This month, the publication turns 5 years old and we are in our 87th issue. We owe this big milestone to our readers and advertisers who have supported this publication and kept it going. We could not have done this without your support and loyalty. To celebrate this milestone, a celebration is in order! On Thursday, March 9th, you are invited to join us at the Asylum in downtown Lewisburg to Meet the Writers and Celebrate 5 Years Cocktail/Happy Hour. This event starts at 5:30pm and runs till 7:30pm.

Through the past five years I have gotten to achieve everything and more than I initially imagined I would accomplish with the paper.  Not only has the publication allowed me to get to know the community on a personal and professional level by giving me a behind the scene viewpoint of so many local individuals and businesses, it also allowed me to share that experience with so many people.  By doing this I have realized how inspiring the local community really is and I strive to be part of the local environment.  As much as this is to honor the five years of the publication it is also a recognition to all of those whom made that possible.

Taking a look back on the paper, we launched the very first issue in February 2012. Since its inception, we have featured hundreds of bars and restaurants, retail shops, artists, bands, and events from Allegheny, Virginia to Beckley and Alderson to Thomas, WV. I launched this paper with no journalism or professional design knowledge and learned along the way. This publication has always been independent and is supported by the advertising dollars of local businesses to keep it going.

We are grateful for the contributing writers who regularly submit articles. Pseudo News columnist, Larry Berger, always sends in fun adventures from Sinks Grove. My Dog & I columnist, Janine Lazarus, is a dog trainer, and shares her professional knowledge with our readers. Sound of the Town writer, Susanna Robinson-Kenga, has beeen with the paper since the early days and writes the most descriptive music reviews and concert promos. Dr. Tim Pence shares his knowledge in holistic health and wellness with his Future Doc column. Pictured above is Dr. Pence’s sweet dog, Sadie. I met Bailey Pace during a guest lecture at Concord University a year ago. Since then, Bailey has regulary contributed articles about her outlook on life and/or events/food in the Beckley area with her column, Bailey’s Pace.

For the last 4 years, Margaret Baker has offered deep insight into the world with her column, Halfbaked n’ Bothered.

Gibbs Kinderman most recently jumped on board with Hashtag Lewisburg to contribute happenings on the Mountain Music Trail which covers Appalachian music along Rt 219 in West Virginia.

The team at The Greenbrier Resort has also made a huge contribution to the paper with their column, In the Spirit. This column offers insight into the world of wine. Writers include Director of Food & Beverage, Brian McClure; Ginger LaSalle, Cam Pinkney, Nikki Bowes, and Ron Magliochetti.

Hashtag Lewisburg cartoonists, Emily Sullivan and Jim Warner have offered witty animations to entertain readers.

More contributing writers include Rob Brezny with Freewill Astrology, Jim Snyder, Gillian McGinn, Coy Flowers, Heather Hanna, Ned Savage, India Keller, Kim Forte, Larry Davis, Jim Shock, Craig Miller, Tiffany Blair, and everyone else who has sent in their work.

From 2012-2016, the publication ran under the name, LBSPY. In March of last year, we changed our name to Hashtag Lewisburg, HashtagWV.com. But while the name changed, our mission remains the same, which is to promote food, music, shopping, and events across 5+ counties in WV and VA.  We live in a world where hashtags are dominating social media. Anyone sharing content on a relevant topic can add a hashtag label to their post such as #lewisburgwv #greenbriercounty and #gotowv. Much like hashtags connect the online community, Hashtag Lewisburg connects our local community. We work to tie in all the relevant activities for our readers.

The Hashtag Lewisburg name has also been very successful in arousing the curiosity among new readers and tourists to the area. By changing our name to @hashtagwv on instagram, facebook, snapchat, and twitter, we acquired more than a thousand new followers in the last 8 months.

Please join us on the 9th to celebrate 5 years! This is a family-friendly event. The happy-hour party starts at 5:30pm and runs till 7:30pm. Stop in or stay a while, everyone is welcome!

– Christina Entenmann, publisher/managing editor. HashtagWV #87. March 2017.