11/17/2005
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History will kick off the season with a holiday celebration Friday, Nov. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 27, at the Cultural Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston. Highlights for the weekend include a craft fair, kids’ craft activities and a Charleston Metro Bands concert. The weekend’s events are free and open to the public.
Shoppers can bring their gift lists and shop in ease at the holiday craft fair, where West Virginia artists and craftspeople will display gifts for every taste and pocketbook. In addition, live music will be provided by West Virginia musicians. Craft fair hours are noon - 6 p.m., Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday.
Eighteen craft vendors will be set up in the Great Hall, including A & W Glass, Willard Moore of Sutton, stained glass; Bill Wood Scenic Photography, Bill Wood of Charleston, photography; C.A.S. Art Glass, Chris Smith of Pullman, handmade art glass, ornaments, pendants, vases; CAT Designs, Cheryl Tincher of St. Albans, jewelry; First Glass, Bob Rosier of Charleston, stained glass panels and suncatchers; Garden Treasures, Melissa Dennison of Clem, herbal soaps and bath and body products; Hardscrabble Enterprises, Paul Goland of Franklin, mushroom logs and growing kits, books, cards and posters; Holcomb’s Woodworking, Phil Holcomb of Spencer, dulcimers and wooden bookmarks; Holly White of Scott Depot, baskets; Just Another Wood Shop, Joanie Hessler of Hurricane, wooden pens; Linda’s Stained Glass and Fused Jewelry, Linda Maher of South Charleston, stained glass and fused jewelry; Mindy’s Fused Glass, Mindy Maher of Parkersburg, fused glass; Simmons Glass Creations, Paul Simmons of South Charleston, stained and fused glass; Straight Fork Farm, Deborah Young of Ravenswood, aromatherapy; The Candy Factory, Mike and Georgia Howard of Charleston, candy and gingerbread houses, The Glowing Wick, Teddie Wick of Nitro, candles, jars, crocks and gift baskets; Woodenware, Jim Lakiotes of Renick, treen ware, stools and benches; and Zephyrus, Anita and Rick Gallagher of Harmony, Celtic-inspired jewelry in silver and 14K gold.
Visitors also can enjoy holiday craft activities for children all three days from 1 to 4 p.m. On Friday, Shannon Parsons of Charleston, an artist and member of the faculty at the Charleston Stage Company’s Summer Arts Camp, will lead kids in making holiday ornaments. Saturday activities will feature Grace Welch of Charleston, Capitol Complex tour guide and historic reenactor, working with children to make origami, holiday cards, paper snowflakes and Victorian crackers, and play with dreidels. On Sunday, Wendy Summers, potter and owner of Summer Hollow Pottery in Wallback, will help kids create clay sculpture objects. Children will be able to take home all their creations. All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Wrapping up the weekend activities, participants can hear the Charleston Metro Bands free concert on Sunday at 3 p.m. and view the holiday decorations. The Great Hall will have four five-foot wreaths on the walls and a tree decorated in silver and white. In addition, on the north and west sides of the Cultural Center, there will be two lighted 25-foot wreaths on display.
For more information about the holiday craft fair, kids’ craft activities or concert, call (304) 558-0162.
The West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Arts, Culture and History, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. Visit the Division’s website at www.wvculture.org for more information about programs of the Division. The Department of Arts, Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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