EVENT: Freshwater Folk Festival
WHEN: Saturday, October 5, 2013
WHERE: Fish Hatchery, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia

There will be plenty of free music, discovery, and fun at the 9th Annual Freshwater Folk Festival on the grounds of the White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery on East Main Street on October 5 from 10 AM to 4 PM. Three bands will play at the amphitheater, two dance groups will perform, stilt walkers will walk, Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia will drum, and watershed associations and aquatic biologists will have exhibits and demonstrations. In addition to all this, delicious food will be sold at local restaurants’ booths at the festival.

Strum Sum Band (pictured aboive) will play familiar, pleasing, and heart-warming songs from 10 to 11:40 AM followed by the clogging of the Kountry Kickers (pictured below) until 12:10 PM. At this time the Possum Holler Glee Club (pictured below) will launch into a 100-minute set with a diverse collection of music to make you boogie with a smile. American Indians will then perform until a folk-singing female duet, Little Sparrow, takes the stage for the finale at 2:20 PM.

There will also be The Moving Field Guide, a participatory interactive environmental exploration lead by movement artists and naturalists, presented by The Dance Exchange from the Washington, DC area.

Citizen’s organizations working to protect the watersheds of the rivers, creeks, runs, and drafts in our area will help the folks at the festival learn more about the precious flowing freshwater in our area. Fish and Wildlife Service experts will conduct tours of the trout egg production and freshwater mussel rearing projects at the hatchery.

Chally Erb and Beth White will be living the high life on stilts. Chally will be clowning around with his huge stuffed fish toy, and Smokey the Bear will probably try to take it away from him. Activities for children have always been a hallmark of the Freshwater Folk Festival, and kids’ fun with amphibians will consist of the folding of origami jumping frogs with the help of Sharon Ginsburg. Jessica Levine’s contribution to the festival fun will include hands on science and art activities.

With one exception, people driving to the festival must turn from East Main Street onto Hemlock Drive (the second street to the west of the hatchery) and park on the grass behind the hatchery. The exception is that those with handicapped certification may enter through the main hatchery entrance and park next to the hatchery office.

The festival will help us all celebrate the beauty and vitality of West Virginia watersheds and learn more about them. This event is presented by the Friends of the White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery, and it is a fine addition to White Sulphur Springs Fall Fling activities. Visit the festival website for the festival poster, performer information, etc. at freshwaterfolkfestival.org.

– Larry Davis, LBSPY #42 (Sept 23-Oct 7, 2013)