June 2021
With the return of Symphony Sunday and FestivALL, Charleston is moving even more quickly toward normal. Vaccinated folks do not have to wear masks, which is a really good thing with the heat of summer! Live music has made its return with several outdoor venues open for concerts. A new event, “East End Revival Concert Series”, to be held at the Red Carpet Lounge, will begin Saturday, July 10. That is just one day after “Live on the Levee” makes its season debut at Haddad Riverfront Park. Due to its late start, “Live on the Levee” will continue weekly on Fridays until Oct. 1.
Although June is “Pride Month” and the parade took place on June 10, the ballgame at Appalachian Power Park was rained out and has been rescheduled for July 5. City swimming pools and splash pads plan to open July 1. A series of drive-in movie nights at the Patrick Street Big Lots parking lot will feature family films. The selection for July 7 is “Moana”. The movies will begin at 9pm, with parking starting at 7:30pm, until the lot is full.
FestivALL 2021 winds down in July with a pop-up putt putt course in the downtown area. You may pick up putters and balls at Taylor Books, Adelphia, Art Emporium, or Tony the Tailor. The last FestivALL event is the continuing Summer Art Fair, every weekend at Capitol Market until mid-July.
For the time being, “Mountain Stage” is still performing at a 25% capacity audience, so the show scheduled for July 25 is already sold out. Hopefully, the show will open to full capacity before much longer.
The “Appalachian Children’s Chorus” is offering its annual Fine Arts summer camp for kids from 3rd to 8th grade the end of the month. It is a wonderful opportunity for students interested in music to expand their world. It is $75 for the week, but financial aid is available for those who qualify.
Another event for children is the appearance of Blippi. This entertainer/educator has appeared on YouTube, Hulu, and Amazon. Blippi’s first tour is bringing the fun and antics of his adventures to the stage in an inter-active, family friendly show at the Municipal Auditorium on July 22.
At the Charleston Coliseum and Convention Center (CC&CC), a televised live, winner-take-all basketball tournament will come to town. The West Virginia University alumni team, the Best Virginia, will play Marshall University’s alumni team, Herd That. Die hard Mountaineer and Thundering Herd fans will have a blast!
As summer heats up and families can finally get outdoors and travel, Charley West is the Best place to be!
