Mid-September offers variety of events in the Mid-Ohio Valley
File Photo A variety of kayaks and canoes participated in last year’s Parkersburg Paddlefest on the Ohio River at Parkersburg.
File Photo Travis Buttery, left, and Pec Schmitt, right, of Da Vinci’s, prepare items for last year’s Downtown Throwdown BBQ and Beerfest. Downtown PKB will hold this year’s event on Sept. 16 at Bicentennial Park.
File Photo A variety of kayaks and canoes participated in last year’s Parkersburg Paddlefest on the Ohio River at Parkersburg.
File Photo Travis Buttery, left, and Pec Schmitt, right, of Da Vinci’s, prepare items for last year’s Downtown Throwdown BBQ and Beerfest. Downtown PKB will hold this year’s event on Sept. 16 at Bicentennial Park.
Trending
PARKERSBURG -- The third weekend of September will be a busy one in the Mid-Ohio Valley, with a wide range of activities and attractions for all tastes, from barbecue to river paddling and from arts and crafts to a down-home homecoming.
* The Greater Parkersburg Convention and Visitors Bureau will host the fourth annual Parkersburg Paddlefest Weekend Sept. 15-17 featuring three days dedicated to people-powered watercraft at Point Park in downtown Parkersburg. The final day, on Sept. 17, will feature a visit to North Bend State Park Lake.
On Sept. 15 at 8 p.m., Paddlefest weekend kicks off with a glow paddle, where electric lights and glow sticks illuminate the group as they paddle up the Little Kanawha River from Point Park.
On Sept. 16, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., the main Parkersburg Paddlefest event provides a unique opportunity to paddle a three mile stretch of the Ohio River, from Point Park to Blennerhassett Island Historic State Park and back. The U.S. Coast Guard will be closing the river to commercial traffic from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. for the Paddlefest. Tickets are $20 each and may be purchased through EventBrite, the link is found at: www.parkersburgpaddlefest.com.
Once the paddlers reach Blennerhassett Island, they are welcome to participate in activities provided by Temple Challenge, Full Circle Yoga and Appalachian Disc Golf. For a small additional fee participants may also tour Blennerhassett Mansion, take horse-drawn wagon rides, rent bicycles, or walk the paths around the park before paddling back up river.
On Sept. 17, Parkersburg Paddlefest offers a farewell lake paddling excursion on North Bend State Park Lake.
For more information or to purchase your Paddlefest tickets, visit: www.parkersburgpaddlefest.com. Find us on Facebook and Instagram at #PKBPaddlefest, by phone at 304-428-1130, 800-752-4982 or email at dfleming@parkersburgcvb.org.
* Coinciding with the Paddlefest and also taking place in downtown Parkersburg will be the Downtown Throwdown BBQ & Brewfest organized by Downtown PKB from 6-10 p.m. at Bicentennial Park next to the Blennerhassett Hotel.
Tickets are $15 in advance through www.downtownpkb.com or $20 at the gate.
The event will feature craft beers and barbecue from a variety of vendors. At the end of the evening, attendees will be encouraged to cast their vote for the favorite BBQ item in the ballot box at the main gate, with a winner announced and receiving an award.
There will also be live entertainment. The event is made possible with the support of the Parkersburg Jaycees and other sponsors.
* The 2017 Harvest Moon Festival will be Sept. 16-17 at City Park in Parkersburg, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $3, with seniors ages 60 and over admitted for $2 and children 10 and under admitted free.
The 55th annual event will feature live entertainment both days, a variety of food vendors, children's activities and nearly 200 exhibitors and demonstrations. The Harvest Moon Festival is a major fundraiser of the Wood County Recreation Commission, with all proceeds generated helping with the running of youth recreational programs throughout the year. The festival is a juried show with about 185 booths of local and regional artists of all media, selling their products and demonstrating throughout the weekend.
* The 2017 Belleville Homecoming Festival will be Sept. 15-17 at the Belleville Community Center on West Virginia 68 at Belleville. Admission is $5 for adults and $2 for children. This year's headliners will be country group Exile and the Joseph Sisters. There will also be a parade, track and tractor events, vendors, concessions and a variety of other attractions through the weekend.
* In Jackson County, the 54th annual Mountain State Art and Craft Fair will be Sept. 15-17 at the Cedar Lakes Conference Center near Ripley. It will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 15-16 and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 17.
The craft fair will feature a variety of artisans and crafters throughout the region gathering together. The fair will offer five "villages" featuring Appalachian influences from the Celtic, Swiss, German and Italian people. In addition, the Americas will be open to a variety of cultures including Native American and African American. Each village will be comprised of culturally related artisans, music, dance, agriculture, food and beverage.