Buckhannon Riverfest is Going Virtual — August 17-22
West Virginia Rivers Coalition, City of Buckhannon, and Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance are hosting the 4th Annual Buckhannon Riverfest. In light of the ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic, Buckhannon Riverfest is going virtual!
Fun and educational activities will take place online the throughout the week of August 17-22. Register here to receive links to the daily events. “Door prizes” will be awarded to one participant of each activity! “Door prizes” include gift certificates to Fish Hawk Acres, Sam’s Pizza, CJ Maggies, Stone Tower Brews, and Dough-Re-Mi!
This year’s Riverfest is being held in memory of April Pierson-Keating, the event’s founder, who sadly passed away last year after a long battle with breast cancer. All week long we’re hosting a Photo Scavenger Hunt and you can enter as either a youth or adult! The youth winner will receive a family kayak package with Day Trippin Adventures. The adult winner will receive two couples kayak trips to be used together or separately. The overall winner of the Photo Scavenger Hunt will be crowned the 2020 April Pierson-Keating Water Warrior and receive the grand prize, an all day kayak excursion for up to 10 people with a picnic lunch!
Buckhannon Riverfest is a fun and engaging way for you to learn about drinking water protection and local efforts to protect public drinking water supplies and our beloved Buckhannon River.
Schedule of Events
Register here to join the events.
Monday, August 17, 12pm: We’ll kick things off with a welcome and an honoring of our water with Elaine Tanner of Friends for Environmental Justice. April’s son, Pierson Keating, will perform “This is My WV” written by his grandmother!
Tuesday, August 18, 12pm: This event features 30 minutes of yoga with Sheray of Wild Vinyasa Yoga, followed by a kid’s water activity with Leah of Mom’s Clean Airforce and Storytime with Callie at the Gibson Library. Pierson Keating will then round out the day’s activities by playing some music.
Wednesday, August 19, 12pm: Have you ever wondered how your drinking water is treated? Watch a virtual tour of Harley A. Brown Memorial Water Plant to learn what is involved in drinking water treatment from the river to your tap. Following the tour, Dixie Green, the City’s Horticulturist, will provide an overview of the City’s sustainable gardens and flowers initiative and how their gardening techniques protect drinking water.
Thursday, August 20, 12pm: Meet the groups working to protect, conserve and restore the Buckhannon River! We’ll hear from WV Department of Environmental Protection, Mountain Lakes Preservation Alliance, Buckhannon River Watershed Association, WV Rivers, Mom’s Clean Air Force, Sierra Club, WV Highlands Conservancy, and WV Environmental Council. Upshur County Convention and Visitors Bureau will explain how clean water benefits the community. Following introductions, you’ll have an opportunity to ask these individuals questions about water quality.
Thursday, August 20, 4PM: Join April Pierson Keating’s talented son, Pierson Keating for late afternoon performance. Primarily a pianist, Pierson Keating has been in love with the piano since the age of eight. Pierson is now a resident of Los Angeles California, where he is currently in the pre-production stage of his very first full-length album of original songs, written over a 9-year period, chronicling the trials of displacement, delusions, and detours. You can find him on facebook.com/PiersonKeatingMusic, Instagram @PiersonKeating, or piersonkeatingpiano.com.
Friday, Autumn 21, 4pm: Join us for Riverfest Happy Hour! Featuring live music by Emay, Carrie and Michael Kline, and Seth Maynard.
Saturday, August 22, 12pm: During the closing ceremony we will announce the winner of the 2020 April Pierson-Keating Water Warrior Award and have an interfaith water blessing.
“Door prizes” will be awarded to one participant of each daily activity! “Door prizes” include gift certificates to Fish Hawk Acres, Sam’s Pizza, CJ Maggies, Stone Tower Brews, and Dough-Re-Mi!
