Elkins WV & Beyond with the Calkins

09/21/2026

So we headed over to the town next to us & stumbled upon the coolest little toy/trinket shop in downtown Buckhannon WV. Definitely worth checking out!
Appalachian Charm is such a neat place to check out, have you been inside yet?

09/20/2026

How exciting! We can stream Coronation of the Mountain State Forest Festival mark your calendar & here is the link!

👑🍂 WATCH THE TRADITION LIVE! 🍂👑

One of the most treasured traditions of the 88th Mountain State Forest Festival is coming to you LIVE!

Join us Friday, October 2 for the Coronation of Queen Silvia L###VIII and experience the tradition, pageantry, pomp and circumstance as Maid Silvia L###VIII Emma Grace Snyder is crowned Queen Silvia.

🎶 Pre-Coronation Music — 1:00 PM
👑 Coronation — 2:00 PM

Whether you’re joining us in Elkins or watching from miles away, you can be part of this special Forest Festival tradition through the official livestream.

📱 Scan the QR code on the graphic to visit the livestream and get notified when we go live, or watch here:

Watch the Coronation Livestream on YouTube⁠
https://www.youtube.com/live/aGMnGxWiVjI?si=jcR87JacyLeJ-Pg1

🍁 Tradition. Pageantry. A moment generations have shared.
We hope you’ll join us as another chapter of Mountain State Forest Festival history is written.

🎥 Livestream produced by Kolsun Media

09/20/2026

🍂 WHAT’S HAPPENING THIS WEEK IN ELKINS & RANDOLPH COUNTY? 🍂

September 21–27

It’s a BIG week around here! The 88th Mountain State Forest Festival kicks off Saturday, and there are plenty of other activities happening throughout our communities!

Here’s what’s coming up this week! 👇

🎨 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22

• Open Paint Night at El Toro Steakhouse with Grace & Grain – 6–8 PM

🎤 WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

• Karaoke at Jimbo’s Place – 8:30–10:30 PM

🌲 THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24

• Women in the Timber Industry Exhibit at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center – 9:30 AM–4:30 PM

• Software Class at Elkins Sewing Center – 10 AM–Noon

• New Tygart Flyer Scenic Train Excursion – 11 AM–3:30 PM

• Gandy Dancer Premier Dinner Show – 6–9 PM

🏁 FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 25

• Sewing 101 at Elkins Sewing Center – 10 AM–1 PM

• Gandy Dancer Musical Legends – 6–9 PM

• Latin Night at El Toro Steakhouse – 9–11:30 PM

🍁 SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

THE MOUNTAIN STATE FOREST FESTIVAL BEGINS!

• Elkins Farmers Market at Town Square – 8 AM–Noon

• Valley Head Community Days Fall Celebration at the Valley Head Fire Department – 9 AM–5 PM

• Forest Festival Official Opening Ceremony

• Highland Dance Competition at Davis & Elkins College – Beginning at 9 AM

• Forest Festival Bass Fishing Classic

• Irish Road Bowling – 1:30 PM

• Forest Festival Co****le Tournament

• Discovery Time for Kids at the Appalachian Forest Discovery Center – 1–4 PM

• Planetarium Shows at Davis & Elkins College – 3 PM and 5 PM

• Live Music with Kenny West at Big Timber Brewing – 4–6 PM

• Forest Festival Kickoff Party & Chili Cook-Off on Davis Avenue, featuring live music by BonJourney! 4-7 PM

• Live on the Lawn with Clara + Olivia at the Beverly Heritage Center – 5:30–7:30 PM

• Gandy Dancer Premier Show – 6–9 PM

• The Mainline Show at the Railyard Event & Conference Center Downtown 7–9 PM

• Live Music with Tiffany & Joel at Oxley House – 7:30–10 PM

🌻 SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 27

FOREST FESTIVAL CHILDREN’S DAY!

• Forest Festival Pump N Run

• Forest Festival 10K Run and 5K Walk

• Kids Fun Run

• Parade of Children – “Paws, Wings and Autumn Things”

• Children’s Festival on Davis Avenue

• Planetarium Show at Davis & Elkins College – 1 PM

• Becky Buller & Ned Luberecki Bluegrass Workshops and Concert at the Old Brick Playhouse – 1–9 PM

• Jason Crabb Live in Concert at the Railyard Event & Conference Center – 6:30–8:30 PM

• Gandy Dancer Premier Dinner Show – 6–9 PM

🍂 WHAT DID WE MISS?

We want to help spread the word about everything happening in our communities!

If your church, school, organization, or local business has an event coming up this week, please share it in the comments!

And tell us, what are you most looking forward to at this year’s Mountain State Forest Festival?

09/19/2026

Have you tried Gingrollsandpancit!?! If not you’re missing out on some really delicious food! We heard she was set up in Belington today & had to make the drive over to get dinner & wow once again it was so tasty! 🤤 always a home run! recommended!

09/19/2026

👀 Well, look what I found, Elkins…

It looks like Toughman is coming BACK to Elkins, WV! 🥊

February 26–27, 2027 at the Phil Gainer Community Center.

It’s been several years since we’ve had Toughman here, and anybody who remembers those nights knows this used to be a BIG deal in Elkins.

I have a feeling there are going to be a whole lot of stories and memories when word of this gets around. 😂

Who remembers the old Toughman nights in Elkins?

09/19/2026

Let’s talk about in Downtown Elkins WV, wow what a cool
Store packed with such unique items!
Have you been inside? If so what’s the coolest thing you have ever seen there?

09/18/2026

🍂 Here it comes, West Virginia!

The 2026 Fall Foliage Forecast is out, and according to WV Tourism, our Elkins area is projected to start seeing fall color around the end of September into early October. 🍁

That means we really aren’t that far away from those mountains starting to change!

Every year it feels like you blink and suddenly everything is red, orange and gold.

What’s your favorite place around Elkins or Randolph County to see the fall colors?

09/18/2026

Those of us who’ve lived in these mountains for a while can already feel it coming… that little change in the air that tells you winter isn’t as far away as it seems. 🍂

When I first moved here, 12 years ago I didn’t get my firewood until November. I learned pretty quickly that November is NOT when you start getting ready for a West Virginia winter. 😂

We have a lot of new people in our community, so let’s help them out.

If someone was getting ready for their first winter in the mountains, what is ONE thing you would tell them to do NOW?

Firewood? Generator? Tires? Stocking up on something? Preparing the house?

What’s something you learned the hard way that might save somebody else some trouble this winter?

09/18/2026

I took a class at Pebble Pebble Nest Jewelry here in Elkins and made my very own Tree of Life necklace—and I had such a good time doing it!

I love finding these little experiences right here in our community that you might not even know are available.

Have you ever taken one of their classes? If not I highly recommend you do!