W.Va. Three Rivers Festival kicks off Thursday, runs through Labor Day weekend
May 23—FAIRMONT — The West Virginia Three Rivers Festival is back for its 44th year.
This Thursday will officially mark the start of the festivities for the 44th Annual West Virginia Three Rivers Festival, kicking off a weekend of entertainment, games, food and more centered in Palatine Park.
After three years of tenuous planning and strained finances due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival's organizers hope this year will be the first return to some normalcy.
"I'm sure we'll have a lot more people attend this year. I think the crowds will be a lot closer to what they used to be," Festival Board Member Marcella Yaremchuk said. "Since 1979 we've had this festival continuously and with the support of the community, we haven't had to put it on hold or cut any events. We've always been able to give people something to look forward to go to on the Memorial Day holiday."
Thursday evening will start at 6 p.m. with the grand parade cruising through downtown, ending at Palatine Park, where the opening ceremonies will take place at 8 p.m., with the first day closing at 10 p.m.
Friday, the carnival grounds will open at 5 p.m., and 7 p.m. will start the 14th annual Pepperoni Roll Bake-Off. At 8 p.m. the amphitheater stage will be filled with a live, free performance by the band Green River. The festival grounds will close at 11 p.m.
The final day of the festival, Saturday, will start early in the day at 10 a.m. with the Jerry Ragen Car Show in the parking lot of the Fairmont Baptist Temple on Morgantown Avenue in East Side.
At noon, the festival grounds will open along with Kid's Day at the Park. Costumed characters, face painting and other educational and entertainment opportunities will be open for the county's younger guests.
At 3 p.m., the illusionist Josh Knotts will take the amphitheater stage, followed by the annual Strongman Showdown at 4 p.m. then the KISS Tribute band, KISS Army will perform a free show at 6 p.m.
However, one of the most popular draws of the festival will not take place this year. There won't be a pepperoni roll eating contest.
The weekend will conclude with a fireworks display scheduled to start at 10 p.m. on Saturday with the park closing shortly after 11 p.m.
While not part of the official festivities, Yaremchuk invites the community to remember the true meaning of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday, May 29 at 2 p.m. to celebrate the dedication of the newly built memorial plaza at Maple Grove Cemetery in East Side.
"It's not part of the Three Rivers Festival but it is part of the Memorial Day weekend celebration," Yaremchuk said.
With a promising weather outlook, lightened COVID-19 restrictions and what organizers are calling the most exciting entertainment line up yet, the hope is that this year's festival will be the best-attended in its 44-year history.
"The Three Rivers Festival is an all-volunteer board and an all-volunteer staff. We spend hundreds of hours preparing this for the community," Board member Jon Dodds said. "We're optimistic that with the entertainment we have, the weather we're going to have and... coming out of the restrictions from the pandemic years, we're looking toward one of our largest attended events ever."
For a full schedule of events for the festival, visit www.wvthreeriversfestival.com/events.
Reach David Kirk at 304-367-2522 or by email at dkirk@timeswv.com.
