Events

2022 marked the return of all of our in-person programming! Click Here for a full schedule of 2024 events, and stay tuned for details below. During the height of the pandemic, in lieu of in-person gatherings, we created regular virtual programming and special broadcasts for each of our events; you can watch the replay of those programs here. We will continue streaming live broadcasts of our events, so that anyone can access them, regardless of your ability to attend in-person. For the latest updates, please tune in to our Facebook page. Upcoming events are listed below. 

Previous events

Earth Day Celebration

Appalachian South Folklife Center, Pipestem, WV

The Earth Day Celebration Returns, live & in-person at The Folklife Center! Join us for a beautiful day of activity and celebration honoring Mother Earth featuring music performances, special demonstrations, discussions, craft activities and more at the beautiful ASFC. Featuring: ~Music by CassiRaye, Option 22, Star Baby, Jordan Furrow, Shine Resonance, Swingstein & Conner, Tim & Maggie & more. ~Drumming & discussion with Mother Earth Beat, an all women Native American drum group based in West Virginia. ~Yoga, sound healing & more with practitioners from The Gaia Den ~Tie-dying for Kids with the tie-dye Soapwitch! ~Beekeeping workshop with Awakened Artwork ~Vending by Rainbow Art Farms, Awakened Artwork & more! Stay tuned for more activities & presentations, TBA! Admission is FREE. Enjoy the un-matched atmosphere of the ever-peaceful Appalachian South Folklife Center, revel in the breathtaking mountain views and celebrate life on Planet Earth!

Celebrate Princeton Street Fair

Mercer Street Grassroots District

Celebrate Princeton Street Fair is back, live & in-person! Enjoy music, dance & circus performances, tons of vendors, a ferris wheel & waterslides, creative experiences & fun for the family! Let's celebrate our wonderful community together! Stay tuned for details & some special surprises! VENDORS, sign up now at celebrateprinceton.com/vendors!

La Rouge- a Red Dress Event

The RiffRaff, Wild Roots/Pigment Sanctuary & Holler Gallery

Join RiffRaff Arts Collective, Wild Roots Coffeehouse, The Pigment Sanctuary & Holler Gallery for La Rouge - A Red Dress Event, a night of mingling, art & love! featuring ❤ ~The HeART Market ~ Live Music ~Nourishments ~ One-of-a-Kind Gifts ~ Meet & Greet with Artists! Explore: ~RiffRaff Art Boutique ~Wild Roots/The Pigment Sanctuary ~Holler Gallery and explore surrounding businesses in The Grassroots District! Shop, dine, explore & create in our love-filled neighborhood! Guests are encouraged to adorn themselves in red attire! NOTE: The HeART Market will OPEN at 4pm in The Pigment Sanctuary at 860 Mercer Street! Gorgeous cover art by Harrison Lance Crawford.

We Need to Talk: Community Conversation & Documentary Premiere!

Stages Music School

Join us for the premiere of the first documentary piece of "We Need to Talk," featuring a Behind The Scenes "Inside Look" at the making of the music video "The Time is Now." Watch the music video, enjoy complimentary coffee & snacks from local businesses in our neighborhood, share reflections, share your story if you feel compelled, meet new friends and join in the conversation! We need to Talk is a movement using music videos and docushorts to build bridges and catalyze community healing. RiffRaff Arts Collective is creating sweeping, cinematic music videos featuring original music by artists within our community that have written songs about issues they are passionate about, or ways they see the world that they wish the community could open their hearts to. We are using these videos to stoke community dialogue, build relationships, and cultivate a culture of listening. The project aims to empower community members to tell their stories and raise their voices. Featured songs include themes of change and empowerment, and docu-shorts explore issues that inspired their creation. Find out more at the riffraff.net/weneedtotalk!

This concert is the final installment in our First Friday Concerts in the Square series, which runs every 1st Friday May-October. Concerts are FREE & open to the public. The event will also feature artisan vendors of The HeArT Market, and craft activities for the kiddos. ❤ Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs & picnic blankets, and enjoy dining, strolling the shops, creative activities and all our blossoming neighborhood has to offer. Je'dah Madison will open the show from 5-5:45 & Option 22 will take the stage from 6-8pm. About the Artists: Option 22 Eclectic, Soul-Driven Americana This infectious, eclectic Americana groove is led by powerful, yet blissfully soothing vocals dancing atop a smooth, soulful flow. Positive lyrics inspire unity and call for change. Based in Princeton, Lori McKinney (vocals, drums, spoken word) and Robert Blankenship (guitar, hand-drums, didgeridoo) have been writing & playing music together since 2004. Now infusing the mix are the highly skilled & ever-flowing bass lines of Brandon Dunn, the rock solid, hard hitting rhythms of Ary'an Graham (drums) and the soulful guitar stylings of Jacob Brooks (lead guitar). As a group, they understand the power of music to heal & transform, and they use their creative gifts to make a positive impact on the world around them. Robert & Lori live and work within a multi-purpose creative zone they created in downtown Princeton, The RiffRaff Arts Collective, which is revitalizing a one dark, depressed area with color and life. They also founded and run Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival & many other events. The other musicians orbit around the collective, bringing their talents and spirits around often, forming a sphere of creativity and good vibes. option22.net Je'Dah Madison Palmer R&B, Soul, Funk Je’dah is a 22 year old native from Princeton, West Virginia. She has toured and traveled extensively as an artist with The One Voice Project. She has a taste for R&B, Soul and FunK. She is heavily influenced by artists like India Arie, Brandy, Ms. Lauryn Hill, Tori Kelly, and H.E.R. This young artist's style is deep, introspective and soulful. She's a lively performer, and sets a beautiful vibe with any venue she steps into.

19th Annual Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival

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Appalachian South Folklife Center

Culturefest 2022, the sweet return to the magical mountaintop--live and in person! ❤ 4 Days of performances, workshops, live painting, healing arts, children's activities, artisan vendors, drum circles, community art, jam sessions, camping & more in the beautiful WV hills. ❤

Peak of the Bloom Picnic in the Park (catered by Jimmie's Restaurant)

Camp Creek State Forest

Enjoy a lovely picnic in the beautiful Camp Creek State Park, catered by Jimmie's Restaurant, located in the Grassroots District. Enjoy live music by Tim & Maggie Mainland, and a delicious meal. Reservations are required for the picnic baskets but attendance to the event is free, and no registration is required to attend. Pre-order your picnic basket at peakofthebloom.com/picnic-pre-orders. This event is part of the annual Peak of the Bloom, a celebration of the art of nature, August 5-14. Find details & a full schedule at peakofthebloom.com!

Enjoy a yoga session with the talented Joanie of The Gaia Den in the beautiful setting of Camp Creek State Park! This event is part of Peak of the Bloom, a celebration of the art of nature! Plan to camp for the weekend & enjoy all the activities, and rise & shine to this peaceful experience! Find the full schedule & details at peakofthebloom.com!

Plein Air Painting Excursion at Camp Creek State Park

Camp Creek State Forest

En plein air (French pronunciation: ​[ɑ̃ plɛn ɛːʁ], French for outdoors, or plein air painting) is the act of painting outdoors. The talented artist Lacey Vilandry of Silver Arrow Art will lead a plein air painting workshop in the beautiful wildflower fields of Camp Creek State Park. Meet at the Camp Creek State Park amphitheater at 3:30pm and enjoy a beautiful ride up to a remote area of The Forrest. No experience necessary. Cost to attend is $35. Lapboards, canvases and paint will be provided. Register here on this site! Reserve your spot now, as this event is likely to sell out.

A Peak at the Pollinator Garden

Princeton City Park

Discover the best kept secret in Princeton, a magical labyrinth of medicinal and pollinator plants in Princeton City Park! Learn about the beautiful & rare plants within and how and why to start a pollinator garden, and meet and greet with the garden's volunteer steward, Ms. Becky Kidwell. This event is part of Peak of the Bloom, a celebration of the art of nature. Find the full schedule of activities & information at peakofthebloom.com.

Award Winning Photographer Steve Jessee of Associated Photography will lead us on a guided photo exclusion through the beautiful and remote fields of wildflowers at Camp Creek State Park. Enjoy a beautiful wagon ride up to the special spot, and a delicious picnic by Bucha Brewhouse & Bistro following. (Pre-registration required). Meet at Associated Photography at 813 Mercer Street at 1 p.m. OR at Camp Creek State Park Amphitheater at 1:30 p.m. PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED https://peakofthebloom.com/guided-photo-hike-registration This event is part of Peak of the Bloom, a celebration of the art of nature. Find details and a full schedule at peakofthebloom.com!

Peak of the Bloom Celebration in The Grassroots District!

Mercer Street Grassroots District

Explore our blossoming neighborhood & enjoy special products & activities up & down the street! Stay tuned for details. This event is part of Peak of the Bloom, a celebration of the art of nature, in The Grassroots District and Camp Creek Stat Park. Find the full schedule & information at peakofthebloom.com!

Peak of the Bloom Kickoff: 1st Friday Concert with Andrew Adkins Trio & Grace Campbell!

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Mercer Street Grassroots District

This concert kicks of Peak of the Bloom, a celebration of the art of nature August 5-14! (Find the full schedule at peakofthebloom.com) The concert is the 4th in our First Friday Concerts in the Square series, which will run every 1st Friday May-October. Concerts are FREE & open to the public. The event will also feature artisan vendors of The HeART Market, and craft activities for the kiddos. ❤ Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs & picnic blankets, and enjoy dining, strolling the shops, creative activities and all our blossoming neighborhood has to offer. Grace Campbell will open the show from 5-5:45 & Andrew Adkins Trio will take the stage from 6-8pm. About the Musicians: “Andrew Adkins is without a doubt the embodiment of the current state of roots music in West Virginia, as well as it’s most profound songwriter” -No Depression Magazine After 7 years of fronting the popular Appalachian Stompgrass band The Wild Rumpus at countless festivals, concerts and clubs including Merlefest, Bristol Rhythm and Roots, and the AMA (American Music Association) as well as writing nearly all of the songs for their 3 studio albums, Andrew has now firmly established his own voice with the release of his 4th solo album. “Who I Am” on Mountain Soul Records. Produced by Mountain Stage musical director Ron Sowell, recorded by virtuoso guitarist and engineer Bud Carroll and featuring an all star line up of WV musicians, the album showcases Andrew’s wry insightful songwriting and his soulful authentic voice. He is not only a talented singer songwriter, he is held in high regard as performer by his peers. Grace Campbell is a singer/songwriter from Princeton, WV with a charm all of her own. A world traveler and classically trained vocalist, Grace's multifaceted influences have coalesced into a well versed, intelligent young performer. Grace's impeccable songwriting skills and charismatic personality have warranted her quite the fan base in Southern WV - and it's only growing! Her inaugural performance at Culturefest in 2019 (and later in 2020 and 2021) gained her the attention and respect of many in the area. Soon, she was playing as far as Pittsburg, PA. Grace is a bright light in the Grassroots District of Mercer County, WV, but she wants to grow to be a shinning light even further. She lives by the motto: "Never turn down a gig!" Now living in Morgantown, WV, Grace is utilizing her talents through hard work. Her song "Who'd You Fall in Love With Now?" Is out on Spotify, and there is an album in the works. She is ecstatic to see where her future in music will go.

First Friday Featured Artists @ The RiffRaff: Ian Bode

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The RiffRaff Arts Collective

Join us for the first Friday of August at the RiffRaff Art Boutique for an evening featuring visual artist, painter, and muralist Ian Bode! Ian Bode was born and raised in Charleston, WV. His work is displayed in galleries, public buildings, and private collections across the country. He collaborates with other visual artists and graphic designers on commercial projects. His most recognizable style is graphically narrative, cartoon-oriented world filled with his black and white faceless characters collectively called “ The Passenger.” This faceless cartoon is a vacuum into which the viewers identify and awareness can be filled in. The viewer is in the emotive driver’s seat, much like The Passengers. Using repeat themes,c looks, and icons, he aims to establish a visual language that makes each piece relatable to the other creating a universe with loose laws and a sequential narrative that does not intrude or contradict itself. He was recently named WV Artist of the year 2018 by West Virginia Living Magazine. Come learn about it and ask questions of the artist's magic and admire or even purchase some very unique and colorful pieces. The event will take place from 5-8pm during Mercer Street's First Friday Celebrations, and the Kickoff of Peak of the Bloom! Find a full schedule of activities at peakofthebloom.com. Check out the concert across the street in the Town Square, and shop, dine, explore & create in our blossoming neighborhood!

Intuitive Art In Layers - Hosted by Shannon Shine

Appalachian Coffee House Princeton

This is a perfect gathering for beginners and advanced artists. Art is meant to be fun and expressive. Many people say they aren’t artists because they don’t know what they are doing, but honestly that is the fun part to just play with the supplies and find your intuitive flow and what works best for you! Join us for this free flow art gathering with light guidance by Shannon Shine. Through this experience you will be encouraged to find your own expression with a variety of available art supplies. (Please feel free to also bring your own materials to play with.)

Buck Full Moon Cacao and Ecstatic Dance Flow Ceremony

Appalachian Coffee House Princeton

Join us for the Buck Full Moon! In this ceremonial event we will be starting with a cacao ceremony hosted by Angie Conrad around 7pm. Participation in the cacao ceremony will have a fee of $15 for supplies

*Please rsvp, pre-pay, or let @Shannon Shine know if you plan to attend the Cacao ceremony if possible so we can properly prepare the supplies.

Following the cacao blessings we will begin a free flow dance experience led by Selomon and Jordan Furrow around 8 pm. ( You may join us for the dance ceremony and skip the cacao if you wish.)

You are also welcome to come and create art and have a good time celebrating the Full Moon with us.

Suggested donation of $25 for full experience.

Feel free to dress in fun Full Moon ceremonial adornments or attire and be your magical selves. We look forward to seeing you!

Open Stage Night!

The Room Upstairs

Join Us for Open Stage Night July 11! (No Open Mic July 4) Relax in the comfortable living room style environment, enjoy the creativity flowing from all corners of the room, play music, read poetry, tell jokes or just enjoy the show. There is a cover charge of $3 for audience and $2 for performers. Coffee, drinks and snacks are on the house! ❤ This event is presented by LLyniuM entertainment.

This concert is the 3rd in our First Friday Concerts in the Square series, which will run every 1st Friday May-October. Concerts are FREE & open to the public. The event will also feature artisan vendors, and craft activities for the kiddos. ❤ Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs & picnic blankets, and enjoy dining, strolling the shops, creative activities and all our blossoming neighborhood has to offer. Noah Spencer will open the show from 5-5:45 & Independent State will take the stage from 6-8pm. About the Artists: Adam Cox Band (Independent State) - A West Virginia native who still resides in the 'Mountain State', Adam Cox is a singer/songwriter with a rootsy Americana edge. Some may describe his music as 'New Appalachian', having been influenced by the wild and wonderful...and beyond. His debut CD entitled "Free and Independent State" features several West Virginia-based musicians. These original tunes portray glimpses into the many perspectives of Appalachian life, in all its splendor and harsh reality. Now with a stellar combo of musicians, his music has wings that carry his music to audiences with beautiful power. Adamcox.bandzoogle.com

Noah Spencer Noah started singing in church when he was 5 years old and picked up his first guitar when he was 11. Many guitars later, he is still most comfortable strumming and picking tunes on an acoustic and singing songs that make people smile. His musical influences are broad and include artists from multiple genres and decades including John Mayer, Tyler Childers, Chris Stapleton, Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, and Toto just to name a few. He toured the East Coast with The One Voice Project Tour, and has played numerous festivals, venues and special events. He is 18 and recently graduated from Richlands High School in Virginia. He plans to attend Community College in SWVA this fall. When he's not playing music he enjoys spending time with his friends and family and especially his two younger brothers Parker and Patrick. facebook.com/NoahSpencersmusic