West Virginia 250 was a celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. While the national America250 initiative is taking place across the country, West Virginia has organized its own, combining history, tourism, entertainment, education and community events.



This year's signature event was a four-day Capital City Celebration held July 2–5 at the West Virginia State Capitol Complex. The free festival featured: The America250 Wheel, a 230-foot Ferris wheel with free rides; concerts, including Alabama and The Marshall Tucker Band; nightly projection mapping and light shows on the Capitol dome; fireworks and, of course, food:





Coal River Mercantile
I wanted a pepperoni roll here, but they were out! So I settled for a pig in a blanket.

Mayhem Nutrition
OBB (The Official Beverage Bar)
Sugar Shanty
Stephens Cotton Candy Lemonade
BG’Z Taco
Boat Bites
Just Drinks





Sip N Sodie
I did an Italian soda with watermelon here. So, light, refreshing and a tad sweet.

MR Poppins Kettle Corn
Kustom Kremes
Bee Refreshed
Oishii Hibachi





Caffeine and Chaos
This was my first stop, and I went with a Sprite and raspberry soda with cream on top. I think I just really like a fruity Sprite.

Cool Beans
Mystic Ice (Mountain Manna)
Quantum Loaded Tea/Lemonade
Lucky Lemon
Getting Piggy With It
Little Jimmy’s Italian Ice





Thai Town

Zuls
Wicked Eats

The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta is a summer festival held annually along the Kanawha River at Haddad Riverfront Park and the surrounding downtown area. The four-day celebration combines live music, family entertainment, food, carnival rides, river heritage, and community events. After running continuously from 1971 through 2008, the Regatta was revived in 2022 and has quickly reestablished itself as a marquee event for the region.



The festival traces its roots to the city's connection with the Kanawha River and the iconic sternwheel boats that once dominated river transportation. While sternwheel boat races were once the centerpiece, today's event has evolved into a broader celebration featuring riverboat rides, national concert headliners, fireworks, drone shows, a carnival, car shows, family activities, artisan and food vendors, and special themed events throughout downtown. The event remains free to attend, making it accessible to residents and visitors alike.

Each year, Haddad Riverfront Park becomes the heart of the festival. Recent editions have featured nationally recognized performers spanning country, rock, pop, and hip-hop. In 2026, headliners included performers such as Wynonna Judd, Melissa Etheridge, Bret Michaels, Montell Jordan, Bow Wow, Bobby Brown, Vertical Horizon, Tonic, drawing large crowds throughout the holiday weekend.

There's also a good bit of food vendors, which is my favorite part to check out:

A Family Affair
Bandit BBQ
Baskin Robbins
Bayou Classics
Big Marv’s
C&L Concessions
Carol’s Soul to Soul







Cecil’s Hot Dogs
I stopped here because I've never had food from Uncle Cecil's! I ordered a hot dog with slaw and onion, simply because it was too hot for chili.

CNC Concessions
Coal Miner’s Diner
Fliehman’s Concessions
Fresco’s
Hillbilly Ears
Holy O’s
JoJo’s Tacos
Just Drinks
Kona Ice
M R Poppins Kettle Corn
Nelita Cocina





Rt. 66 Diner
I needed a drink to go with my hot dog, so I stopped here to order their strawberry shake-up. It's like a strawberry lemonade, minus the lemon part.

Scooby’s Icy Treats
Shawarma Zone
Sherry’s Concessions
Sweet as Hale
Triple B Eatery
Wild N’ Wonderful Rolls
Zul’s Frozen Lemonade

The Greene Center is a nonprofit community center located at 10494 Charleston Road in Kenna, West Virginia. While it’s best known for hosting community events throughout the year, it has also become home to one of the area’s most popular seasonal farmers markets. The Greene Center Farmer's Market operates every Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon during the growing season, through October. You’ll typically find: Fresh fruits and vegetables from local growers, honey, eggs, meats, jams, and jellies, crafts and artisan products and baked goods. Vendors have included: Whimsy & Willows Market, Plane & Fancy Woodworking, Auntie Di's Emporium, RADA Cutlery, Wonderfully Made Fresh Bread, Kelly's Fresh Produce, David's Fresh Produce, Woodhaven Farm, Mil-Bea Goats, Hope Hill Family Farm, Your Secret Baker and Nichols Heritage Farm. Vendors seem to change up and occassionally they have had food trucks. But there's usually only 5-6 each Saturday. It’s a nice stop if you’re traveling along I-77 or looking for a Saturday morning outing that’s less crowded than larger markets. Have you been?

The fifth annual All Fired Up! was held at Capitol Market on Friday, helping kick off the Charleston Sternwheel Regatta.

Six teen chefs cooked their best backyard BBQ for a chance to win one of four awards: People's Choice, Best Use of Market Ingredients, Most Creative and Best Overall. Each kid-led team receives a $100 Capitol Market gift card to shop the Market before preparing a meal on-site for a panel of local celebrity judges. I was lucky to be among them. ROBERT SCHMID
Fried green tomato with pimento cheese, fresh local salad, pork with bacon jam, potato with cheese, veggie skewer & grilled peaches, berries and whipped cream - plus a refreshing drink LILLIANA ROBINSON
Mardi Gras-themed gumbo, cheesy crawfish bread, beignets and praline ice cream, and a Sprite drink. DAMIAN BLANKENSHIP
Blackened catfish, three-cheese mac & cheese, green beans cooked in bacon and onion, and spiced peaches with a honey drizzle. JAXEN DANIEL
Cheeseburger with caramlized onions, sweet corn on the cob, watermelon with balsamic drizzle and grilled peaches with whipped cream. Plus lemonade. ASPEN PIKE
Filet mignon, pesto tortellini, stuffed cheese peppers, caprese salad and cake with macerated berries. GIRL SCOUT TROOP 4847
Grilled chicken rainbow salad with peppers, carrots, red onion, purple cabbage, tomato, cucumber, blueberries and cheese. Plus grilled peaches and a lemomade. WINNERS:
Robert Schmid - Best Overall
Robert Schmid - People’s Choice
Lilliana Robinson - Most Creative
Jaxon Daniel - Best Use of Market Ingredients

I had been hearing great things about Nikki's Bar and Grill, so I had to check it out the first chance I got.



I ordered a pepperoni roll with housemade marinara, as well as buffalo chicken dip.



The peppperoni roll is shareable size, hearty and generously filled. The dough bakes up with a crisp crust that’s soft inside, while the roll is packed with plenty of pepperoni and melted cheese. Served alongside house-made marinara, it is a solid choice.

The buffalo chicken dip is rich, creamy, and loaded with shredded chicken. It carries enough buffalo heat to keep it interesting. Good.



Grade: B