FestivALL announces 2017 event lineup

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — For a 13th year, FestivALL will showcase local and national art and entertainment in the Capital City.

The 2017 events were announced Thursday during a press conference at the Clay Center.

FestivALL Preview returns to Charleston Memorial Day weekend, May 26-18. The annual 10-day festival is scheduled for June 16-25.

“We’ve got the Mayor’s Concert and Robert Randolph coming in, great soul/funk artists, AIR PLAY, some really neat theater experiences. We’ve got local/national — a great combination taking over our city,” said Brittany Javins, executive director of FestivALL.

The preview weekend kicks off Friday night during the Moses Auto Group Live on the Levee concert at Haddad Riverfront Park. Taste-of-ALL returns to Charleston on Saturday. All preview events will coincide with the 41st Annual Vandalia Gathering at the state Capitol. KRT will provide a free shuttle service from the Capitol complex to the downtown area.

June events include a Dance Gala by the Charleston Ballet, the Capitol Street Art Fair, Wine & All That Jazz, WV Author’s Roundtable, Smoke on the Water Chili Cookoff, a show by the Charleston Light Opera Guild and more.

The final day of FestivALL, June 25, will close with West Virginia Public Broadcasting’s Mountain Stage with the Marcus King Band.

Last week, Governor Jim Justice announced he wants to restore $4.6 million to Public Broadcasting instead of cutting the programs.

Javins said FestivALL and Mountain Stage go hand in hand with boosting tourism in Charleston and across the state.

“We know they’re staying in hotels, they’re spending money in restaurants, so there’s the personal picture of the arts which is important and then there’s the economic picture of the arts. To not have those things I think would have a huge impact on West Virginia,” she said.

In a news release, Javins said post-FestivALL surveys show that 17 percent of about 60,000 FestivALL attendees come from outside the Charleston area. That’s why, she said, it’s important to showcase art and entertainment in the city.

“It’s really important for a city to have that vibrancy whether it be to attract tourists or to make sure that people want to live here,” Javins said.

For a full list of events and ticket information, visit FestivALL’s website.





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