Your end-of-August weekend guide

August is slipping away, but there’s still some excitement left to catch in Southern WV!

Spend your sunny weekends at jazzy music festivals, art displays and Appalachian celebrations!

The sound of soul

Listen to award-winning funk by Biscuit Miller & The Mix and other favorites at the Bluefield Blues Festival. Other bands include One Eyed Jack, the Jamal Millner Trio and the Tommy Cox Band. Come early in the day for the Bluefield Lemonade Festival, too! If the weather gets hotter than 90 degrees, the town will make free citrusy drinks!

Block parties, Appalachian style

For 8 days, join Oak Hill for live music, pageants, nocturnal bowling and fireworks at the Oak Leaf Festival. Hear coastal tunes by Beach Nite Band and acoustic bluegrass by Joseph Hott and the Short Mountain Boys!

Mix n’ match your way through crafts, live music and local delicacies at the Beckley Appalachian Festival. More than 100 artists will show off their talent at the 52nd Appalachian Arts and Crafts Fair. You also can find live entertainment, quilts, tasty meals and shows.  And over at Tamarack, the “Best of West Virginia” art gallery, Marty Schaerer will demonstrate how to make jewelry.

Visit Poets’ Cafe at Cynthia Bickey Art Gallery for an evening of music, songs and poems.  Lost Cannon Bluegrass Band and Shane Ingram & Friends, a folk and bluegrass group, will make the night festive.

Hankering for lovin’ spoonfuls of comfort food? Get some Appalachian flavor at Taste of Beckley! Local restaurants will fill your plate at this casual outdoor block party.

While you’re in the area, head underground for a tour at Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine. A veteran miner will cart you deep under the earth and share fascinating stories. Kids can also create their own Appalachian craft at the Youth Museum of Southern West Virginia, right on the surface.

For another West Virginia experience, check out the Summersville Lake Lighthouse Festival. The Mountain State’s only nautical beacon hails all sorts of entertainment Aug. 27. Listen to eclectic Appalachian music by the Lickety Split Band or rock to groovy classics by tribute artist Rudy Elvis. You won’t believe how much he resembles The King!

Browse rows of gleaming autos at the Classic Car Show, and vote for your favorite entry! Trophies and prizes go for Best Classic, People’s Choice and more. You can also adopt a cat or dog or enter a corn hole competition. Who knows, you and your buddies could scoop up $100!

Make your day complete with a spectacular tour of the lighthouse. For $5, you can climb the former wind turbine and walk its circular deck. Have you ever seen Summersville Lake from 104 feet above the ground? It’s worth the stair climb, trust us.

How are you going to spend your weekend in Southern West Virginia?