MORGANTOWN — Gov. Jim Justice revisited on Thursday his plan to spread $1,347,000 from his Governor’s Contingency Fund among the state’s 329 fairs and festivals – this time accompanied by grateful remarks from fair and festival leaders form across the state.
Justice opened by saying he’s gotten feedback from people who say how important fairs and festivals are, and he knows that. “They’re our fabric of our state, they’re our identity in so many ways. … We’re on the verge of losing a goodly percentage.”
Shutting down the fairs because of COVID-19, he said, may close up to half of them for good, he said.
By losing them, he said, “You’re cutting out our being, you’re cutting out our purpose of us in so many ways. … Any frog that isn’t proud of his own pond isn’t much of a frog.”
His $1.347 million, he said, matches the Fiscal Year 2021 appropriation from the Legislature. It won’t cover all the losses but it may bridge them over.
In addition, he said, the West Virginia State Fair will get a separate $300,000 from COVID money. A later press release put the total awarded at $1,566,388; the discrepancy between that and the numbers Justice announced wasn’t explained.
Randall Reid-Smith, curator of the Department of Arts, Culture and History, opened the round of praise and thanks, commenting on the department reorganization that took place two years ago and is saving an annual $2.6 million. Valuing the arts has garnered widespread attention, he said. “The nation looks at us and what we’re doing.”
Kelly Collins, CEO of The State Fair of West Virginia and president of the West Virginia Fairs and Festivals Association, said, “We know that our fairs and festivals are so important to the state of West Virginia.” Artisans, vendors, hotels and local nonprofits that use them for fundraisers all benefit. “Our fairs and festivals are a direct representation of our culture.”
Buckwheat Festival chairman Buddy Turner said the festival was founded in 1938 and this would have been the 79th. The theme was to be Preston County Proud.
“We have a lot of pride in our history,” he said. “We have a lot of pride in our buckwheat and our cakes we serve each year.”
The festival permeates the whole community and ties it together, he said, and the cancellation affected whole community. But they’re undaunted. “We’re getting ready for next year’s festival.”
Justice wrapped up by saying he’ll be announcing another set of grants on Tuesday: for 52 fairs under Preservation West Virginia, totaling $491,921, and 11 arts line items receiving $719,460.
“we’re trying to prop up as best as we possibly can what has happened to us in this terrible COVID,” he said.
Local fairs and festivals
Here are fairs in festivals in Monongalia, Preston and Marion Counties that receive legislative appropriations that will be matched by Justice.
Monongalia: Battelle District Fair, $2,970; Celebration of America, $3,564; Clay District Fair, $1,080; MountainFest, $11,881; Patty Fest, $1,188.
Preston: Arthurdale Heritage New Deal Festival, $2,970; Brandonville Heritage Day, $1,048; Bruceton Mills Good Neighbor Days, $1,188; Buckwheat Festival, $5,050; Farm Safety Day, $1,188; Kingwood Downtown Street Fair and Heritage Days, $1,188; Lady of Agriculture, $684; McGrew House History Day, $1,188; River City Festival, $684; Rowlesburg Labor Day Festival, $684; Valley District Fair, $2,079; West Virginia Chestnut Festival, $684.
Marion: Christmas in Our Town, $3,127; Fairview 4th of July Celebration, $684; Johnnie Johnson Blues & Jazz Festival, $2,970; Mannington District Fair, $3,564; Marion County FFA Farm Fest, $1,485; Monongahfest, $3,752; Paw Paw District Fair, $2,079; Three Rivers Coal Festival, $4,604; Rivesville 4th of July Festival, $3,127.
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