H
appy Memorial Day weekend! It's a particularly busy one in the Kanawha Valley. From the kickoff of this year's season of Live on the Levee, to the Vandalia Gathering, FestivALL and the inagural Outlawfest, there's something for everyone happening now through Sunday around the region.
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Friday, May 22
Music
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TIMMY COURTS & FRIENDS: 5 p.m. No cover. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., Charleston.
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LIVE ON THE LEVEE: 6 p.m. Free. Featuring Alana Springsteen with special guest Adam Parker & The Bourbon Cowboys. Haddad Riverfront Park, 600 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
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LORD HUMONGOUS: 6 p.m. $10 per person. Live at the Shop, 1233 Ohio Ave., Dunbar.
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PAUL JOHNSON: 6 p.m. Free. Part of Outlawfest. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
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THE SYNERGY COLLECTIVE: 7-9 p.m. Free. Coal River Coffee Co., 66 Olde Main Plaza, St. Albans.
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ALABASTER BOXER: 7:30 p.m. Free. Part of Outlawfest. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
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HOT 8 BRASS BAND: 7:30 p.m. $30 per person. Part of the Cecil I. Walker Jazz Series. Clay Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston.
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EMMY DAVIS: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free. Taylor Books, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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JEREMY SHORT: 9 p.m. Free. Part of Outlawfest. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
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BLUE BLAZES: 9:30 p.m. $7 cover. Ages 21+. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., Charleston.
Dance
- PARTY AFTER THE LEVEE: 9 p.m. DJ Jarren Jackson, dancing, drinks, karaoke, food, and late-night fun. Tickers & Timbers, 210 Capitol St., Charleston.
Stage/Theater
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MURDER IN KEY LARGO: 7 p.m. Tickets $55 per person. Includes an interactive mystery show and dinner. Holiday Inn & Suites Charleston West, 400 Second Ave., South Charleston.
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I SWEAR: 7:30 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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FACTORY RESET IMPROV SHOW: 8 p.m. $10 per person. Ages 18+. Outside food permitted. Dog friendly (must be on leash). Wandering Wind Meadery, 422 Washington St. West, Charleston.
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LEE STREET DRAG SHOW: 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. The Lee Street Lounge, 222 Leon Sullivan Way, Charleston.
FestivALL
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WEST VIRGINIA FASHION WEEK DESIGNER WORKSHOP: 1 p.m. Free. Open to children, youth, and adults, participants will have the opportunity to create their own outfit and showcase it on the runway during West Virginia Fashion Week. West Virginia State University Economic Development Center, 1506 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston.
Etc.
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WOMEN’S MISSION YARDSALE: 9 a.m. Free entrance. Two-day (Friday/Saturday) sale to support the Women’s Mission. Hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches available for purchase. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, 1919 Bigley Ave., Charleston.
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BUILD IT: 2:30-3:30 p.m. Free. Cross Lanes Branch Library, 5449 Big Tyler Road, Cross Lanes.
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FOUR YEARS OF FIFE STREET: 3 p.m. Celebrate Fife Street Brewing’s fourth birthday with $4 Charleston beers, $4 quartet grilled cheeses, and/or any four 4-packs for $40. Hot Jazz will be playing live to keep the birthday party going. Fife Street Brewing, 180 Summers St., Charleston.
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OUTLAWFEST: 4-11 p.m. Free. Live music (Paul Johnson, Alabaster Boxer and Jeremy Short), fireworks, vehicle show, audio competition, obstacle courses, dirt drags, vendors, food trucks, raffles and more. Full schedule at this link. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
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BARK IN THE PARK: 5:45 p.m. Tickets $9.50+. Take your canine companion to GoMart Ballpark to watch the Charleston Dirty Birds take on the Gastonia Ghost Peppers. GoMart Ballpark, 601 Morris St., Charleston.
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VANDALIA GATHERING AWARDS & INDOOR CONCERT: 6:30 p.m. Free. Includes WV Juried Quilt & Wall Hanging Award Ceremony (6:30 p.m.), Vandalia Award (7 p.m.), and evening concert (7:30 p.m.) featuring The MacAbre Brothers, Long Point String Band, Slow Train, Lady D, Ron & Rory Mullennex, and Dave Bing & Friends. Culture Center Theater, West Virginia State Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
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KALEIDOSCOPE COLLECTIVE MEETING: 7 p.m. An all-ages LGBTQIA2S+ social and support group. Allies are welcome to attend. Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 520 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston.
Saturday, May 23
Music
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CODY CHRISTIAN: 7 p.m. Free. Part of Outlawfest. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
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SEAN RICHARDSON, SEAN KNISELY & BROOKE BROWN: 7:30-9:30 p.m. Free. Taylor Books, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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EMPTY GLASS LIVE: 9 p.m. $10 cover. Ages 21+. Featuring The East End Ghouls, Static Fur, and Stunning Rayguns. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., Charleston.
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SOUTHERN GOTHIC/ALT FOLK NIGHT: 9 p.m. Featuring The Holler Hounds, Gavin Mounts and the Tree Folk. The Blue Parrot, 14 Capitol St., Charleston.
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MILES VICTOR: 9 p.m. Free. Part of Outlawfest. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
Stage/Theater
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FANTASY LIFE: 2:30 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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I SWEAR: 5 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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NEXT STOP COMEDY: 6:30 p.m. Tickets $27 per person. Featuring Jesse Nutt, Jeff Allen and Nick Taylor. Café Appalachia Downtown, 110 McFarland St., Charleston.
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THE CHRISTOPHERS: 7:30 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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COMEDY SHOW & ROAST BATTLE FINALS: 8 p.m. $10 per person. Outside food permitted. Dog friendly (must be on leash). Wandering Wind Meadery, 422 Washington St. West, Charleston.
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LEE STREET DRAG SHOW: 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. The Lee Street Lounge, 222 Leon Sullivan Way, Charleston.
FestivALL
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MORNING YOGA: 9 a.m. Free. Join Beth Moore, Folded Leaf yoga instructor, for a 60 minute, breath-based flow to cultivate clarity and focus your day. Haddad River Front Park, 600 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
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ART & ARCHITECTURE WALKING TOUR: 10 a.m. Free. Dive into the fascinating history, present, and promising future of Charleston and its downtown on this tour. Meet in front of WesBanco, 901 Lee St., Charleston.
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WEST VIRGINIA FASHION WEEK RUNWAY WORKSHOP: 10 a.m. Featuring guest model mentor for our model workshop actress Vivian Lee (based in Los Angeles) and model mentor RJ Harper from New York City. Also appearing: global designers who have showcased at New York, Paris, and London Fashion Week — Tiarah Marsh, Rojen Morris, and Jarrell Epps. University of Charleston, 2300 MacCorkle Ave. S.E., Charleston.
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PUBLIC ART BIKE TOUR: 11 a.m. Free. Join West Virginia Pedal Pals for a 60-minute, beginner-friendly group ride exploring the amazing public art around Charleston. Bike Man Sculpture, Lee Street Triangle, 805 Lee St., Charleston.
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WEST VIRGINIA FASHION WEEK RUNWAY DESIGNERS’ SHOWCASE: 1-3 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. $50 general admission, $100 VIP front row, $200 all day with dinner. University of Charleston, 2300 MacCorkle Ave. S.E., Charleston.
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BASE CAMP PRINTING COMPANY CREATIVE BLOCK: 6-8 p.m. Hang out with Base Camp Printing Co. and friends and bring a project or craft to work on in their warehouse space. No project to work on? Start a new one with some of the provided materials. Base Camp Printing Company, 1314 Hansford St., Charleston.
Etc.
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CHARLESTON PARKRUN: 8 a.m. Free. Magic Island, 181 Kanawha Blvd.W., Charleston.
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WOMEN’S MISSION YARDSALE: 8 a.m. Free entrance. Two-day (Friday/Saturday) sale to support the Women’s Mission. Hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches are available for purchase. Canaan Missionary Baptist Church, 1919 Bigley Ave., Charleston.
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MEMORIAL WEEKEND TRAIL WORK DAY: 9 a.m.-Noon. Free. Kick off your holiday weekend with some fresh air, great community, and rewarding work as the Kanawha Valley Trail Alliance continues the Logtown reroute project. Please park at the entrance to the campground. Kanawha State Forest, 7420 Kanawha State Forest Drive, Charleston.
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GET READY TO GET READY – FINANCIAL EDUCATION FOR BEGINNERS: 10 a.m. CommunityWorks in West Virginia, 504 Virginia St. W., Charleston.
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NATURAL JOURNALING CLASS: 10 a.m.-Noon. Claudia L. Workman Wildlife Education Center, 301 Forks of Coal Way, Alum Creek.
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VANDALIA GATHERING: 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Free. Includes food and artisan vendors, children’s activities, competitions, storytelling, 4-H demonstrations, heritage dancing, traditional Appalachian music performances and more. The Culture Center Theater Saturday Indoor Concert (7 p.m.) features a musical tribute for Terry Vaughn and performances by Ginny Hawker, Gerry Milnes & Mike Miller, John Morris & Ruth Randall, Angie Richardson, Kanawha Tradition, The Mack Samples Band and The State Birds. Full event schedule can be found here. West Virginia State Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
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FREE COMMUNITY YOGA: 11 a.m. Free. Beginner‑friendly class. Designed to be inclusive, safe, and trauma‑informed, welcoming people of all ages, backgrounds, identities, beliefs, and lived experiences. St. Albans Yoga & Fitness Co-Op, 808 B St., Suite 201, St. Albans.
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FIRST RESPONDER & VETERAN APPRECIATION LUNCH: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Free. Free lunch for military vets and first responders. Includes smoked pulled pork, greens, mac and cheese, and more. Foundations Church of God, 104 Fairview Drive, St. Albans.
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OWL PELLETS: 1-3 p.m. Free, but registration required. Kanawha State Forest, Nature Center, 7500 Kanawha State Forest Drive, Charleston.
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OUTLAWFEST: 4-11 p.m. Free. Live music (Cody Christian and Miles Victor), fireworks, vehicle show, audio competition, obstacle courses, dirt drags, vendors, food trucks, raffles, and more. Full schedule at this link. Appalachian Outlaw Trails, 1786 Colonel Pauley Drive, Belle.
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BUILT BY FAITH: 7 p.m. Free. A special night of worship and fellowship. Elk Valley Advent Christian Church, 4400 Crede Drive, Charleston.
Sunday, May 24
Dance
- SEVENTEEN DANCE EDITION: 5 p.m. Tickets $27.50. Join Spotlight Dance and Acrobatics to celebrate Season 17 at this annual dance recital. Clay Center, 1 Clay Square, Charleston.
Stage/Theater
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THE CHRISTOPHERS: 1 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
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FANTASY LIFE: 3 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
FestivALL
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CARRIAGE TRAIL WALK: 1-4 p.m. Free. Experience the charm of the Sunrise Carriage Trail as you walk along the .65-mile trail, taking in the sights and sounds of live music, art, dance, and more. Enjoy artful dance performances produced by Carli Mareneck, live music, other performing artists, and more. Participating artists included Brett Mahon, Carli Merenick and Friends, Xino’s, Matt Malinoski, Minor Swing, Mell’s, and Vandalia Musicians. Carriage Trail, 746 Myrtle Road, Charleston.
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SCARS – HANDS ON WRITING WORKSHOP WITH MARC HARSHMAN: 1-2:30 p.m. $10 per person, ages 16+. West Virginia Poet Laureate Marc Harshman helps writers make use of detail, memory, and senses in this workshop for writers of all experience levels and genres.
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FILM SCREENING – “10-ALARM FIRE: WE WON’T SHUT UP”: 2 p.m. This concert film features protest music through the ages and around the world, performed by Young@Heart’s chorus of senior citizen singers as they explore free speech and democracy though the lens of aging. Chorus founder and director Bob Cilman will be on hand to talk about his music ensemble and introduce the film. West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, Charleston Town Center Mall, Second Floor, 3000 Charleston Town Center, Charleston.
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INDIGO DYEING WORKSHOP: 2-4 p.m. $10 per person. Create your own hand-dyed tote and explore the history, cultivation, and use of the valuable true indigo (Indigofera tinctoria) plant. Learn about a variety of dye plants you can cultivate in your own garden. All supplies included. No experience necessary. Echo-Lit, 427 Washington St. W., Charleston.
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LITERARY ROUNDTABLE: 3 p.m. Free. Curated and hosted by West Virginia Poet Laureate Marc Harshman. The panel features works of poets Sara Henning, Ace Boggess, and Kari Gunter-Seymour. Taylor Books, Annex Gallery, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
Etc.
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VANDALIA GATHERING: 10:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Free. Includes food and artisan vendors, children’s activities, competitions, storytelling, 4-H demonstrations, heritage dancing, traditional Appalachian music performances and more. Registration for the popular Liars Contest begins during the Judges Storytelling event at the Culture Center Theater at 1:30 p.m., followed by the contest at 2:30 p.m. Full event schedule can be found here. West Virginia State Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
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BLUE MOUNTAIN MAMA PAINT PARTY: 2 p.m. $30 per person. Kita Modern Japanese, 2815 Mountaineer Blvd., South Charleston.
Monday, May 25 (Memorial Day)
Music
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KANAWHA VALLEY COMMUNITY BAND: 11-11:30 a.m. Free. Part of the FestivALL Family Cookout event. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
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CLOG: 11:30 a.m.-Noon. Free. Part of the FestivALL Family Cookout event. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
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SHELEM: 12:30-1:30 p.m. Free. Part of the FestivALL Family Cookout event. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
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MIXED NUTS BARBERSHOP QUARTET: 1:30-2 p.m. Free. Part of the FestivALL Family Cookout event. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
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THE UNIT: 2-3 p.m. Free. Part of the FestivALL Family Cookout event. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
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OPEN MIC WITH RYAN WHITE: 9 p.m. Ages 21+. Musicians, comedians, poets, etc., are welcome. The Empty Glass, 410 Elizabeth St., Charleston.
Dance
- THE LINCOLN COUNTY CLOGGERS: Noon-12:30 p.m. Free. Part of the FestivALL Family Cookout event. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
Stage/Theater
- MYSTERY MOVIE: 7 p.m. $12 general admission, $7 students with valid ID. Join us for a surprise advance screening of one of next month’s feature films (Rated R). Floralee Hark Cohen Cinema, 226 Capitol St., Charleston.
FestivALL
- FESTIVALL FAMILY COOKOUT: 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Celebrate Memorial Day the FestivALL way — grab a hot dog, spread out a blanket on the lawn, and enjoy live entertainment on the main stage. Inspired by the feeling of a classic family cookout with a touch of old turn-of-the-century carnival charm, the day will also feature lively sideshows along Summers Street. Enjoy street performers, free make-and-take activities, tintype photography, tattoos, tarot readings, and local artists displaying and selling their work. City Center at Slack Plaza, 182 Summers St., Charleston.
Etc.
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BIG TIMBER TROT 6K/10K: 8 a.m. $30-$35 per participant. Kanawha State Forest, 7500 Kanawha State Forest Drive, Charleston.
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YOGA ON THE LAWN: 10:30-11:30 a.m. Free and open to the public. Meet on the North Lawn. West Virginia State Capitol Complex, 1900 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston.
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BOARD GAME NIGHT WITH THE CHARITY BOARDGAMER: 6-9 p.m. Free. The Board Room, 1116 Fledderjohn Road, Charleston.
Events are subject to change. If you have questions, please reach out to organizers. Know of something happening in Kanawha County that you’d like to share with readers? Send event info and contact details to ramsburgreports@gmail.com to be featured in a future calendar.
