ROWLESBURG — Live music, bounce houses for children and a vendor village where local crafts and artisan items were sold were all part of Saturday’s festivities in Rowlesburg.
People were lined up buying tickets for roast beef sandwiches, fries, hot dogs, hamburgers and more.
One of the vendors set up at the event was local Tunnelton author Thomas Williams. He has been writing for 25 years and is the author of six novels: “Into the Mountains,” “Greenbriar: Valley of Hope,” “Backbone Mountain,” “Black Water,” “Bones in the Woods” and “Buried Face Down.” His first book, “Into the Mountains,” is a historic novel, the other five are mysteries. He said he wrote his first novel while still a professor at West Virginia University and the other five after he retired.
Denese Yeager, of Morgantown, said she has been coming to the ox roast for at least six years.
“I’ve been coming as often as I can once I found out about it,” she said. “It’s a wonderful town just like the one I grew up in — Frostburg, Md. I come for the whole atmosphere and to celebrate Labor Day.”
Joe Wilhelm, of Kingwood, said he comes for the roast beef every year.
“I’ve been coming to the ox roast for at least 10 years,” Gloria Waybright said. “I was living in Pasadena, near Baltimore, but I moved back to Rowlesburg when I retired. I enjoy everything about it — the food, the music the vendors.”
Carolyn Baumgarden is also an all-around fan.
“I’ve been coming since the beginning. I lived in Rowlesburg and now in Kingwood. I come for everything, but the food is my favorite. I just enjoy being here. It’s nice.”
