The dandelion originated from the French word “dent de lion”. It means lion’s tooth, which refers to its coarsely toothed leaves. Up until the 1800’s people would pull grass out of their lawns to make room for this “super vegetable” because every part of it is useful and can be used for food, tea, and medicine as its rich in vitamins A, C and K. It also contains high level of iron, calcium and potassium. Not only can you use it to make a fun biodegradable drinking straw but you can also roast the roots in the oven and make a decaf coffee substitute. Sadly, every year Americans spend millions of dollars on lawn pesticides to clear the dandelion weeds and maintain uniform lawns of non-native grasses. We also use 30% of the country’s water supply to keep them green. One has to wonder… if dandelions were hard to grow, would they be welcome on any lawn?
During Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-24th) we will celebrate this vital veggie at White Sulphur Springs’ Dandelion Festival with music, art, food, and activities. The event kicks off at 5pm on Friday, May 22nd with an opening ceremony at Midland Trail Park. At 6pm, guests will enjoy an art show, wine and cheese reception, and music by Terrence Zimmerman at the WSS Library.
Saturday morning starts at 8:30am with a Fishing Derby at the National Fish Hatchery and the Superhero 5k starting at the WSS Elementary School parking lot. The Throttle Throbs’ Car Show will follow at 10am. A Turkey Calling Contest is held at 11am at Midland Park and the Outlaw Cornhole Tournament is scheduled for 12pm at the 50 East Courtyard. The WV Dandelion Festival Pageants and Clogging Dance will also be held at noon at Midland Park. From 1-3pm, enjoy the tunes of Richard Hefner and the Black Mtn Bluegrass Boys at Old Mill Park and from 3-6pm, have a beachy blast with the Beach Night Band and their family luau party at Midland Trail Park. At 6pm, join the fun at the Dandy Legs Contest and stay for a Wyatt Turner’s free concert from 8-11pm and Fireworks show Midland Trail Park.
Sunday events include a Veteran’s Only Lunch at the Methodist Church at noon and a Veteran’s Appreciation & Memorial Service at 2pm. Also at 2pm, attendees are invited to play disc golf at the Greenbrier State Forest. A parade honoring our veterans will conclude the weekend festivities at 5pm on the main street, downtown.
Throughout the weekend, there will also be a free art exhibit at the library, fun factory kids activities, and concession stands downtown. For more info, visit wvdandelionfestival.com
– LBSPY 65, May 2015.
HASHTAGWV ART & ENTERTAINMENT Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, Christina Entenmann-Edwards has been a WV resident since September 2008. She was born and raised in Fairfield County, Connecticut, and is no stranger to hard work and the entrepreneurial spirit. In 2006, she graduated from Quinnipiac University (Hamden, Connecticut), Cum Laude, with a B.A. in History. In 2010, she graduated with an M.B.A. from Liberty University (Lynchburg, Virginia). In February 2012, Christina launched HashtagWV as the area’s first full-color, free arts and entertainment tabloid + online platform. Christina completed the Leadership West Virginia class of 2021, which is an innovative program that grows, engages, and mobilizes leaders to ignite a life passion to move West Virginia forward.