The Annual Elizabethtown Festival is MOVING....to September! Join us September 25 & 26, 2010 for the festival that celebrates the traditions and customs of the early 1800's.

This year, in additional to arts, crafts, games and a unique heritage event that takes place in the North Yard of the former WV Penitentiary, there will be a shoppers dream in the South Yard. An open-air flea market!

As in the past, demonstratioins by artisans making applebutter, churning butter, making bread, weaving, woodcraving and decorative painting will be ongoing all weekend. The Doll and Bear Show will be in full swing along with music.

Established by the Moundsville Economic Development Council (MEDC),This heritage festival takes place in Moundsville, WV, where from 1832 until 1866 the area was called Elizabethtown, named to honor Elizabeth, the wife of city founder Joseph Tomlinson.

The goal of the festival is to instill in visitors a sense of the history of the area while providing entertainment and bringing economic development to the region and the State of West Virginia.

Objectives of the Festival:

To establish a quality 1800’s area festival that would appeal to an entire family, encouraging the family to participate as a unit to strengthen family ties while being entertained.
To acquaint visitors with a living history of the 1800's era.
To provide a meaningful community activity supported by over 100 volunteers.
To encourage economical gain for quality craft exhibitors and regional businesses as well as the state of West Virginia.

Visitors to the Elizabethtown Festival will see crafts from the turn of the century such as basket making, quilting, sewing and weaving, scissor paper cuttings and blacksmith working skills. Not to mention all the good food that will be available!

Children can participate in checkers, clothesline art, a marble tournament, pie eating contest and other heritage games, such as wash day relay.

Educational exhibits such as old time working tools, a covered wagon, a pen of goats where you can see demonstrations of goat milk candy and soap making. Visitors can also view a picture story video presentation of early Moundsville.

Numerous artisans and demonstrators join the festival to present their works of art. There is also a Country Store where you can find a unique selection of items ranging from one-of-a-kind to groupings of bits and pieces where you can deal with the Country Store proprietor.

The event is the collaboration effort of not only exhibitors from surrounding states, but also the City of Moundsville, the Marshall County Commission, the WV Division of Culture and History and the WV Division of Tourism, as well as many local businesses and volunteers.

For more information contact us at: festival@wvpentours.com or 304-845-6200