ST. ALBANS, W.Va. — Friday, June 18, will be the opening day of the two-day 2021 YakFest along Olde Main Street in St. Albans — and it’s a pretty safe bet there’ll be dancing in the streets after its 2020 COVID-19-imposed absence.
Each day of this weekend’s YakFest will feature vendors, food and drink (including food trucks and a variety of craft beers) and live entertainment among the plenitude of Olde Main Plaza attractions. Friday’s events will take place from 4 to 10 p.m., while the Saturday schedule of events runs from 2 until 10 p.m.
Friday’s entertainment lineup includes:
- 4-5 p.m.: Robert Shafer and Robin Kessinger
- 5-6 p.m.: Darrin Hacquard
- 6-8 p.m.: Big Daddy Love
- 8-10 p.m.: The Davisson Brothers
On Saturday, June 19, YakFest performers will include:
- 2-3 p.m.: Anne Melton
- 3-4 p.m.: The Swivel Rockers
- 4-5 p.m.: Sonic Threshold
- 5-6 p.m.: Weary Space Wanderer
- 6-8 p.m.: Juicy
- 8-10 p.m.: Stratus.
According to the YakFest website, StepOutside.org rated the inaugural event as the #1 Outdoor Festival in West Virginia.
Along with the live music, YakFest features art, food, craft beers and numerous vendors highlighting kayaking, fishing and other recreational activities.
YakFest first was held in 2018, when the City of St. Albans partnered with the Coal River Group to create a complement to the annual Tour de Coal kayak river float, which will start for its 17th year on Saturday, June 18, at Meadowood Park in Tornado. The non-competitive float winds along 12 miles along the flatwater section of the Coal River from Tornado to St. Albans.
“We just love to see so many great people coming to St. Albans with boats in tow and ready to have a great time on a river we have almost completely cleaned up,” said Bill Currey, the Coal River Group’s co-founder and manager.
“The Tour De Coal has become a major symbol of success for the long years we worked to not just clean up but grow the local economy by repurposing an old, dirty river; several old pieces of land; and even an underused county park into something special,” Currey added. “The Tour de Coal is the way we celebrate our success.”
According to Currey, the Tour de Coal has become the second largest flatwater river event in the United States, attracting kayakers from more than 20 states.
“Can it get any better? We bring all these folks to Tornado to enjoy the beautiful, county-owned Meadowood Park, which we have helped restore and re-create. Then the folks paddle the long 12 miles and are greeted by hundreds of residents who also party and celebrate the clean rivers while other entrepreneurs are renting boats and selling sandwiches and drinks from the river banks.
“It’s the way things work if everyone joins together — like private citizens, cities, churches, government agencies — to bring new business for the existing businesses and help encourage others to create new businesses to serve the growing outdoor adventure market we have created,” Currey said.
To learn more about this year’s Tour de Coal and register for the float or volunteer for the event, visit www.coalrivergroup.com or call 304-722-3055 or 304-419-4417.
