By Debra Minor Wilson
Times West Virginian
FAIRMONT
May 14, 2008 07:00 pm
—
A week from today, if you stand still for a minute, you’ll hear the happy sounds and sniff the delightful aromas of Marion County’s annual spring festival — the 29th annual West Virginia Three Rivers Festival, taking place May 22-24 at Palatine Park.
And, as usual, there are new treats in store.
“We add new and different things every year,” said Sharon Swearingen, executive director of the festival board of directors.
“You have to have different things to draw people in.”
Returning to the festival for only the second time is the pepperoni roll bake-off, which will take place at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 24, and is for amateur cooks only.
“We are the pepperoni roll capital,” she said. “We added this to the festival last year and we’re hoping it grows bigger and bigger every year. This is the home of the pepperoni roll.”
Created in 1920 by Giuseppe Argiro, then owner of the Country Club Bakery, the pepperoni roll has gained celebrity status in North Central West Virginia. Whether plain or jazzed up with sauce, peppers and cheese, it can be a snack or a meal.
There is also new entertainment this year: pop-punk band Vs. the Earth, the tribute band Bon-Journey and illusionist/magician Josh Knotts.
And some things remain the same.
“We bring back the things people enjoy,” Swearingen said.
You can still thrill to the Grande Feature Parade Thursday, to the fireworks display Saturday night, festival royalty and, of course, festival food.
“Another amazing thing is some of the food vendors have been with us for the whole 29 years, from the very beginning.
“Everyone looks forward to food vendors ... funnel cake, cotton candy, candy applies. It’s all part of the festival.”
This is the beginning of festival time in West Virginia. The Three Rivers event is unique, Swearingen said.
“We are an educational festival. That’s why we do the school tours. None of the other festivals, that we know of, does this.”
About 3,000 Marion County school children from preschool to grade eight will again be treated to tours of downtown Fairmont, including the Marion County Public Library and Marion County Historical Society Museum.
Two Carnegie Science Center programs will also be held: Fractured Physics at the Agape Methodist Church and Wild Weather Adventure at the Elks Club.
“This is to provide a day of fun education for the kids,” said Joni Parrish, secretary and board member, of the events.
“They get out of the classroom but they’re still learning. It’s fun learning. They don’t realize they’re learning something.”
This festival’s motto — “Bridging the Past with the Future Since 1979” — refers to the event’s beginnings in 1979 as a two-day celebration to the weekend-long event it is today.
The current festival was begun in 1979 by the Junior Woman’s Club of Fairmont. In 1980 it was reschristened the Three Rivers Coal Festival and has gone through several name changes since (Three Rivers Festival and Regatta, Three Rivers Festival and, finally, West Virginia Three Rivers Festival).
“Next year is our 30th year,” Swearingen said. “We don’t have any special plans now, but as soon as we get this festival behind us, we’ll get busy and start planning for the 30th.”
She has been involved in the event since its debut 29 years ago.
“It’s just a part of my life. My children grew up with it. It’s part of my family.”
The carnival will up and running Wednesday, May 21, but festival itself doesn’t begin until after the Grande Feature Parade, which kicks off at 6 p.m. Thursday.
WEDNESDAY, MAY 21
• 6-10 p.m. Carnival open and closing times, Palatine Park.
THURSDAY, MAY 22
• 6-10 p.m. Carnival open and closing times, Palatine Park.
• 6 p.m. The Grande Feature Parade will kick off the festival, with festival royalty, honor bands from Fairmont Senior and East Fairmont high schools, the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, the Budweiser Clydesdales and more.
• 7:15 p.m. Opening ceremonies will take place at the Palatine Park main stage following the parade. The queen will receive her official key to the county from the Marion County Commission and official proclamation from the City of Fairmont. The 2008 Teen, Junior Miss and Little Miss queens will also be introduced.
• 8 p.m. Vs. the Earth, a pop-punk band from Baltimore, Md., will perform on the stage at Palatine Park.
FRIDAY, MAY 23
• 8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Marion County school children’s tour of downtown Fairmont. Scheduled to appear at Palatine Park: Josh Knotts, Scooby Doo and Friends, Burger Bear.
• Noon-1:30 p.m. The famous Budweiser Clydesdales will visit the festival grounds. Marion County school children will be able to pet the horses and ask the Budweiser Clydesdale staff questions about the famous horses.
• 5-10 p.m. Carnival open and closing times, Palatine Park.
• 5-7 p.m. Live remote with 102 WVAQ’s Lacy Neff from the festival grounds.
• 7 p.m. Illusionist/magician Josh Knotts will entertain with escape acts, lager-scale illusions, magic and audience participation. Palatine Park main stage.
• 8 p.m. Bon-Journey. Pittsburgh tribute band for Bon Jovi and Journey. Palatine Park main stage.
SATURDAY, MAY 24
• 10 a.m. Julia Pierpont Day Celebration, Marion County Historical Society Museum. Fairmont’s Pierpont is credited with initiating Decoration Day in 1866. A national Decoration Day was proclaimed in 1868 and was renamed Memorial Day in 1882.
• Noon-11 p.m. Carnival open and closing times, Palatine Park.
• 3 p.m. Photogenic contest winners announced, Palatine Park main stage.
• 8 p.m. “Fairmont’s Got Talent.” Hosted by WVAQ DJ Lacy Neff, the contest will find out who is the most talented in Marion County. Palatine Park main stage.
• 10 p.m. Fireworks display from Palatine Park. By Premier Pyrotechnics Inc. Sponsored by Pepsi and FROGGY 102.7.
For more information, call the Three Rivers Festival at 363-2625.
E-mail Debra Minor Wilson at dwilson@timeswv.com.
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