The winning stories from the 2026 WVPB PBS KIDS Writers Contest are now available to read!
Learn more about Be My Neighbor Day! And check out our recap from last year.
On Demand
On Demand
Watch locally produced documentaries & more.
On Demand
On Demand
West Virginia Morning
Inside Appalachia
West Virginia Week
Mountain Stage
Us & Them
The Legislature Today
The Legislature This Week
Send us your comments and questions.
Stream our board meetings.
Check out the latest WVPB news.
Sign up for our newsletter and get weekly updates.
Meet the WVPB staff.
WV Educational Broadcasting Commission, the WVPB Foundation, and the Friends of WVPB.
Come work with us!
Read our annual report and learn how we educate, inform and inspire with your support.
Sponsor impactful and engaging media and entertainment.
Use your IRA to make a gift to WVPB.
Become a member with your gift of $1,000 or more.
Make WVPB part of your legacy.
Manage your membership account.
Learn how you can Protect and Sustain West Virginia Public Broadcasting.
The annual Vandalia Gathering returns to the state capitol grounds in Charleston this weekend for its 49th year. A celebration of Appalachian heritage, this event is free and open to the public.
Attendees can enjoy traditional Appalachian music and dance, storytelling, arts and crafts and food vendors.
“The Vandalia Gathering is one of West Virginia’s most cherished traditions, inviting everyone to experience the rich history and unique culture that sets the Mountain State apart,” West Virginia Department of Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby said. “We look forward to welcoming guests from near and far for a weekend full of some of Almost Heaven’s greatest treasures.”
The 2026 Vandalia Gathering begins Friday in the Culture Center State Theater with an awards ceremony for quilt and wall-hanging winners and the presentation of the 2026 Vandalia Award. That is the state’s highest folklife honor. A concert will follow the award ceremonies.
Saturday evening’s concert will begin at 7 p.m. in the Culture Center State Theater.
Outdoor activities begin at 11 a.m. on Saturday, featuring old-time fiddle, bluegrass banjo and mandolin contests. Sunday’s events also begin at 11 a.m. with a one-hour gospel set by Angie Richardson, followed by half-hour concerts by local West Virginia musicians. Traditional dance offerings, including square dancing, flat-foot dancing and highland dance will take place in the North Plaza, where guests are encouraged to join in.
The popular Liars Contest returns on Sunday, also in the Culture Center State Theater. It will begin at 2:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 1:30 p.m., as storytellers compete for the coveted Golden Shovel Award.
State officials say guests can visit the Culture Center for family-friendly story time, crafts, live demonstrations and interactive tours of the State Museum throughout the weekend.
Official Vandalia Gathering and Almost Heaven merchandise will be available for purchase throughout the weekend. Free parking for attendees is available in the metered spots and parking garage located within the Capitol Complex.
To view the full schedule, click here.
Add WVPB as a preferred source on Google to see more from our team
At Open Door Café in Wytheville, Virginia, gardening is a way to feed the hungry while breaking down the stigma of homelessness. Folkways Reporter Wendy Welch visited Open Door Café and spoke with the volunteers.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsTraditional Appalachian ballads have found new life in the form of an audio drama podcast produced by the Appalachia Book Company. We look at a reimagined story of a traditional railroad disaster ballad.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsScores of volunteers have poured into flood-worn north-central West Virginia, bringing cleanup supplies and food that residents need for the long recovery ahead.
Continue Reading Take Me to More NewsThis week, after a disaster, can comics help set the record straight? Also, sifting through Hurricane Helene’s debris, one group tries to reunite keepsakes with their owners, including love letters. And, a cafe in Virginia feeds the hungry and tries to destigmatize homelessness. For its outreach manager, whose brother lived on the streets for years, it’s personal.
Continue Reading Take Me to More News
