May 2023
May is one of the best times to explore Charleston! The weather is perfect, the flowers are in bloom, and many of the restaurants have begun their “al fresco” dining. May is also a month of celebrations. Mother’s Day, high school and college graduations, and Memorial Day are great times to get together with family and friends.
GoMart Ballpark, formerly known as Appalachian Power Park, is home to the “Charleston Dirty Birds” and the season is coming into full swing. The facility has gone completely “cashless” for all purchases and will offer reloadable “cash cards” for the ballpark.
Another bit of sports news for Charleston is the announcement of a new minor league professional basketball team in Charleston, the “WV Grind”. The home venue will be the Walker Convocation Center at West Virginia State University. The team will be part of the Midwest Conference, making it the second-largest conference in the league.
Country Roads Tours, WV’s original tour company for the New River Gorge area, has begun offering hiking tours in downtown Charleston on the mornings of each Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Led by knowledgeable guides, the tours take under one hour to complete and are suitable for all ages. The tickets are $15 each and begin at 10:30am at 221 Hale St.
The beautifully remodeled Main branch of the Kanawha County Public Library continues to offer many activities and events for all ages. And these events are always FREE to the public. For a complete calendar of events, visit their website.
Fans of hard rock will enjoy a terrific concert at the Charleston Coliseum & Convention Center (CC&CC) on May 2. “Breaking Benjamin” appears, with special guest “Bush”, and “Another Day Dawns” as the opening act.
The Clay Center will be the venue for two musical performances this month, on May 11 & 12. Grammy Award winning singer Keb’ Mo’ comes to Charleston celebrating nearly 50 years of singing the blues on Thursday, the 11th. Then, on the next evening, the “Sound Checks” concert features Marielle Kraft, an up & coming indie pop singer/songwriter, from Philadelphia and now in Nashville.
The WV Culture Center is the site for one “Mountain Stage” concert this month, and at this point, it is completely SOLDOUT. Two days later, also at the Culture Center, pianist Barbara Nissman performs another concert FREE to the public, thus completing the 3-part “Music Classic” concert series, which began in February.
Capitol Market is an absolutely beautiful place to enjoy Mother’s Day. With the Market in celebration mode all weekend long, everyone can enjoy a great meal, shopping for plants and flowers, and finish off the visit with ice cream!
During Memorial Day Weekend, on the grounds of the WV State Capitol, the annual “Vandalia Gathering” takes place. This is a celebration of WV culture, with musical competitions, storytelling, dancing, crafts, and food.
With springtime literally in full bloom, Charleston is the perfect place for a vacation, long weekend, or really fun day trip!
