Although the tourism center’s schedule doesn’t officially start until May, events have already been planned through Dec. 2010. As usual, several Fort Randolph activities are scheduled as well as the many traditional parades.
As of press time, the boat tours will not be returning for the 2010 tourism year. However, the Belle of Cincinnati will come through town in August. Kicking off the 2010 schedule will be the West Virginia State Farm Museum’s Spring Antique Gas and Steam Engine Show, which is slated for May 1 and 2. The event will feature a working saw mill, display of small engines and antique tractors as well as historic buildings and displays. There also will be church services and a gospel sing.
The annual Siege of Fort Randolph also will take place in May. The event is set for May 14-16, and will feature the 10th historical re-enactment and commemoration of the murder of Chief Cornstalk and the ensuing Siege of 1778. There will be demonstrations and fort tours during the event as well. On Friday, May 14, several school tours will be given at the fort. Wrapping up May’s events will be the Memorial Day Parade and service on May 29. The Memorial Day service will be held with a display of crosses with flags and wreaths. The Mason County Post 2 Amvets and the Ladies Auxiliary will host the events.
Kicking off June’s activities will be the Woodland Indian Gathering, slated for June 4-5 at Fort Randolph. During the event, the fort will host native re-enactors who will entertain with presentations, portrayals and demonstrations. Workshops also will be held on proper clothing of the period and life skills of Native Americans in the region.
Also taking place on June 5 is the Bend Area C.A.R.E. 20th Annual Budweiser Catfish Tournament. The fishing tournament will take place in the Town of Mason at the Lottie Jenks Memorial Park. According to tournament organizers, the event is one of the largest catfish tournaments east of the Mississippi River. In addition, the tournament is vital to the community as 70-80 percent of the event’s proceeds goes toward to “Kids for Christmas” program, which benefits local families during the holiday season. June 5 will be busy with the farm museum’s Antique Tractor Pull as well. There are several tractor pulls scheduled for the 2010 tourism season.
The month of July will get off to a patriotic start with the 20th Annual Point Pleasant Sternwheel Regatta. The Regatta will take place July 1-3 at various locations in town, including the Point Pleasant Riverfront Park, Tu-Endie-Wei State Park and Main St. Several activities for children will be featured along with a parade and various entertainment. In addition, a new Regatta Queen and River Princess will be crowned.
Fort Randolph will celebrate the country’s independence as well with the Liberty! event on July 3. Liberty! will feature re-enactments that enable guests to stand guard against British tyranny on the frontier or to quietly express views on their loyalty to the crown. The fort also will cap of July’s events with the Longhunters and Landgrabbers event, which is scheduled for Aug. 31.
The Belle of Cincinnati will return to the area in August with a dinner cruise. The event will be hosted by the Point Pleasant River Museum. Those taking part in the dinner cruise, slated for Aug. 3, will experience an evening on the Ohio River and there will be entertainment, good food and dancing. On Aug. 7 the Mason County Fair Parade will take place in Point Pleasant followed by the 49th Annual Mason County Fair, which is set for Aug. 9-14. A tractor pull also is slated for Aug. 10 at the farm museum.
On Aug. 21, the seventh Point Pleasant Annual Rodders Car Show will take place at Krodel Park; in the event of rain, the show will be moved to Main St. The car show will feature old, used, rebuilt, customized, modified and brand new, redesigned cars and trucks. The fort’s Militia Muster, scheduled for Aug. 28, will close out August’s events.
September will be a busy month for tourism as several activities are scheduled. On Sept. 3-4 the Tribute to the River National Maritime Days Celebration will take place. The event, which is hosted by the river museum, will feature several sternwheel boats, a sternwheel boat parade, entertainment and dancing. An antique tractor pull also will take place on Sept. 4 at the farm museum.
The Third Annual Fall Gospel Jubilee, slated for Sept. 5-6 at the farm museum, is another activity filled event for September. Bend Area C.A.R.E. will host another catfish tournament in September as well. The 11th Annual Fall Catfish Tournament, slated for Sept. 18, will be used to raise fund’s for C.A.R.E.’s “Kids for Christmas” program.
Capping off the month of September will be a tribute to the area’s legendary Mothman as the Ninth Annual Mothman Festival is slated for Sept. 18-19. The festival will feature a variety of guest speakers, paranormal topics, vendors, Mothman hayrides and the third annual Mothman Festival Pageant. The festival will take place at the riverfront park, Main St. and the farm museum.
October will be just as busy as September with several events on tap, including the Battle Days festival, slated for Oct. 1-3. Battle Days serves as a commemoration and memorial of the Battle of Point Pleasant, and will feature demonstrations, a lantern tour of historical re-enactors and a parade. Also taking place Oct. 2-3 is the farm museum’s Country Fall Festival. The festival will have many activities such as a gas and steam engine show, working saw mill and the CEOS quilt show. Popular favorites of homemade apple butter and apple cider will be made during the event as well.
Fort Randolph’s Harvest Fest and All Hallows Eve will take place on Oct. 29-30. Like other fort events, Harvest Fest and All Hallows Eve will feature several re-enactors as well as demonstrations of 18th Century seminars and life skills. The Veterans Day Parade and Fifth Annual Celebration of Freedom will kick off November’s events. The parade, slated for Nov. 11, will take place on Main St.
The holiday season will arrive to the area once again with the Holiday Parade, scheduled for Nov. 19. The parade will kick-off Krodel Park’s Christmas Fantasy Light Show, which will run through Dec. 31. The month of December will feature other holiday events including Fort Randolph’s Christmas on the Frontier, which is set for Dec. 4. The Town of New Haven and the Town of Mason’s Christmas parades also will take place on Dec. 4.
Closing out the 2010 tourism year will be the farm museum’s Holiday Light Festival on Dec. 10-20 and the Henderson Christmas parade and events, scheduled for Dec.18 and 19.
For a complete schedule of events, visit www.masoncountytourism.org or call the tourism center at 304-675-6788.
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