50th Anniversary King Coal Festival
For decades, the King Coal Festival has brought good food, good music, and good fun to Williamson and the surrounding area. This year, they’ve reached a landmark in their history: it is the 50th anniversary of the first ever King Coal Festival!
Bringing Regional Education to the Celebration
To celebrate the region’s musical history, the Collective Retail & Artisan Shops on 2nd Avenue in downtown Williamson will be hosting the WV Music Hall of Fame Music of the Coalfields Exhibit during the event. This exhibition will put the spotlight on the music that developed as a result of our unique culture and history, which combines influence from country ballads, African-American spirituals, and Eastern-European instruments. A variety of photographs, some quite rare or even from the early 1900s, will be on display during this free exhibition, which you can learn more about here.
Sign-ups Still Open
As always, the festival will put the spotlight on a variety of local artisans and businesses. Sign ups to be a vendor at the Coal Festival are still open, and the link to register can be found here.
The festival will also be hosting a variety of food trucks and other food-vendors at the event, to keep bellies full while celebrating.
The King Coal Festival will also be hosting the Miss King Coal Beauty Pageant, which will take place a week before it officially begins on September 9. Boys and girls of a variety of ages are eligible to enter the competition, with an entry fee of $55. More info about this event can be found here.
In addition to the pageant, the King Coal Festival will be crowning the 50th Mr. King Coal, an honor for those who have dedicated their careers to the coal industry. Nominees must have been employed in the industry for a number of years, and preferably will have been employed within southern WV or eastern KY. To nominate someone for King Coal, fill out this form and send to kingcoalnominees@gmail.com
Similarly, folks with a prominent history of community service can be nominated for the Community Service Award. Nominees must volunteer personal time or resources to a program or facility such as a hospital, nursing home, or veterans home, and must display significant passion for community service and the community at large. To nominate someone, fill out this form and send to kingcoalnominees@gmail.com
As always, the King Coal Festival will feature a parade to amp up the festivities. This year, they are looking to make this parade their best ever, so if you are a part of an organization or business and would like to participate, fill out this form and send it to the GFWC- WV- Williamson Women’s Club, P.O. Box 1665, Williamson, WV, 25661.
Don’t miss the great entertainment coming to the stage this year, too. Several music acts and more will be featured on stage.
The 50th Anniversary King Coal Festival will come to Williamson on September 16, 2023 from 10am to 7pm, and will bring fun, good fun, local businesses, and even education to their celebration. To keep up with this event, check out the Facebook page.
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