Falling Waters Battlefield Association: “Is That Stonewall?”
  • Nov. 8 – John Chapman, Longtime area relic hunter: “Three Decades Chasing Early and Sheridan through Jefferson County with my Metal Detector”
  • Dec. 13 – Joe Mieczkowski, Author and Battlefield Guide, Gettysburg National Military Park: “Gettysburg in Sight and Sound.”
  • Jan. 10 – Bob O’ Connor, Author and local historian: “Southern Oasis at Gettysburg”
  • Feb. 14 – Dr. John Splaine, Author and former C-Span consultant: “The Lincoln-Douglas Debates”
  • March 14 – William Miller, Noted Civil War author: “The Battle of Tom’s Brook”
  • April 11 – Ted Alexander, Former Park Historian, Antietam National Battlefield: “The Burning of Chambersburg”
  • May 9 – Mike Cannane, Historian and volunteer guide, Kernstown Battlefield Association: “The Battle of Second Kernstown”
  • June 13 – TBA Concert
• An Evening with Junior Brown

  October 13, 2017 — Lewisburg, Greenbrier

  With his unique voice, more unique song writing, and even more unique double necked “Guit-Steel” guitar, there has absolutely never been ANYONE like Junior Brown. He’s an American Original. Junior has shown himself to be adept at a wide variety of American music styles including country, rock and roll, blues, hawaiian, bluegrass, and western swing.

  7:30PM October 13 at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg.

  More information and tickets
• Do You Believe?

  October 13, 2017 — Ripley, Jackson

  Storyteller Granny Sue talks about local tales such as WV’s last public hanging and the tragic death of the town’s namesake, Harry Ripley. The 1-mile strolls at 6:30 and 8 p.m. begin at the Jackson County Courthouse. Tickets are $10.
• Blacksmithing and pastels at Cedar Lakes

  October 13, 2017 to October 15, 2017 — Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Jackson

  Blacksmithing with Cody Fields and pastels with Vivian Ripley are offered October 13-15 at Cedar Lakes Conference Center.

  Call 304-372-7860 for details.
• Downtown Charleston ArtWalk

  October 19, 2017 — Charleston, Kanawha

  With exciting and unique offerings around every corner, Downtown Charleston ArtWalk celebrates the arts on the third Thursday each month March through December, except in November and June when the event falls on Black Friday and the week of FestivALL, respectively. Specific 2017 dates are below. ​ There is a plethora of art related events and openings, activities, and special programming that take place all over downtown.

  • March 16
  • April 20
  • May 18
  • June 22 (FestivALL)
  • July 20
  • Aug. 17
  • Sept. 21
  • Oct. 19
  • Nov. 24 (Black Friday)
  • Dec. 21

  http://www.artwalkcwv.com/2016schedule
• Workshops with American Shakespeare Center

  October 20, 2017 — Charleston, Kanawha

  Friday, October 20 at 4 PM – 5 PM at the Clay Center in Charleston.

  The American Shakespeare Center will offer FREE workshops from 4-5pm before the show (7:30pm) with the option of “Embedded Stage Direction” or “Sweet Music is Such Art”.

  Details:

  1. Embedded Stage Directions (perfect for theatre and literature students): Little to no rehearsal time in Shakespeare’s theatre meant he had to give actors as much information as possible in the text. This workshop invigorates words and gives them life through clues for stage movement, emotional choices, and given circumstances. See how simple choices can change the scene and create a different story. The combination of textual analysis and performance is excellent for Literature and Theatre classes.

  2. Music is Such Sweet Art (perfect for musicians and the general public with no music experience): The participants in this workshop will explore the songwriting and song placement involved in the production of plays at the American Shakespeare Center. This workshop explores the development and rehearsal process of written music in our musical pre-show and interludes, and underscoring that goes into staging. The workshop culminates with participants helping to “score” a scene or monologue using our talented musicians, to demonstrate how the right piece of music can “make or break” a scene. An interdisciplinary workshop suitable for a range of audience, no previous musical experience required.

  BONUS! Workshop attendees will receive discounted tickets to the American Shakespeare Center’s performance of The Taming of the Shrew October 20 at 7:30pm at the Clay Center.

  More information and registration at http://festivallcharleston.com/events/american-shakespeare-center-workshops
• Agatha Christie Mystery

  October 20, 2017 to October 22, 2017 — Ripley, Jackson

  “And Then There Were None” is a 3-act murder mystery presented by the Jackson County Players October 20-22 in the historic Alpine Theatre. Show times are 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday with a 2 p.m. Sunday matinee. Admission is $10.
• Fall Craft Workshop

  October 22, 2017 to October 27, 2017 — Cedar Lakes Conference Center, Jackson

  Seven craft workshops are offered October 22-27 at Cedar Lakes Conference Center. Learn stained glass, woodturning, creative writing, watercolors, salt rising bread, tinsmithing, and basketry. Call 304-372-7860 for details.
• Humanities and the Environment

  October 26, 2017 to October 27, 2017 — Shepherdstown, Jefferson WVHC Event

  Shepherd University and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service National Conservation Training Center (NCTC) are collaborating on a new biennial symposium, Humanities in the 21st Century, with the inaugural symposium, titled Humanities and the Environment, to be held Thursday, October 26, and Friday, October 27, at the NCTC campus in Shepherdstown.

  The event, which is free and open to the public, brings together writers, historians, filmmakers, and scientists to explore the role of the humanities in educating general audiences about today’s environmental challenges.

  Speakers include John Amos, founder and president of SkyTruth; David Conover, an Emmy-nominated filmmaker; Dr. Douglas Brinkley, professor of history and a fellow at the James Baker Institute for Public Policy at Rice University; Dr. Angela Lueking, professor in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering at Pennsylvania State University; and Denise Giardina, an award-winning novelist.

  To view the symposium schedule and to register, visit www.shepherd.edu/humanities.

  The symposium will also be streamed on Facebook Live and archived at https://www.facebook.com/USFWSNCTC/ and the symposium proceedings will be published at a later date.

  Sponsors of the symposium include Shepherd University, National Conservation Training Center, Shepherd University Foundation, Robert C. Byrd Center for Congressional History and Education, George Washington Institute of Living Ethics, SkyTruth, American Conservation Film Festival, and West Virginia Humanities Council.

  This project is presented with financial assistance from the West Virginia Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations do not necessarily represent those of the West Virginia Humanities Council or the National Endowment for the Humanities
• 2017 McCreight Lecture in the Humanities

  October 26, 2017 — Charleston, Kanawha

  The annual McCreight Lecture in the Humanities from the West Virginia Humanities Council will feature Azar Nafisi, author of the memoir “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” about one university professor’s experience during Iran’s Islamic Revolution. 7:30 p.m., Thursday, October 26, at the Culture Center in Charleston. Free.
• 2017 West Virginia Book Festival

  October 27, 2017 to October 28, 2017 — Charleston, Kanawha WVHC Event

  The West Virginia Book Festival returns to the Charleston Civic Center October 27 and 28, 2017. R.L. Stine, the best-selling children’s author whose “Goosebumps” series has sold millions of copies since it began in the 1990s, will headline the festival on the evening of Friday, Oct. 27. Other authors coming to the festival include Henry Winkler, best known for playing The Fonz on “Happy Days,” but now author of several children’s novels; National Book Award finalist Nicola Yoon, whose young-adult novel “Everything, Everything” was turned into a movie earlier this year; and Sharyn McCrumb, an award-winning Appalachian author who headlined the first West Virginia Book Festival in 2001.

  The annual McCreight Lecture in the Humanities from the West Virginia Humanities Council, scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 26, will feature Azar Nafisi, author of the memoir “Reading Lolita in Tehran,” about one university professor’s experience during Iran’s Islamic Revolution.

  Stay updated with the latest news at the West Virginia Book Festival website.

  The West Virginia Book Festival is supported in part by the West Virginia Humanities Council.
• Halloween Train at Cass Scenic Railroad

  October 28, 2017 — Cass, Pocahontas

  Come out in full costume to enjoy this family friendly ride this Halloween season! Live music and a hot dog roast will take place at Whittaker Station with fun and candy for all.

  October 28, 2017

  https://wvstateparks.com/event/halloween-train/