Appalachian Heritage Day

By Erika Westbrook
The third annual Appalachian Heritage Day will return to West Virginia University at Parkersburg on Thursday, October 13, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Multipurpose Room. The event is free and open to the public.

Displays, discussions and performances will be among the scheduled events that salute the area’s Appalachian culture. There will also be demonstrations throughout the day; such as candle-making, soap-making, blacksmithing, basket-making, spinning, weaving, quilting, apple butter-making and traditional Appalachian music.

Activities will also be held on the front lawn of the campus. Those events include horseshoes, skillet throwing, sack races and an old fashioned pie-eating contest.

A bonfire with ghost stories performed by local author and Ghost Tour founder Susan Sheppard will conclude the day, and is scheduled at 7 p.m.  

“We have featured activities that celebrate the Appalachian diversity that enriches our experiences in the unique culture of our region,” noted Gregg Busch, Instructor of Sociology, whose “Appalachia and Rural Life” class coordinates the day.

Funding for the event is made possible through the Social Justice Committee. Additional information can be obtained by contacting Gregg Busch at 424-8000 ext. 8409.