MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia University is ready to host its 77th annual celebration of Appalachian heritage.
Mountaineer Week kicks off Monday where Appalachian music, artisan crafts, and history will be celebrated throughout the downtown campus.
WVU Marketing and Advertising Manager Kristie Stewart-Gale encourages WVU students along with Morgantown area residents to stop by and check out the activities in and near the Mountainlair along with the half dozen live musical performances that will take place throughout the week.
“We use Mountaineer Week to educate new students about why we’re Mountaineers and why that’s so important,” said Stewart-Gale. “And then for us that have been Mountaineers for years, to just celebrate where we came from.”
The annual beard-growing competition will kick off the week starting on Monday at noon at the Lair. Stewart-Gale said 16 WVU students have signed up to participate in the oldest tradition that’s part of the festival, with each contestant growing their beards over the past several months in preparation. While there will be prizes for first, second, and third place, attendees are encouraged to check out the showcase that includes a runway-esque walk down the Mountainlair steps with cheer groups formed from contestants.
“The beard-growing competition is the oldest continuing event of Mountaineer Week,” Stewart-Gale said.
The also popular Mountaineer Week Arts and Craft Fair will be hosted at the Mountainlair starting on Friday with more than 40 local authors and artisans on hand to sell Appalachian-themed art made directly in the Mountain State. This will coincide with the annual quilt show that will be hosted at Elizabeth Moore Hall, where Stewart-Gale mentioned the handmade tree skirt that was used in the presentation of the National Christmas Tree displayed in Washington, D.C., last year. This will be displayed courtesy of the Country Roads Quilt Guild.
“They are very excited to be able to present the tree skirt that went with the National Christmas Tree last year that was made by quilters from Elkins and it will be on display at this year’s quilt show, and it’s going to be gorgeous,” she said.
Stewart-Gale added that West Virginia traditional folk music will be hosted in the Mountainlair throughout Mountaineer Week as well as Appalachian-themed activities. This includes performances by Chris Haddox and Mary Linscheid that will take place in the Gluck Theatre on Thursday, with axe throwing, woodcarving demonstrations, and line dancing taking place around the Mountainlair Food Court throughout the week. With a tradition now going 77 years strong, Stewart-Gale and the rest of the WVU community hope folks can come down and celebrate Appalachian heritage.
“West Virginia is part of the Appalachian region, and Mountaineer Week celebrates that Appalachian culture and it’s those Appalachian roots, our characteristics that are born out of those roots, that build our Mountaineer values,” she said.