Blog

June 16-19

Ansted’s Annual Heritage Festival

June16-19

A 3 Day Celebration of our neighboring town’s history and heritage. Craft & Food Vendors, Contests, Games, Kids Zone, Entertainment and Prizes!!!

Mo Town Studio Tour Exhibit at Love Hope Center for the Arts

June-11-August 7

An Exhibition of Art from the Motown Studio Tour host and guest artists.

Thursday

Live Music with Shawn Benfield  at the Southside Junction Tap House

Thursday, June 16

7:30 pm

Shawn Benfield returns to the Southside Junction Tap House

Friday

The Masons at the Rendevous River Lodge

9pm-11pm

Join us at Rendezvous for live music from the Masons! The Masons are a high-energy husband/wife duo delivering a toe-tappin’ show of original songs, songs that you “forgot you knew”, and some twists on popular favorites!

Saturday

Fayette County Farmers Market

8am-12:30pm beside the Fayette County Court House

Shop a variety of locally grown fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, plants, eggs, meats, artisan items, honey, jams, flowers, and more!

Gritty Chix Mud Run at Ace Adventure Resort

8am-5pm

Voted #1 Mud Run/Adventure Race in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, in the 2020 Best of the Blue Ridge Readers’ Choice Awards by Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine!Gritty Chix Mud Run is where you cut loose and let it fly! It’s all good. Walk, sprint, skip, jog, crawl and dance through trails, over walls, through tubes, and mud pits! You’re gonna sweat a little, challenge yourself a little, get a little mud in your teeth, and you’re gonna have a lotta fun.Cost: $45 (Before 3-31) / $55 (4-1 thru 6-15) / $65 (Day of Event)

Yoga at Adventures on the Gorge Pool Deck with New River Yoga

9am

We will be doing yoga every Saturday and Sunday at 9am on the pool deck at Adventures on the Gorge. We are lucky to have our 7th season out on these decks with breathtaking views. Trust and believe you do not want to miss these classes. We will have rotating teachers to keep summer fresh and alive. Check the MINDBODY app or our website for updates and details of the classes. You can also text Candace at 3046408479 for questions

Vintage in the Ville

11am-7pm at the Memorial Building

Very Rare Vintage introduces Fayetteville’s first vintage, clothing art, and antique festival. This event will be held at the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Building in downtown Fayetteville. Vintage in the Ville will be free to admission to the public.

Drew Lawrence and Nick Durm are BACK! a the Freefolk Brewery

7pm-9pm

Join us this Saturday for duo act Drew Lawrence and Nick Durm! Two incredibly talented local musicians, with Drew on drums and Nick on guitar; you don’t want to miss them!

Optimistic Young Bastards at the Southside Junction Tap House

7:30pm

Optimistic Young Bastards in their first appearance at the Tap House! Music starts at 7:30pm

Red Audio w/ special guest Matt Deal Live at Rendezvous River Lodge

8:30pm-11:30pm AOTG

Matt Deal 8:30pm-9:45pm
Red Audio 10:00pm-11:30pm

STEFAN COTTER at Charlie’s Pub

9pm

Our good buddy Stefan Cotter joins us again for a Saturday night of with his style of reggae, rock, soul, and blues in our laid-back atmosphere. Y’all grab your people and some support some live local music!

Sunday

New River Yoga at Adventures on the Gorge Pool Deck

9am

We will be doing yoga every Saturday and Sunday at 9am on the pool deck at Adventures on the Gorge. We are lucky to have our 7th season out on these decks with breathtaking views. Trust and believe you do not want to miss these classes. We will have rotating teachers to keep summer fresh and alive. Check the MINDBODY app or our website for updates and details of the classes. You can also text Candace at 3046408479 for questions

June 9- 12

Thursday

Live Music with Jeffrey Messerole  at the Southside Junction Tap House

Thursday, June 9

7:30pm

From the depths of his Iowa roots, multi-award winning songwriter J. Jeffrey Messerole writes songs that vary as greatly as the wild flowers in the native tall grass. Messerole does frequently write about that flora, as well as the fauna of the region. Not to mention all of its wild life. Not one to shy away from subject matter, the songs can frequently meander across the lines between love and loss, success and failure, or life and death. Messerole masterfully blends the sounds of his guitar with thoughtful lyrics, an engaging stage presence, and often rack harmonica to tell gritty American tales that are bound to evoke emotion from all of his listeners.

Friday

Live Music with Jay Milam at the Freefolk Brewery

7pm-9pm

Jay Milam is joining us for the first time at the brewery! He’s a local musician and we’re excited to welcome him

Live Music w/ Hannah & Her Empty Orchestra at the Southside Junction Tap House

7:30 pm

Join us Friday night for LIVE MUSIC with Hannah & Her Empty Orchestra. First time playing at the Tap House

The Sweet Life live at Rendezvous River Lodge

8pm

The Sweet Life is like a big, funky bowl of soup. They blend genres – mixing together different ingredients like Electronic-Rock with a little jammy salt and pepper, and a hint of spicy psychedelic, topped with a little dance party garnish (because it’s all about presentation) to serve to you, the perfect combination for the best ear pleasing, rump shaking, head banging, foot stomping bowl of soup that you’ve ever had. 

Saturday

Fayette County Farmers Market

8am-12:30pm beside the Fayette County Court House

Shop a variety of locally grown fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, plants, eggs, meats, artisan items, honey, jams, flowers, and more!

Yoga at Adventures on the Gorge Pool Deck with New River Yoga

9am

We will be doing yoga every Saturday and Sunday at 9am on the pool deck at Adventures on the Gorge. We are lucky to have our 7th season out on these decks with breathtaking views. Trust and believe you do not want to miss these classes. We will have rotating teachers to keep summer fresh and alive. Check the MINDBODY app or our website for updates and details of the classes. You can also text Candace at 3046408479 for questions

The Mo Town Studio Tour Opening Reception at the Love Hope Center for the Arts

6pm-8pm

An Exhibition of Art from the Motown Studio Tour host and guest artists.

Matt Deal Returns to Freefolk Brewery

7pm-9pm

Matt Deal is joining us again at Freefolk! We’re super excited to welcome him back!

Tom Batchelor Band at Cantrell’s

7:30pm-10: 30pm

The Goonies Ace Water Park

8pm-12am

Goonies Never Say Die! A group of young misfits called The Goonies discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate’s long-lost treasure. Watch The Goonies on the big screen while you float around our lake in your very own inner tube. Movies at the waterpark are a perfect way to kick off your summer vacation! Tickets are only $20 per person and include an hour of waterpark fun before the movie starts. Dinner and snacks are available at The Lost Paddle adjacent to the waterpark.

Tickets

Sunday

New River Yoga at Adventures on the Gorge Pool Deck

9am

We will be doing yoga every Saturday and Sunday at 9am on the pool deck at Adventures on the Gorge. We are lucky to have our 7th season out on these decks with breathtaking views. Trust and believe you do not want to miss these classes. We will have rotating teachers to keep summer fresh and alive. Check the MINDBODY app or our website for updates and details of the classes. You can also text Candace at 3046408479 for questions

Paint & Sip at the Arrowhead Bike Farm Moonlight Glow

1pm-3pm

Come on out for an afternoon paint and sip at Arrowhead Bike Farm on Sunday June 12th from 1-3pm. We will be painting Moonlight Glow – a funky tree painting over a midnight moon. Multiple color options will be available for the leaves of the tree! $35/person includes all materials and step-by-step instruction. Join us for a fun afternoon with food and drink available for purchase from The Handle Bar + kitchen. Craft beers, delicious food, music & painting!

Tickets

Mountain Music Festival June 2-4 ACE Adventure Resort

West Virginia’s best music festival is back at ACE Adventure Resort this summer June 2-4, 2022. Epic musical jams on stage, fire spinners and performance artists flow in the shadows, live-painters render beautiful masterpieces, the camaraderie and fellowship of friends old and new; these ingredients combine to create a savory and blissful sauce. Few things compare to the splendor of the Mountain Music Festival after dark! Experience festival life and be one of our creatures in the night on Wonderland Mountain in the New River Gorge National Park.Three Days, three stages, and over 30 bands are set to rock the mountaintop this June. Experience the thrill of dancing with Galactic, Cory Wong, TAUK PAPER SCISSORS!, Ripe, Big Something, Doom Flamingo, Spafford, The Motet, Moon Hooch, The Nth Power, Litz & more. Plus a kickoff pre-party on Wednesday night with Yam Yam and The Mighty Good Times. Choose between 2-Day, 3-Day, and 4-Day ticket options including a limited number of VIP tickets. Camping is included but each vehicle will also need to purchase a car parking pass to enter the mountaintop. Preferred parking passes are available this year and guarantee prime camping placement on the mountain. Don’t forget waterpark action and The Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company Lake Stage on the beach too. MMFest has sold out the last two years in a row so get your tickets before they are gone!

Waynestock WV Outdoor Adventure and Music Festival

June 3-5 at Cantrell Rafting

Waynestock is a one of a kind annual event that’s been continuously running for over two decades.  
Combining all the elements of a music festival with a variety of adventures to be had in nature’s ultimate outdoor playground – The New River Gorge of WV. 

~ Adventure by day – Live music at night ~

Tickets are actually reservations and are limited in order to maintain the communal charm of the event.  We like to say “It’s all the best elements of a good festival, without the over flowing porta-pottys”  

Fun fact:  Most performers stay with us for the weekend, which offers a unique opportunity to get to know them or even jam with them around the campfire. 

Thursday:

New Roots Community Farm Market

1pm-6pm

Come see us between 1 and 6 today in the red barn! Today we’ve got chard, dinosaur and curly kale, Easter egg radishes, salad greens, spinach, mild salad turnips, herbs, and (some) beets!

Works In Progress Love Hope Center for the Arts

7pm-9pm

Creatives of the Fayetteville Area, your dreams have come true! Finally, a place to present your new songs, poems, prose, jokes, or just about any form of creative work you can think of. Come read from your new novel, present a song, test some jokes. The stage is yours! Every first Thursday

Beer, Burger, and Bourbon Night at the Freefolk Brewery

6pm- 8pm

Join us for our Beer, Burger, and Bourbon night at the Freefolk Brewery

John Westford •Magic Production at Our House Grill & Pub at Cantrells

7pm-9pm

Reservations Required…FREE SHOW!
• Thursday, June 2nd•Doors Open at 6pm
• Show starts at 7pm
Presenting…JOHN WESTFORD a dynamic entertainer who has dazzled audiences in theaters nationwide, from Atlantic City to Las Vegas, on national television and on cruise ships all over the world! ​ John’s innate sense of humor; quick wit; award winning partner, Susan and spellbinding illusions have made his act popular with audiences around the globe! 

Live Music Tyler Barrett at Our House Grill& Pub at Cantrell Rafting

9pm

Friday

Live Music with Greg Riordan at the Freefolk Brewery

7pm-9pm

Join us for a live show featuring Greg Riordan

Saturday

Fayette County Farmers Market

8am-12:30pm beside the Fayette County Court House

Shop a variety of locally grown fresh vegetables, fruits, baked goods, plants, eggs, meats, artisan items, honey, jams, flowers, and more!

Yoga at Adventures on the Gorge Pool Deck with New River Yoga

9am

We will be doing yoga every Saturday and Sunday at 9am on the pool deck at Adventures on the Gorge. We are lucky to have our 7th season out on these decks with breathtaking views. Trust and believe you do not want to miss these classes. We will have rotating teachers to keep summer fresh and alive. Check the MINDBODY app or our website for updates and details of the classes. You can also text Candace at 3046408479 for questions

11th Annual Rail Trail Expo

Oak Hill Rail Trail

9am-4pm

Join us for over 150 unique vendors including live entertainment! This event is held on a handicapped accessible, pedestrian-friendly, paved trail located in Oak Hill, WV! Adjacent to the New River Gorge National Park! Enjoy a Fun-Filled Day for the Whole Family!
Vendor space is limited! $25 per space!
Applications will be accepted until full!

Live Music Nae Paugh at the Freefolk Brewery

7pm-9pm

Romney, WV native Nae Paugh returns to The Freefolk Brewery with his powerful voice and Indie country sound!

Sunday

New River Yoga at Adventures on the Gorge Pool Deck

9am

We will be doing yoga every Saturday and Sunday at 9am on the pool deck at Adventures on the Gorge. We are lucky to have our 7th season out on these decks with breathtaking views. Trust and believe you do not want to miss these classes. We will have rotating teachers to keep summer fresh and alive. Check the MINDBODY app or our website for updates and details of the classes. You can also text Candace at 3046408479 for questions

Monday

The Gaines Estate Monday Market

4pm-8pm

The Gaines Estate Introduces The Monday Market! Conveniently OPEN to the public on the first Monday of May-October from 4pm-8pm. The Market will feature Fayetteville’s finest food trucks, produce vendors, artisans and more! Did we mention LIVE MUSIC from a local artist every month!The Monday Market is located in the Walnut Grove in the backyard of The Gaines Estate. If interested in being a vendor, please contact our Venue Coordinator Mariah Harrison by directly messaging us or email at [email protected]

Lodging Highlight: The Aviator’s Lounge

The Aviator’s Lounge offers a spacious, well-appointed, loft-style home with a heated saltwater pool and 10-person hot tub. This beautiful home overlooks the historic Fayette Airpark and is situated above a hangar. Perfect for families. Convenient to Fayetteville, the New River Gorge and all the activities this area has to offer.

The space

Exposed brick walls, hardwood floors, and a well appointed kitchen makes the Aviator’s Lounge the perfect basecamp for four season adventures in southern West Virginia. Conveniently located just off of Rt 19, less than 3 miles to historic downtown Fayetteville, and an easy highway drive south to WinterPlace ski resort. Beautiful Summersville Lake is 20 miles north.

Guest access

Guests have access to the private patio, pool and hot tub; as well as the kids pirate ship play set and swings. No other people have access to the pool, hot tub or patio. The pool is open from the beginning of April until the end of October. The hot tub is open year-round.

Other things to note

Fayette Airpark is a small private airfield that offers a tranquil and relaxing setting; however, the runway may occasionally be used by local pilots. You can not walk, bike or drive on the runway.

1. New River Gorge Canyon Rim Visitor Center

Explore the New River Gorge while becoming a New River Gorge National Junior Ranger! Start your adventures at any national park visitor center where you can pick up a Junior Ranger book. Once you have your book there are a few requirements you must complete in order to earn a New River Gorge National River Junior Ranger badge.  When you are finished with your book you can turn it into a park ranger. This is a fun hands-on way for kids to learn about the national river. Check and see if there are any special activities planned while you are visiting.

New for 2022 are select ranger-led programs that you can reserve a guaranteed ticket for! Tickets are available starting June 1st and are released 7 days before the scheduled program. Reservation-based program schedules will be released monthly, so be sure to check on the 1st of each month to see what new programs are available! Visit: https://www.recreation.gov/ticket/facility/10089332 to see what’s coming each month.

2. Hawks Nest State Park

A favorite activity for all ages is the Hawks Nest Jet Boat ride with Captain Rick. Stop by the Hawks Nest nature center and get hands with animal tracks. Speak with the park’s onsite naturalist and check for daily programs and activities.  Take a hike on the Hawks Nest Rail trail where you can enjoy an easy 4mile hike, 2 miles in and 2 miles out with lots of waterfall exploring. After your jet boat adventures travel just a few miles down the road and defy gravity at the Mystery Hole.

3. Mountain Lake Campground

Play a round of mini-golf, grab some ice cream, and mine for gemstones all at one stop at Mountain Lake Campground.

4. Arial Adventures

Children as young as 4 years old can participate on Timber Trek, a high ropes course/ challenge course with varying levels for all ages.  Older kids will love the Tree Tops Canopy Tour and Gravity Zipline tours. Ace Adventure Resort also offers zip lining along with Rivers Expeditions.

5. Ansted Roller Rink

The Historic Ansted Roller Rink is one of the region’s best-kept secrets. Climb down 78 stairs to this hidden gem. This open-air rink has been named one of the most unique skating rinks in the U.S. Open May- October Fridays and Saturdays 6pm-9pm and family skate Tuesdays June- August 6pm-8pm.

6. Explore Around Town

Enjoy a stroll around town and stop by The Stache for ice cream or cool toys. If you work up an appetite Pies & Pints is a favorite family restaurant with a playground and arcade games on site. Ben Franklin has a wall of candy, a dollar toy section, crafts, and slushies. Burn off some energy at the Fayetteville Town Park. Enjoy a family hike on one of the nature trails or check out the skate park. The kids will love Playetteville, a nature-themed playground with a spinning mushroom, an anthill, and beehives to climb on.

7. Hit the water

You need to get your feet wet.  Most of the rafting companies have trips on the Upper New where children 6 and up can join in on the fun.  Children 10 and up can step up the adventure with a family raft trip on the Lower New making whitewater memories that will last a lifetime. For laid-back fun, take the kids for a day at the beach at Summersville Lake.  There are lots of places to fish along the New River and several area streams. Stand Up Paddle Boarding is fun for all ages with Mountain Surf Paddle Sports.

8. Mountain Biking Arrowhead Bike Farm

Arrowhead bike farm is designed as a rolling loop trail system ranging in difficulty from easy to more advanced trails. This is a great place for beginners to try mountain biking on their beginner trails. Arrowhead also offers mountain bike rentals and instruction on site. They host family and kid bike clinics throughout the year.

9. Hiking

Fayetteville and the New River Gorge area are a hiker’s paradise.  Stop by the Fayetteville Visitors Center and we will hook you up with a trail guide and point you in the right direction for trails that match your family’s pace.  

Family-Friendly Trail Suggestions

Canyon Rim Boardwalk (Fayetteville) -.6 out and back. A short path takes you to the overlook at the Canyon Rim Visitor Center with great views of the bridge and gorge. Be aware there are a lot of stairs to get to the lower overlook. The top overlook is stroller friendly.

Burnwood Loop – (Fayetteville) 1.3-mile loop

Getting there: Park at Burnwood Day Use Area, across US 19 from Canyon Rim Visitor Center. Look to the right past the restroom facility for the trailhead. This is a short loop with beautiful forest views avoiding steep overlooks.

Hawks Nest Rail Trail (Ansted) 1.9 miles in and out. Enjoy spectacular waterfall views along Mill Creek as you head toward the Hawks Nest Lake.

Getting there: Head towards Hawks Nest State Park in Ansted West Virginia off of route 60. Turn onto page Street in Ansted off route 60. Turn right onto Rich Creek Rd. Drive under the overpass to the parking area. Trailhead will be on left.

Sandstone Falls Boardwalk (Hinton) – .5 out and back. This stroller-friendly boardwalk will lead to islands with spectacular views of Sandstone Falls.

Getting there: Take River Road from the west end of the WV 20 bridge in Hinton. Travel along a narrow road along the river for 9 miles to Sandstone falls.

10. Wonderland Water Park

ACE Adventure Resort is home of the Wonderland Waterpark.  Climb giant inflatables and jump into the lake, ride waterslides, zip over the lake, or launch your family of the giant BLOB.  There is also a beach area for younger children and relaxation.

11. Rock Climbing

The New River Gorge is known for phenomenal rock climbing with a variety of routes for different skill levels making it a great place to learn how to rock climb. Fayetteville has several rock climbing outfitters to help show you the ropes.

12. Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine & Youth Museum

Looking for some rainy day fun? Take a 30-minute drive to Beckley to visit the Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum.  You can tour an underground mine and experience the rich history of coal in West Virginia. The youth museum houses several interactive exhibits and a planetarium.

13. Escape A Torium

Enjoy a family outing at the Escape-A-Torium in downtown Fayetteville. Be transported to another time, place, and reality. Find clues as a team and solve the challenges. Many of the rooms and challenges have West Virginia themes like the “Feud” or ” Secret Bunker”

14. Pin Heads New River Gorge

Enjoy family-friendly bowling with great eats on site. They have bumpers and bowling ramps with the tiniest bowling shoes for young children to join in the fun. Pinheads hosts Family Days with great deals on Sundays and cosmic bowling.

Kids Camp Ace Adventure Resort

If parents want to participate in guided activities that aren’t kid-friendly check out Ace Adventure Resorts Kids Camp. Ace offers full and half-day programs for kids to have fun-filled days while adults are adventuring on their own.

Check our events page for family-friendly events, camps, and activities happening in Fayetteville.

Top Kid Dining Picks:

Pies & Pints- Pizza, Onsite playground, pizza, and coloring sheets

Arrowhead Bike Farm- Dine on the patio where you can see the resident goats, pump track, and onsite bike rentals and trails

The Stache – Ice cream, candy, and toy shop all in one

Pin Heads Bowling- All the kid’s favorite foods and bowling in one spot

Favorite Place to stay with kids

Quality Inn New River

The Quality Inn New River Gorge is the closest hotel to the New River Gorge Bridge conveniently close to lots of outdoor activities. In the summer months enjoy the onsite pool and cornhole and basketball courts. They also have a delicious continental breakfast.