Looking for the best music festivals in West Virginia in 2024? Well look no further, as we’ve put together the ultimate guide to West Virginia music festivals for your bucket list!
West Virginia is arguably one of the most beautiful and underrated destinations in the US, and offers incredible lined-up music festivals, loving communities, and unique venues around different locations within the state. From Minden to Huntington, there are festivals ranging in all shapes and sizes in almost every musical genre in West Virginia.
Also, be sure to read my guides Festival Camping Packing List, Festival Shoes, and Festival Gadgets to help you make the most of your time!
Here are the 11 best music festivals in West Virginia to keep dancing, partying, and living the music all year round.
1) Mountain Music Festival 2024
When: May 31-June 1, 2024
Where: New River Gorge, West Virginia
https://www.mountainmusicfestwv.com
“We really like outdoor adventures, and we really like music, so we wanted to create a weekend where we could do both at the same time. This became the Mountain Music Festival, and probably the best weekend of the summer in West Virginia (or at least our favorite).
The stage sits right in the middle of ACE Adventure Resort, a 1,500-acre outdoor adventure property in the heart of the New River Gorge, WV.” Mountain Music Festival is one of the most epic music festivals that can be the best weekend experience you’ll never forget. If you are really in love with adventure and the outdoor, this one is best for you. The stage sits right in the middle of ACE Adventure Resort, a 1,500-acre outdoor adventure property in the heart of the New River Gorge.
Every year they bring an outstanding line-up spanning every genre, beautiful stage productions, incredible food and drinks, and craft vendors. Apart from offering all these things, the festival attendees are close to Gorge’s best outdoor activities such as water rafting, mountain biking, rock climbing, and so many things in between.
2) Back Home Festival
When: June, 2024
Where: New Martinsville, West Virginia
https://www.backhomefestival.com/
https://www.facebook.com/backhomefestival/
Back Home Festival is a three-day music festival held annually in beautiful Downtown New Martinsville, WV. This festival is all about music, memories, and fun, and it’s the kind of festival you’ll fall in love with! Besides this festival, New Martinsville has several parks and outdoor locations where you can chill out and enjoy some quality time.
3) Dream Mountain Ranch Bluegrass Festival
When: 2024 TBC
Where: Albright, West Virginia
Dream Mountain Bluegrass has been one of Albert’s favorite music festivals for years. It is held during the month of July on the expansive Dream Mountain Ranch located along North Preston Highway, in Albright, Wes Virginia. With an impressive line-up, this event can be an overall great experience.
The festival is featuring some of the most famous artists and bands every year. This festival might be pricier than other festivals, and tickets are ranging between $50-350. But with over 1000 acres to explore, you will be impressed by the experience in the hills of West Virginia.
4) 4848 Festival
Credit: 4848 Festival
When: July, 2024
Where: Snowshoe, West Virginia
Come and Join Us for Your Festivacation!
“Snowshoe covers 11,000 acres in the Appalachian Mountain Range and includes the second highest point in West Virginia at 4848’. Snowshoe Mountain Resort, touted as the best ski resort and mountain biking destination in the region, delivers a phenomenal summertime outdoor playground. Whether you book a room package or choose to camp with us, 4848 Festival offers a festivacation experience where you get everything a festival has to offer plus a mountain resort vacation.
Experience the spectacular drive through the mountains, arrive at the resort, check into your room or your campsite and join us for a mountain high adventure sporting an average July high of 82 and low of 60. Your ticket features 2 main-stages, 18 select genre-busting bands, 3 days and nights of smokin’ hot live music, crowd performers, microbrews, delicious food and authentic craft vendors, scenic-lift rides, Festival Express Shuttles, Split Rock pools, eurobungy, climbing wall and Shavers Lake Activities including; swimming, paddle boats, canoes, kayaks, plus hiking trails, beach, and lake-side hammocks.
5) Appalachian String Band Music Festival
Credit: Facebook
When: August, 2024
Where: Clifftop, West Virginia
https://www.facebook.com/stringband/
Appalachian String Band Music Festival is a five-day or weeklong event that is known for its old-time music genre. Every year it is organized near the New River Gorge in West Virginia in late July/early August to celebrate the evolving tradition of old-time music. The festival organizes contests (traditional band, neo-traditional band, fiddle, old-time banjo, and flatfoot dancing), square dancing, several concerts, and workshops.
The festivals offer a great experience being a unique festival in that a very large percentage of the participants are musicians and their friends. Food and craft vendors are offered to make the experience better. But the event was canceled last year due to covid-19 lockdown, and this year’s dates are yet to be announced.
6) Heritage Music Bluesfest
When: August 9-11, 2024
Where: Wheeling, West Virginia
https://www.facebook.com/heritagemusicbluesfest
The Heritage Music Blues Festival established in 2001 is one of the coolest musical events in Virginia. it’s a three-day event held on the banks of the Ohio River in Wheeling, WV. The festival is an internationally-recognized event with two stages that feature Blues Music Award winners as well as regional and international artists.
The Festival features some popular artists including Davy Knowles, Carolyn Wonderland, Coco Montoya, Nick Schnebelen, Ronnie Earl, IBC Winner HOROJO Trio, Ana Popovic, and many more great artists loved by music addicts. From food and beverage to craft vendors this event has so much to offer you. All other services are reasonably priced and available at this event.
7) West Virginia State Folk Festival
When: June, 2024
Where: Glenville, West Virginia
https://www.facebook.com/wvstatefolkfestival/
Cultural & Folk music festivals are great experiences, And if you are looking for such things to experience, this festival might be your choice. It was originally formed in 1950 and is considered one of the oldest folk music events in the United States. It’s also known for holding several fiddles and banjo contests in two different categories, for those 50 and older and those under 50.
Everything from craft vendors to world-class food, live music concerts to square dance this is an ideal event for a family-friendly experience. In addition to offering a great experience of folk music, it also holds some parades and car shows that will make it a memorable event for children. Evening performances showcase some of the finest traditional music of West Virginia and the surrounding region.
8) New River Gorge Festival
Image: Roger Gupta
When: May, 2024
Where: Ace Adventure Resort, Oak Hill, West Virginia
https://aceraft.com/event/new-river-gorge-fest/
The New River Gorge Festival — as the name suggests the festival is held to celebrate one of the oldest rivers of the US, the New River of West Virginia. It’s more than a music festival as it offers a wide range of activities such as paddling, hiking, biking, and a few more activities. And of course, the live music event organized here adds an extra charm to this thrilling adventure.
From camping to live music, the New River Gorge Festival is jam-packed with all the best entertainment around! While you are here, you will be provided everything from cabins to delicious meals or drinks of your choice.
9) Cheat River Festival
When: May, 2024
Where: Albright, West Virginia
Cheat River Festival is similar to the New Gorge River Festival but it offers a completely different experience. The festival is a celebration of new life, that which comes each Spring, and the new life that can be found in the Cheat River watershed. It’s organized to raise some funds for supporting watershed projects and organizations.
The Music festival is celebrated in Albright, West Virginia, and it’s a great event for boaters, music lovers, and families. You will be able to buy from a variety of food and merchandise vendors, And bands from all over Appalachia will entertain crowds with live music. The Dirty Grass Players, Culture Thief, Stewed Mulligan, Hello June, Oyo, Lords of Lester, Tom Bachelor Band, Shelf Life String Band, Aristotle Jones, and a few more bands and artists are featured every year at this festival.
10) West Virginia Three Rivers Festival
When: May 23-25, 2024
Where: Fairmont, West Virginia
https://www.wvthreeriversfestival.com/
“The Festival officially opens on Thursday, with the start of the Grand Feature Parade followed by the Opening Ceremonies at Palatine Park in Downtown Fairmont. Following this are three days of fun-filled activities for the whole family. Please come and enjoy the live entertainment, carnival, parade, fantastic food and a gigantic fireworks display to finish it all off. It all culminates Saturday with the Amateur Pepperoni Roll Bake-Off, so come hungry because the public chooses the winner here. So now that you have sampled the local fare and spent a weekend riding carnival rides, sit back and enjoy the evenings scheduled entertainment, followed by fireworks. Monongahela , Tygart and the West Fork River will lead you to a weekend of fun to kick off your summer here in Fairmont.”
11) Vandalia Gathering
When: May, 2024
Where: Charleston, West Virginia
www.wvculture.org/vandalia-gathering-3/
“The Vandalia Gathering is a popular festival devoted to old-time and bluegrass music, as well as related arts such as dance, quilt making, and cooking, which takes place each summer on the state capitol grounds in Charleston, West Virginia, United States. It was established in 1977.”
Am I missing any amazing West Virginia festivals?
If you’ve heard of any cool festivals, events, or concerts that deserve a place on this list, be sure to reach out! I’d love to keep my list of music festivals in West Virginia as up to date as posssible!
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Yonderville.
You mentioned letting you know if you missed a festival in WV.
This is one you might want to put on your radar.
Outside Magazine featured it as one of the top 29 in North America.
Here is the article: https://www.outsideonline.com/adventure-travel/destinations/north-america/best-outdoor-festivals-2023/
Thanks!