West Virginia State Folk Festival
Music, Heritage, and Appalachian Culture
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.
Download the 2025 Folk Festival Schedule.
A schedule will also be provided in the Folk Festival Newspaper, available at the Country Store during the festival.
Don't forget to visit the Artisans' Corner for extra kids' activities!!!
Get your chance to win a Lap Quilt donated by Diane Bach!!!!!
Do not need to be present to win! Drawing June 21, 2025 before the Square Dance. Tickets are $2 each or 3 for $5
If you love to bake, cook, and simmer, check out this year's food contests!!!
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Job's Temple
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 2026 message at Job's Temple.
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Pastor Donnie Stout will give the message this year at Job’s Temple. He and his wife, Paula, have enjoyed holding the service and meeting the Belles and others who attended—so he was very pleased to be asked again this year.
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He has served as Pastor of the Kanawha Drive Baptist Church for the past eleven years. He loves to play his guitars and ring out the old hymns each Sunday morning, or anytime he gets a chance. He 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.
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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.
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He was born and raised in Braxton County, but his roots run deep in Gilmer County, as his mother, Lorina Susan Hickman Stout, lived in Gilmer County, in the Stout’s Mills area. For the past 19 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.
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The Job’s Temple Service is on Sunday, June 21st. 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!
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, Doug Cottrill, Ted Yurkiewicz, Tony Minney
Part I & II of this wonderful documentary can be found on YouTube
If you would like to support the Folk Festival without becoming a member, donations can to sent through PayPal to wvstatefolkfestival@gmail.com.
Meet our 2025
Gilmer County Baby Belle!!
Congratulations,
Holly Hedges
Meet our 2025
Gilmer County Baby Beau!!!
Congratulations,
Wyatt Smith
Meet our 2025
Gilmer County Junior Belle!!!
Congratulations,
Brooklynn Stewart
Please attend the 11 a.m. parade Saturday, June 17 to see the other Junior Belles from neighboring counties!
Meet our 2025
Gilmer County Belle:
Congratulations, Bobbi Moss!!
Attend the 2025 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