Looking for something to do in southern West Virginia this coming week? Here are some ideas.
July 18: History Event at the Exhibition Coal Mine
The Youth Museum, in conjunction with the Raleigh County Historical Society, will present a West Virginia Humanities Council “History Alive” program at 2 p.m. on Sunday, July 18.
On Sunday, Becky Park of Charleston will enact U.S. Army Nurse Corps, Colonel Ruby Bradley. Bradley, a Spencer native, was captured and nursed fellow POWs during World War II. In Korea, she famously led over 500 nurses. At the time of her retirement in 1963, Colonel Bradley was the most decorated woman in American military history.
Following this History Alive!, the RCHS will dedicate a National Coal Heritage Area Authority (NCHAA) marker commemorating the mine’s dinky locomotive. NCHAA is a state economic development and preservation agency headquartered in Oak Hill.
The dinky, formerly Winding Gulf Coal Company No. 1, was donated to the city in 1963 and originally displayed at New River Park. The locomotive was extensively refurbished and moved to its present location at the Exhibition Coal Mine entrance in May 2016.
Read more about the History Alive! program here.
July 18 and July 25: Theatre West Virginia presents Romeo & Juliet
Theatre West Virginia will take the stage on July 18 and July 25 to perform one of Shakespeare’s greatest romances: “Romeo & Juliet.”
Experience the beauty, poetry and passion in the contemporary re-imagining, where love and violence vie for the hearts and souls of these star-crossed lovers.
The performance will begin at 7 p.m. and take place at Grandview’s Cliffside Amphitheater.
Call 304-356-6800 or click here for tickets and more information. Tickets are $19.95 for adults.
July 22 through July 24: 2021 Nicholas County Fair
The annual Nicholas County Fair will be celebrating its 96th year Thursday, July 22, through Saturday, July 24.
Event organizers say this year’s fair will be bigger and better and will feature rides, games, food, daily live music, a petting zoo, pony rides, art shows, quilt shows, craft vendors, a car cruise, bingo and more.
The fair will be open from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, and 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Saturday.
Admission fee to the event is $5. Weekend wristbands are available for $20.
Learn more about the fair here.
July 22: Ivy Terrace Concert featuring Kevin Smith
Kevin Smith, a singer-songwriter from Asheville, North Carolina, will perform at Carnegie Hall in Lewisburg from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 22.
Smith’s influences begin with the Appalachian sounds of bluegrass and old-time, then travel on with the rawness of rock and roll infused with heavy doses of classic country.
All of Smith’s original songs were inspired by songwriters such as Prine, Nelson, Springsteen and Cash.
Lewisburg’s Carnegie Hall is located at 611 Church Street.
Read more about the concert here or call 304-645-7917 for more information.
July 22 through July 24: Greenbrier Valley Theatre presents Driving Miss Daisy
The Greenbrier Valley Theatre is kicking off its 2021 season with Alfred Uhry’s classic, “Driving Miss Daisy.”
Set in the Deep South in 1948, “Driving Miss Daisy” tells the story of Daisy Werthan, a wealthy widow who must finally accept that she can no longer drive herself and must rely on a chauffeur to carry her to and fro.
When Daisy’s son, Boolie, hires a Black man named Hoke, her prejudice reveals itself, but as the years pass, Daisy and Hoke begin to rely on each other more and more.
Over their 25-year friendship, the two individuals learn that their similarities outweigh their differences.
The performance- which will be held from 7:30 p.m. to 9:45 p.m. on Thursday, July 22, Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24- will star Cathy Sawyer, Lorenzo Scott and Matthew Scott Campbell.
Tickets are $30 for general seating, $27 for seniors aged 60 and older and $20 for students.
Tickets are available online here or by calling the theatre’s box office at 304-645-3838.
The Greenbrier Valley Theatre is located at 1038 E Washington Street in Lewisburg. Learn more about the theater here.
July 23: Fridays in the Park
Fridays in the Park has returned to Beckley, meaning live music and food trucks will decorate Word Park in Uptown Beckley from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday, July 23.
The event’s organizers invite those far and wide to finish their workweek with lunch as they support the community, relax, and listen to local entertainment.
Social distancing guidelines will be followed.
July 23 and July 24: Theatre West Virginia presents Tarzan
Theatre West Virginia will perform “Tarzan” on Friday, July 23, and Saturday, July 24.
Based on Disney’s epic animated musical adventure and Edgar Rice Burrough’s “Tarzan” of the Apes, Tarzan features heart-pumping music by rock legend, Phil Collins, and a book by Tony Award-winning playwright, David Henry Hwang. High-flying excitement and hits, like the Academy Award-winning “You’ll Be in My Heart,” as well as “Son of Man” and “Two Worlds,” make Tarzan an unforgettable theatrical experience.
Washed up on the shores of West Africa, an infant boy is taken in and raised by gorillas who name him Tarzan. Apart from striving for acceptance from his ape father, Tarzan’s life is mostly monkey business until a human expedition treks into his tribe’s territory, and he encounters creatures like himself for the first time. Tarzan struggles to navigate a jungle, thick with emotion, as he discovers his animal upbringing clashing with his human instincts.
A title that is recognizable the world over, Tarzan is a powerhouse of a musical that will be a major ticket seller in a theatre’s season while offering endless opportunities for creative staging, costuming, and set design.
The performances will begin at 7 p.m. at Grandview’s Cliffside Amphitheater located at 4700 Grandview Road in Beaver.
Call 304-356-6800 or click here for tickets and more information. Tickets are $19.95 for adults.
July 24 through July 31: West Virginia Water Festival
The 56th Annual Wild and Wonderful West Virginia Water Festival will kick off on Saturday, July 24.
The weeklong festival will feature a gold tournament, a kayak race, fishing tournaments, art exhibits, a basketball tournament, a pancake breakfast, community events for kids, open karaoke and live music, a parade, dance parties, fireworks, car shows, a magic show and more.
Find the event’s entire schedule here.
The West Virginia Water Festival will take place in downtown Hinton.
July 24: Mount Nebo St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Truck Pull
The annual Mount Nebo St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Truck Pull will return on Saturday, July 24, after losing a year to COVID.
In the spirit of its return, the event, now in its 16th year, will be bigger and better this year and will include vendors, food, music and activities for children.
The event will kick off with a Shamrock Dash 5K at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
The parade and truck pull will work to raise funds to support Active Southern West Virginia, a non-profit organization working to remove barriers to physical activity in Nicholas, Fayette, Raleigh, and Summers counties by providing free physical activity programs in communities, parks, schools, local governments, and workplaces.
So, what is a Truck-Pull? According to event organizers, it’s literally tying a rope to a truck and teams of people work together to move the truck a pre-determined distance in the fastest time.
Teams of 6 people will hold onto a large diameter rope attached to the front of a fire truck. The team will be facing the truck pulling backward. Think of this as tug-of-war but with a truck as your competition. The truck will be idling out of gear, and the brake will be released when the start signal is given.
Co-workers, cross-fit members, businesses, friends, families, high school alumni, co-ed teams, worship friends, police departments, EMS teams, Fire department teams — are all welcome to participate.
Awards will be given to the first-place winners in the following categories:
- Men’s
- Women’s
- Co-ed
- Youth (16 and under)
- Best Dressed
Mount Nebo St. Patrick’s Day Parade and Truck Pull will be held at The Tractor Bar located at 546 Wilderness Highway in Mount Nebo.
Learn more about the event here.
July 24: Oak Hill Movie Night
Destination: Downtown Oak Hill, a group of business owners, building owners, and residents who work to improve the vibrancy of Oak Hill’s Main Street, will host a movie night on Saturday, July 24.
This week, Destination: Downtown Oak Hill will be showing The Croods: A New Age.
The movie will be held in the Lively Outdoor Amphitheater and will begin at dusk (between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.)
Visit Destination: Downtown Oak Hill on Facebook for more information.