The fall colors won’t be the only things bursting this fall. There are some big festivals coming up soon that will have you eating up the fun. First on the list is the 14th annual Freshwater Folk Festival. A celebration of our nation’s fish, wildlife, and natural resources, it is held on Saturday, September 8 in White Sulphur Springs (look left for more info).

Second on the list is Appalachia’s most whacky and unique festival known as the 33rd annual Roadkill Cook-off/Autumn Harvest Festival. This is held on September 28 and 29th in Pocahontas County. The third event will have you celebrating local fall foods and culture with the Monroe County (MOCO) Autumn Harvest Festival. It is held on September 29 and 30th. Fourth on this list will have you following your nose and filling your stomach with Taste of our Town (TOOT). This special event is in its 34th year and held mid-October in downtown Lewisburg.

If you want to taste something entirely new, the WV Roadkill Cook-off in downtown Marlinton is the event for you. The main ingredient in all the cook-off’s dishes will be something most commonly found alongside the road such as groundhog, possum, rabbit, quail, bear, snake, turkey, deer, etc. All tastings will have at least 25% wild game. The Autumn Harvest Fest/Roadkill Cook-off kicks off Friday night the 28th with the Rockin Redneck Square Dance, 7pm, in the downtown area and Half Step Down, 9pm, at the Marlinton Motor Inn. Saturday’s festivities begin at 9am with the 6th Annual Hudson Cream WV Biscuit Bake-off. Starting at 10am is the Possum Trot 5K/Walk, hosted by High Rock Educational Corp. Roadkill tastings begin at 10:30am. Juanita Fireball and the Continental Drifters will perform in the gazebo downtown from 11:30am-1pm. Stay for evening entertainment with Hammons Musical Heritage Celebration, 7:30pm, at the Pocahontas Opera House. There will be up to 20,000 people in attendance for this event.

Located on Willow Bend Rd. just a few miles south of Union, this year’s MOCO Autumn Harvest Festival will feature live entertainment and tasty foods such as slow-cooked beef barbeque prepared by the Monroe Cattleman Assoc. There will also be a Vegetable Show, Flower Show, Art Show, Quilt Show, Craft Show, Public Service Tent, Flea Market, Kiddie Pedal Pull, Tractor Show and Horseshoe Tournament. The Cookie Stacking Contest on Saturday is always popular with the kids, as is the Hay Bale Tossing Contest, and the Com Hole Tournament, which is a solid favorite. An Antique Tractor Show will feature People’s Choice Awards

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There will also be an Artisan Barn with craftsman at work on their wares and an old-fashioned com mill that will be grinding corn, with stone-ground meal and grits offered for sale. Making a return this year will be Civil War Re-Enactors and free Face Painting. New activities include the Kiddie Craft Corner and a Fire Safety Bouncy House, courtesy of the Ballard Fire Department.

On Sunday the 30th, a Gospel Sing will be the primary entertainment, and an old- fashioned Sunday Dinner will be available on the grounds. All the exhibits will be open as well. There is no admission charged for the MOCO Autumn Harvest Festival, and all the events and shows are free to the public. Festivities kick off at 9am on Saturday, with the Opening Ceremony scheduled for 10am, and runs through Sunday beginning at 12:30pm. This year’s Festival is dedicated to the memory of Donna Bostic, a Committee member who passed away in June. For more information about the Festival, call Shane Clarkson’ at (304) 772-5475.

Slated for Saturday, Oct 13, TOOT will bring in thousands of visitors and residents alike. From 11am-3pm, people will sample delicacies from local restaurants, civic clubs, and non-profit organizations. There will also be a variety of entertainment including live music, kids’ activities, and more! On the eve of TOOT, Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg features Pokey LaFarge, 7:30pm, an American musician with Midwestern charisma. And in conjunction with TOOT is the 38th Annual Art and Craft Show, a 3-day event held at the WV State Fairgrounds, Oct 12-14.

Kick off the best time of the year by experiencing one, or most, of these unique fall festivals. For more events this month, please see the AGENDA.

– HashtagWV #105. September 2018.