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Gilmer Co. Belle in festival parade

Join us each year -- beginning the third Thursday in June -- as the city of Glenville, West Virginia, takes on a marvelous change reminiscent of the old days. See antique cars, the Folk Festival Belles, quilt shows, and Appalachian arts and crafts. Your ears will be treated to the sweet sounds of banjo and fiddle contests, jam sessions in the streets, old-time gospel singing, and oral traditions. Please your tastebuds at the Festival as well! But no matter what, don't forget the Strawberry Shortcake from the Gilmer Co. FFA!

Festival Purpose:

The purpose of this corporate body shall be to preserve the remnants of pioneer life and culture of West Virginia in music, entertainment, education, and social and economic activities to the end that citizens may appreciate and respect the achievements of their forebearers.

2024 Schedule of Events coming soon.
See last year's schedule for ideas of what you can enjoy this year!!

Download the 2024 Folk Festival Schedule.

A schedule will also be provided in the Folk Festival Newspaper, available at the Country Store during the festival. 

Schedule - 2024.jpg

Now you can view the WV State Folk Festival Newspaper online!

Don't forget to visit the Artisans' Corner for extra kids' activities!!!

Don't miss the 2024 WV State Folk Festival Lumberjack Event!!!

Only on Saturday, June 22nd!!! Beginning at 12:30pm, located below Sycamore Road, Rt. 5W in Glenville—across from H&R Block.

This competition may last three hours—so stop by and watch the lumberjacks compete!

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Schedules competitors:

Arden Cogar and Alicia Lentz, Chris Bradshaw and Martha King, Dominic Ruckle and Rene Wilson, Gavin Brumbaugh, Hunter Waite, Jason Lentz, Josh Wilson, Matt Cogar, Mel Lentz, Paul Cogar, Scooter Cogar, and Zach Brouse. 

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For more information about the Lumberjack Event, contact Scooter Cogar at 434-294-5755 or email scootercogar@yahoo.com

          Enter the first WEST VIRGINIA STATE FOLK FESTIVAL

JAM & JELLY CONTEST---2024

Anyone wishing to enter this contest, should turn all jars into the Country Store at least ONE hour before the judging begins at 1:00 p.m.. on Friday June 21st. An entry form will be filled out for each class/type. No one entering an exhibit will be present at the time of judging. No exhibit will be accepted after 1:00 p.m. Once the judging has been completed, the winners will be announced and jars exhibited in the Country Store, along with any awards. ALL jars— winners or non-winners—must pick up his/her exhibits before the closing of the Country Store on Saturday night of the

Folk Festival. Any jars, which are not picked up by this time, will not be the responsibility of the West Virginia State Folk Festival.

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Class I-----Jelly

1. Any type of berry (ex: strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, etc.)

2. Any type of fruit (ex: pear, apple, crabapple, etc.)

3. Mixed berry or fruit jelly

Class II----Jam

1. Any type of berry jam/preserve (ex: strawberry, blackberry, blueberry, etc.)

2. Any type of fruit jam/preserve (ex: pear, apple, crabapple, etc.)

3. Mixed berry or fruit jam/preserve

Class III---Butters

Class IV---Most unique flavored jelly, jam, or butter

 

For additional rules and information click here

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Check out the winners from 2023 HERE

WV_State Folk Festival_2024_PieContest_P

Job's Temple

Pastor Donnie Stout and wife

The last event of the WV State Folk Festival is a church service like no other because it is held in Job’s Temple, a log structure established in the late 1850’s when congregants with southern sympathies withdrew from Pisgah Methodist Episcopal Church located approximately two miles east of this site. Job’s Temple, now on the National Register of Historic Places, was finished after the men returned to the community following the Civil War.

Regular services were conducted until 1912 when the church fell in disrepair. During the 1930’s, interest was revived for the preservation of the building and the annual homecomings began in 1936. Over 140 graves are on the property with the oldest being 1870.

   Job’s Temple Association Inc. oversees the preservation of the church building, provides perpetual care for the cemetery and grounds, and organizes homecomings each year. They love the old church so much that they recently worked to build retaining walls to hold back the drifting hillside from pushing on the sanctuary. They made repairs to the foundation and roof, using tools and methods of the first builders including hauling in logs with a team of horses.

Worship here is very special. The congregation sits on log benches. There is no electricity, only the rays of the sun coming through the open windows, and the light of God. Voices resound in old-time harmony off the log walls and ceiling.

  Each year the Job’s Temple Association holds an annual Homecoming in August to which all are welcome. They are currently selling books, which will be available on the day of the service, telling the history, events and people associated with this very special house of worship. The Folk Festival Committee appreciates the Job’s Temple Association, Inc. and its officers for permission to conclude the Festival with this very special event.

   Pastor Donnie Stout will give the message this year (2024) at Job’s Temple. Last year was the first time Pastor Stout had held the Sunday morning Job's Temple service. he and his wife, Paula, enjoyed holding the service and meeting the Belles and others who attended--so he was very pleased to be asked again this year. 

He has served as Pastor of the Kanawha Drive Baptist Church for the past eight years. He loves to play his guitars and ring out the old hymns each Sunday morning, or anytime he gets a chance. He has, also, had a successful prison ministry for 24 years. This ministry was anchored to the Rock Prison Ministry, until Covid restrictions were put in place, in 2021.

Pastor Stout works in the logging industry, as an owner and operator, along with his eldest son, Stacy. The name of his company is “Where the Timbers Cross Logging Company” and works mainly in Gilmer and the surrounding counties.

He was born and raised in Braxton County, but his roots run deep in Gilmer County, as his mother, Lorina Susan Hickman Stout, still lives in her Gilmer County home, located in the Stout’s Mills area. For the past 17 years he and his wife, Paula, have lived in the Kanawha Drive Community. He and Paula have two sons, Stacy (Lilly) and Scottie (Megan). They are proud grandparents of three boys; Abel, Grady, and Barrett.

The Job’s Temple Service is on Sunday, June 23rd. The service will begin at 9:00 a.m. The little church is located below Glenville, on WV Route 5W. The Folk Festival Belles will be attending---come join them!

Design element
Rhododendron

WV State Folk Festival Meetings

General meetings will now take place on the third Tuesdays at 5:00 PM at The Country Store (unless otherwise announced).

Regular, yearly dues are $5.00 or lifetime membership is $50.00. Dues can be paid at meetings, sent to PO Box 362, Glenville, WV 26351 or sent through PayPal. Only paid members have voting rights. 

President: David O'Dell

Vice President: Brenda McCartney

Treasurer: Sandy Pettit

Secretary: Lynn Welch

Historian: Jason Gum

Board Members: Ginny Hawker, Carol Wolfe, Dennis Fitzpatrick, Ted Yurkiewicz, Tony Minney

Musicians playing during the Folk Festival
Civil War reenactors

Part I & II of this wonderful documentary can be found on YouTube

Meet our 2024
Gilmer County Baby Belle!!

Congratulations,
Maggie Jane Morris

Maggie Jane Morris, Baby Belle 24.tiff

Meet our 2024
Gilmer County Baby Beau!!!

Congratulations,
Ivan Ramezan

Ivan Ramezan, Baby Beau 24.jpg

Meet our 2024
Gilmer County Junior Belle!!!

Congratulations,
Josephine Moore

Josephine Moore, Junior Belle 24.jpg

Please attend the 11 a.m. parade Saturday, June 17 to see the other Junior Belles from neighboring counties!

Meet our 2024
Gilmer County Belle:

Congratulations, Karen Shackelford!!

Scanned Documents.jpg

Attend the 2024 WV State Folk Festival and say hello!!!!!

WVSFF Belles and long time members, please send us copies of your favorite recipes. The 2021 WVSFF Board will have a limited edition Cookbook celebrating the heritage of West Virginia and the Folk Festival. Please send all recipes to wvstatefolkfestival@gmail.com and

Carbon Copy dheaster1971@gmail.com

June 19-22, 2025   

If you would like to support the Folk Festival without becoming a member, donations can to sent through PayPal to wvstatefolkfestival@gmail.com

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