The Convention Fans Blog

West Virginia is not really a place you think of when making convention and nerd event plans, but there are a few events that take place in this state every year that might interest you. In fact a lot of them happen over the next two months. Here are list a geeky events I have been able to come across in the Mountain States.

Culturefest – September 8-11, 2011
The Appalachian South Folklife Center in Pipestem

Outdoor festival featuring world music, dances, workshops, artisan vendors, belly dancing, drum circles, a kids’ village, healing arts, camping, community art projects, a parade, open mic, yoga, and after hours cabaret. Some of the performers include Shakira Al Fanninah and Firelight (belly dance), Captain Lazerblast Band (techno folk), Chally Erb (dance and movement theater), Samadhi Tribal Fusion (belly dance), and Liberty High School World Percussion Ensemble.

Mothman Festival – September 16-18
Downtown Point Pleasant

The Mothman Festival is celebrating it’s 10th Anniversary of commemorating WV’s favorite cryptiod (sorry Flatwoods Monster). Events include screenings of Eyes of the Mothman and Mothman Prophecies at the State Theater, tram tour of downtown Point Pleasant, hayride through the TNT area, the Miss Mothman Pagent, and live music from a number of bands. Guests speakers will include: Chad Lambert, creator of Mothman Comics; Alvin Caviness, UFO investigator, Caviness Report; Andy Colvin, author of Mothman Photographer; Susan Shephard, author and ghost hunter; Rosemary Guiley, author and investigator; and Tom Ury, Mothman eyewitness.

Big Drum – September 16-18
Alderwood Event Campground in Chloe

If you’re gonna drum, drum big. West Virginia’s only drumming festival in it’s 2nd year. There will be live music by Jeff Bujak, Stone Soup, LVZ, and Le Cabaret du Chat Mystique. Performances and workshops by Samadhi Tribal Fusion Bellydance and Wild Sapphire, hooping with Danielle Williams, fire performances by ‘Born on Fire’, drum circles and drumming workshops with Eduardo Canelon of Comparsa, Jacques Franschini, Bob Myers, and Dave Bragg. Only 600 tickets are available starting at $40 for the weekend. Tickets include all workshops and shows as well as camping.

Guardian of the Seasons – September 18 Noon-6pm
Joplin Park in Charleston

An open event for the LARP/performance group Epic Adventures first ever event. Events will include tournaments, quests, a fest with a cooking contest, and roleplaying. Awards and gift giving will be part of the event.

Siege of Glengary – September 23-25
Jefferson County Fairgrounds in Kearneysville

Society for Creative Anachronism (SCA) event where Atlantia will once again lay siege to the Shire of Sylvan Glen. There will be a feast, merchants, arts and crafts competitions and classes, children’s activities, archery, fencing, battles with siege engines, art and sciences competition, brewing competition, and combat.

Jedicon WV – October 1
Kruger Street Toy and Train Museum in Wheeling

Little Star Wars con up North. Not much information is up about this year on the website, but if it is like year’s past you can expect vendors, door prizes, trivia contest, kids workshop on making their own Droid, charity auction, appearances by John Booth author of “Collect All 21! Memoirs of a Star Wars Geek,” Ken Simmons principal photographer for Kenner packaging and publicity images, Jon Seay animator on the original Star Wars movie, and various Star Wars fan groups.

October Sky Festival – October 1
Clubhouse on Coalwood Main in Coalwood

Annual festival about the men from the book Rocket Boys/movie October Sky organized by the members of the Cape Coalwood Restoration Association. . Events for it include a parade, autographs with Homer Hickam and the Rocket Boys (they will be selling Homer’s book there), representatives from NASA and Space Camp USA sometimes with astronauts, booths with food and souvenirs, speeches by dignitaries, live music, lunch, and model rocket launches.

Wheeling Regional Pre-Modern Symposium – October 1 9am-6pm
West Liberty University in Wheeling

An event of the West Liberty University’s History Club is an innovative fusion of academe and popular interest in pre-modern periods into an interdisciplinary conference ranging from the Renaissance back to Antiquity with a focus on “performance.” They are promoting engagement with the material culture, history, literature, and art of the Middle Ages and Renaissance across geographic, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries. Several different medievalist groups have been invited with great emphasis on the SCA.

Events include: heavy weapons tourney, rapier tourney, archery shoots, thrown weapons, keynote speaker Carol Symes O(scholar and professor of history and medieval studies), merchants, workshops in period arts and craft, scholarly panels and presentations, performers, living history groups, and a medieval fest.

Tsubasacon – October 7-9
Riverfront Ballroom and Conference Center in Huntington

WV’s premiere anime convention returns for it’s 8th year. Guest for this year include VAs Robert McCollum, Leah Clark, Chris Cason, and Robert Axlerod; webcomic creators Gina Biggs and Kittyhawk, band Year 200X, and Game Show Host Greg Wicker. There will be: a formal ball and a mystery dinner along with plenty of game shows, a maid cafe, and the usual anime con events of panels, cosplay contest, AMV contest, video rooms, and rave.

CharCon/Hack3rcon – October 21-23
Charleston House Hotel in Chareston

WV’s largest table top gaming event; in additional to a computer security conference/LAN event. They are having a Wild West/Steampunk theme this year. Event submission and pre-reg is up for this year. Know events are CharCon’s Premier Board Game Tournament, a Dungeon Crawl Tournament, a flea market on Sunday, various RPGs, Flames of War tournament, a math trade, giant raffle, CCG tournaments, and a board game library. Hack3rcon will have panels on computer security and other related topics plus their own games.

Rising Star 20 – October 21-22
Harris Jefferson Student Center at Bluefield Stage College in Bluefield

WV’s only Sci-fi con celebrates a number of anniversaries this year. The 5^th year they have been at Bluefield State, 20th year of the con, 25th year of the parent sponsor group USS Yeager, and the 45^th anniversary of the first airing of Star Trek. Guests for the year are Andrew Fox (author), Micheal Day (film maker), Ashley Holohan (Furry artist), White Plectrum (filker), Dan Delby (comic creator), Linda Smith (Fan Guest), Peg Fisher (artist/author), Studio Unseen (webcomics), Black Diamond Paranormal Society, BSC Robotics Team, Abingdom Historical Combat, C. R. Ward (author), TWF Studios (fan films), Paul Dellinger (author and journalist), and fan groups the 501^st, USS Yeager, USS Dakota, USS Heimdal, and Starfleet Marines. Events list are electronic gaming, charity auction, art show, displays, films fest, costume call, panels, workshops, and more.

Bunker Hill Train Club Show – October 22
Ranson Civic Center in Ranson

Largest Train Show in the area by the Bunker Hill Train Club with over 60 vendors with 156 tables and over 500 attendees. The Western Maryland Railway Historical Society HO Scale Modular Group will be celebrating 20 years of being part of the model railroad community with a display at the show. A kids area will be set up with a Thomas the Tank Engine display. Displays of model trains, tin plate, railroad memorabilia, tools and scenery supplies will out.

JackOLan – October 22 4pm-12am
412 Spring Street Saint Albans WV 25177

A night of gaming, food, and partying. Games planned include Counter Strike, Team Fortress 2 and Trackmania. Prepay $8 Pay at door $10 Limited seats available. Check the website for availability

Chottocon – October 29-30
Bethany College in Bethany

An anime convention that is suppose to take place at a college, but I do not think that it is going to happen. Or if it does, will be really bad. Of course they could pull something out and actually do a good con.