CHARLESTON, W.Va. – A high school marching band competition, a Halloween bash, and the 21st Annual Archaeology Day are among the West Virginia Division of Culture and History’s lineup of special events in October.
The following programs are free and open to the public:
Culture Center
West Virginia Marching Band Invitational: On Saturday, Oct. 19, marching bands from across the state will gather in Charleston for the 2nd annual West Virginia Marching Band Invitational. The competition begins at 10 a.m. at the University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field and will continue throughout the day. Bands will be judged on coordination and showmanship; marching and maneuvering; music; musical effect; percussion; drum major; color guard; majorette corps; and featured twirler.
Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex Lecture: On Tuesday, Oct. 1, David E. Rotenizer will present “An Introduction to the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex: A West Virginia Historic Site, Museum, and Research Center,” in the Archives and History Library in the Culture Center in Charleston. Rotenizer is Grave Creek Mound’s site manager. The program begins at 6 p.m.
Finding Hidden Ancestors: A Native American Perspective: On Thursday, Oct. 10, Jeanne Eppley, also known as Snow Flower and author of My Family Tells This Story, will present “Finding Hidden Ancestors: A Native American Perspective” in the Archives and History Library in the Culture Center in Charleston. The program begins at 6 p.m.
Haunted Halloween: On Tuesday, Oct. 29, children of all ages are invited to the Haunted Culture Center for an evening of seasonal games and story-telling, a costume contest, and more. The annual Halloween Bash is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Culture Center, State Capitol Complex, Charleston.
Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex
The 21st Annual Archaeology Day: Hands-on activities, special exhibits, stone tool manufacturing, pottery making, and spear throwing using an atlatl are just some of the activities scheduled from noon until 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 5, as part of Archaeology Day at Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex in Moundsville. Grave Creek Mound is one of the largest Adena Cultural burial mounds built between 250-150 B.C.
The First Floridians: At 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 24,James M. Adovasio, provost at Mercyhurst University and director of the Mercyhurst Archaeological Institute, will discuss“The First Floridians: Early Humans on the Submerged Gulf Coast of Florida” at the Grave Creek Mound Archaeological Complex.
For more information about any of these events, contact Caryn Gresham, deputy commissioner, at (304) 558-0220 or at caryn.s.gresham@wv.gov.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History is an agency within the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts with Kay Goodwin, Cabinet Secretary. The Division, led by Commissioner Randall Reid-Smith, brings together the past, present and future through programs and services focusing on archives and history, arts, historic preservation and museums. For more information about the Division’s programs, events and sites, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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Editor’s Note: Photographs and art are available upon request. Interviews with our guest speakers can be arranged using the following contact information:
David E. Rotenizer: (304) 843-4128 or David.E.Rotenizer@wv.gov
Jeanne Eppley: (614) 878-4920 or snowflowe@aol.com
James M. Adovasio: (814) 824-2545 or jadovasio@mercyhurst.edu
