CHARLESTON, W.Va– A beautiful weekend will bring West Virginians from all over the state to the Capitol to attend the 42nd Vandalia Gathering.
The gathering is a celebration of West Virginia culture, art, music, food, history and more. The festival is free to the public and combines ethic and cultural heritage to make a family friendly event.
Caryn Gresham is the deputy commissioner of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History and helps to make the event as exciting as possible for West Virginians.
“It’s a wonderful way for us to celebrate the heritage and culture of the state in a way that’s very positive and that very much represents the hospitality and the genuine pleasure that West Virginians and their friends get in gathering together to enjoy music and friendship and all the fun that you can have,” she said.
2018’s Vandalia Gathering starts Friday night at 6 p.m. in the State Theater at The Culture Center with the awards ceremony for wall-hangings and quilts that were made by various West Virginia residents.
“Every year we introduce our winners here– it’s the first thing we do at Vandalia,” Gresham said. “This year we have 59 quilts and wall-hangings from quilters in 20 counties, and 51 quilters participated.”
After the quilt winners are announced, a concert featuring Roger Bryant, former Vandalia Award winner, as emcee with performers Black Mountain Bluegrass Boys, Jenny Allinder with Jim Mullins, Bare Bones, Long Point String Band and The Luke Shamblin Band with Buddy Griffin, Joe Vance and Swanagan Ray will take place.
The gathering will continue through Sunday and there is something for attendees to enjoy.
“Saturday the fun begins at 10 a.m.,” Gresham said. “We have concerts, and we will have competitions. All West Virginians who want to enter can enter the competitions which include old-time fiddle, old-time banjo, lap dulcimer, mandolin, flat-pick guitar, bluegrass banjo and guitar.”
Music is a very important feature of Vandalia and on Saturday a special concert will take place.
“The concert that even is going to be very special, because it will be a tribute to Frank and Jane George,” Gresham said. “Frank and Jane George were both Vandalia award-winners who were instrumental in helping develop the concepts of and the ideas that we present here at Vandalia.”
In addition to the great music, Lou Maiuri and several others will be teaching traditional square dance. “We have a new dance floor for that, so people should wear their dance shoes and come on out.” Gresham said.
Gresham wants to remind those who want to attend that there will also be lots of food and craft vendors at the event.
“We have great food and a great crafts table,” she said. “We’ll have more than 40 crafts people here this weekend, and they will be selling anything from wind chimes and pottery, wall-hangings, wood products, scarves, candles, leather goods and a variety of foods.”
While Gresham said that the gathering hasn’t changed very much in its basics throughout the years, it has seen more young people in attendance.
“In the last few years, we have been really excited to see a resurgence of young people coming to compete in the competitions and to enjoy the concerts, she said. “There are a lot of families that come, because you can spread out on the grounds, you know, with your picnic basket and your blankets and enjoy the day.”
The weather is supposed to be perfect according to Gresham, so the gathering is sure to bring a crowd.
Story by Jordyn Johnson