×

Augusta Festival set for Saturday

ELKINS — The Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College is celebrating the conclusion of its season Saturday on a high note with the annual Augusta Festival in Elkins City Park, the West Virginia Open Fiddle & Banjo Contest and the return of Mountain Stage Concert with Larry Groce.

The Augusta Festival in tree-shaded Elkins City Park runs from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Festivities include a juried craft fair featuring the best regional artisans, live music on the mainstage, workshops, the West Virginia Open Fiddle & Banjo Contest, craft demonstrations, jam sessions and children’s activities. This family friendly event is free and open to the public, rain or shine.

“One thing about it that is really special about the Augusta Festival is that because it is a jury craft fair, people are making really high quality art and it showcases some of the real mastery of artists around the state,” said Emily Miller, artistic director of the Augusta Heritage Center.

“Also, because it is mostly local musicians playing on the stages, it really highlights all of the amazing music made right here in Elkins and these mountains. Culminating with Mountain State, I think along with Augusta it is a really special thing that we have in West Virginia. There are both organizations that are really celebrating the arts in West Virginia. So, I think it is special that we are partnering for the Mountain State show,” Miller said.

The West Virginia Highlanders will kick off the festival at 10 a.m. Saturday with performances to follow throughout the day from Branson Raines, Val Mindel, Elizabeth LaPrelle, the Maybelles and many others.

Workshops will be offered in beginning clogging, highland dance and waltz. The kid’s tent will be hopping with activities, and jam sessions will be scattered throughout the park. Children’s activities include a musical instrument petting zoo, yard games, masking making and a coloring contest.

“The Augusta Festival is a big, beautiful celebration of traditional art that we throw each year to mark the conclusion of our summer season,” said Becky Hill, events coordinator for Augusta Heritage Center. “We hope people of all ages come out to peruse the juried craft fair, compete in the contest, jam underneath a shaded tree, play in the kids’ tent and take in performances.”

The West Virginia Open Fiddle & Banjo Contest will be held as part of the Augusta Festival. Registration for the contest begins at 10 a.m. at the Shelter Stage and cash prizes will be awarded in banjo and fiddle. The contest will start at 11 a.m. and will run until all have competed. There is no registration fee to compete.

As an “open” contest, participants from any state or region are welcome to enter. Three prizes will be awarded in fiddle and banjo, as well as a best senior musician prize for age 60 and older, and a best youth musician prize for age 15 and younger.

Awards are $200 for first place, $100 for second place and $50 for third place. The contest is sponsored by TipTop, Christy Tribble CPA, Big Timber Brewing and Smakula Fretted Instruments.

“This is the third year the West Virginia Open Fiddle & Banjo Contest has been part of the Augusta Festival and it’s been a pure joy,” Hill said. “It attracts contestants and spectators from all over the region, so you don’t want to miss the chance to see some incredible musicians.”

At the end of the day, NPR’s internationally syndicated Mountain Stage with Larry Groce will begin at 7:30 p.m. in Myles Center for the Arts Harper-McNeeley Auditorium. The live performance features Big Possum String Band, Cathy Fink, Marcy Marxer & Sam Gleaves, Jody Carroll and the T-Mart Rounders. Heard weekly on NPR stations across the country, Mountain Stage is produced by West Virginia Public Broadcasting and is celebrating its 36th year on the air. The concert will be recorded live and broadcast at a later date on the internationally syndicated radio program.

The schedule for the stages Saturday in the park is as follows:

Main Stage

10 a.m.: The West Virginia Highlanders

10:15 – 11 a.m.: Bluegrass, LC Blue

11:15 a.m. – Noon: Ukrainian and American Folk Songs, Elizabeth LaPrelle and Brain Dolphin

12:15 – 1 p.m.: Old-Time Tunes, Stories and Ballads, Branson Raines and Friends

1:15 – 2 p.m.: Singing Roundup, Val Mindel

2:15 – 2:45 p.m.: Italian Dance Performance, Allegro Dance Company

3 – 3:45 p.m.: Carter Family Tunes and Classic Country, The Maybelles

4 – 4:45 p.m.: Old-Time Tunes and Poems, Doug VanGundy

Shelter Stage: West Virginia Open Fiddle & Banjo Contest

10 -11 a.m.: Register for West Virginia Open Fiddle & Banjo Contest

11 a.m.: Bluegrass Banjo Contest

1 p.m.: Old-Time Banjo Contest

3 p.m.: Fiddle Contest

Performances between contests – Big Possum Stringband, Old-Time Tunes and Songs

Workshop Stage

10:30 – 11:30 a.m.: Augusta Festival Waltz Party, play along, sing or dance, Cindy Harris, Carol Denney and Friends

11:45 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.: Beginning Clogging Workshop, Will Roboski and Geoffrey Steele

1 – 1:45 p.m.: Appalachian History in Story and Song, Michael and Carrie Kline

2 – 2:30 p.m.: Beginning Highland Dance Workshop, West Virginia Highland Dancers

Pickin’ Porch

10 – 11 p.m.: Dulcimer Hour, Luanna Moore & the Senior Center Mountain Dulcimer Group

11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.: Old-Time Jam with Gerry Milnes and Friends

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper? *

Starting at $3.92/week.

Subscribe Today