It's Happening: Summer Fading, But Not Without Packing a Punch
By Julie Perine on August 31, 2014 via Connect-Bridgeport.com
It’s the Labor Day weekend; the time of year when swimming pools and drive-in movies close and sunflowers are wide open. And as the summer winds down, fairs and festivals pop up all over North Central West Virginia. As I’m sure most of you have, I’ve made some lasting memories at those events.
Having worked in downtown Clarksburg most of my adult life, I saw many Regina Marias crowned at the annual West Virginia Italian Heritage Festival. The Friday coronation – with a plate of pasta afterwards – was an annual occurrence for me and my coworkers. We’d then browse the vendors and perhaps come back later that evening or next day to catch some of the entertainment. I particularly remember a year when my mom, daughters and I went for the Frankie Avalon show. Rather than Italian fare, we opted to eat Chinese on the way home, making it a multi-cultural experience. At a much earlier WVIHF - more than 20 years ago - one of our daughters performed gymnastics on the kids’ stage and like all other stage moms, I was proud as punch.
The Barbour County Fair is also responsible for several Labor Day weekend memories. My youngest son particularly loved the mud bog and demolition derby. One year, he and my dad watched several laps around the track while my mom and I enjoyed “Little Big Town” in concert. Afterwards, we all traipsed across the fairgrounds. It didn’t seem we had walked so far until the return trip to the car – carrying a couple bushels of just-purchase apples – in the pouring rain. Another year, Joe Nichols headlined and we were excited to see him at the height of his fame. After that night, we followed the country singer all over the region. Every time he performed, we were there. Yep, the BCF was responsible for us being groupies of the “Man with a Memory.”
Then, of course, there’s the Jackson's Mill Jubilee, the one-stop shop for all things Appalachian. From the hay bale greeting to the dulcimer and banjo tunes, it’s an unforgettable experience from the get-go. My kids used to love the petting zoo. Among my favorites was the blackberry cobbler, with ice cream, of course. We’d always pick up a few cool handmade items and some kettle corn to take home. One year, we didn’t leave the jubilee until well after dark. We – OK, I – made a wrong turn at the exit and ended up miles into rural Kincheloe, with next to no gas in the tank. As is the case with many family excursions, the journey provided more storytelling fodder than the main event.
Labor Day may mark a seasonal transition, but as a rule it also marks a weekend packed with family fun.
And unlike summer, it's not even over.
Julie Perine can be reached at 304-848-7200, julie@connect-bridgeport.com or follow @JuliePerine on Twitter. More "It's Happening" HERE.
