Super Heroes Start Your Engines
It’s a huge weekend for comic book lovers as the long-awaited “Wonder Woman” movie is out Friday.
From 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, head over to the Big Sandy Superstore Arena for the sixth annual Tri-State Comic Con that brings in the best comic industry artists, writershas to offer to West Virginia.
Admission is $10 and free for children under 10 with a paid adult admission. VIP passes will be available for $25 and will include giveaway prizes while supplies last. For more information and updates on dealers, artists, guests, and panels, please visit www.tristatecon.net.
My Music Picks This Weekend …
The pools are open, the barbecue fires are lit, the drinks are on ice and it’s time for some live music in the Great Outdoors. Here’s a look at just a few of the cool outdoor concerts this weekend, and a few cool indoor concerts as well:
Buddy's Bike Night: Buddy's All American BBQ, 1537 3rd Ave., Huntington, throws the kickstand down for one of the area's longest running free concert series. The 14th annual Buddy's Bike Night, which was rained out last week, kicks off its season with melodic rock of ER, set for Thursday, June 1. There will be draft beer specials. The parking lot is open to motorcycles only, but there is parking for free in the lounge lot and plenty of street parking available. Bands will take the parking lot stage at 7 p.m. and play until 10 p.m. or so. Go online at www.wvbbq.com for more info about Buddy's and Bike Night or visit https://www.facebook.com/Buddys-All-American-BBQ-171730532840065/.
Outrider In A Galaxy Near By: Ashland’s First Friday celebration ramps up the fun from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 2 with live music by the band Outrider and a Star Wars themed street party. Folks are asked to come dressed as your favorite Star Wars character, watch choreographed lightsaber shows and exhibitions, learn how to fight like a Jedi or Sith, and enter to win a number of Star Wars gear. There is a costume contest (for adults and children) at 6:30 p.m., lightsaber shows, exhibitions, and demonstrations are presented by The Imperial Legion. In addition to the Star Wars bash, June also celebrates the grand opening of the First Friday Beer Garden, located on 15th St. next door to Fat Patty's. Co-hosted by Fat Patty's, the beer garden will be buzzing with live music performed by Outrider and a special First Friday Beer Garden menu featuring domestics, craft beers, and specialty drinks.
The Growing Dividends: Fresh off of a Taste-of-All Charleston gig last weekend, Huntington’s fresh indie rockers, The Dividends are ready to release their new EP at a release party at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 3, at the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Cover is $7 for those 18 and up. Also on the bill is Basie and Shenanagram. Go online at https://www.facebook.com/thedividendsband/ and https://www.facebook.com/thisisbasie/ and
https://www.facebook.com/Shenanagram/ to hear the artists.
Caught Up In A Moonage Daydream: Huntington stage rocker Ryan Hardiman teams up with pianist and arranger Mark Scarpelli and an all-star string quartet (Alasha Al-Qudwah and Joseph Cevallos on violin, Jeff Lipscomb on viola, Dean Pauley on cello, and Eli Chambers on upright bass) to present Moonage Daydream: The Bowie Songbook" (a musical tribute to David Bowie) in an amazing location, the Caperton Planetarium at The Clay Center in Charleston. Showtime is at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 3. Be sure to arrive early as they will start the party with adult beverages in the Juliet Art Museum.
Tickets are $20 for this one of a kind tribute performance.
Beautiful and Beastly Cinema Under the Stars
The Greater Huntington Park & Recreation District themes out its June Cinema Under The Stars, with a timely screening at 8 p.m. Friday, June 2 of the Disney classic, “Beauty and the Beast.”
Come down to Heritage Station where they will be showing the magical movie about Belle and the Beast. As a special added treat, HART in the Park’s characters from the Outdoor Theater production of “Beauty and the Beast “will be in attendance to meet the kids and encourage you to attend their performances that will be held for three weeks in June (Judy 16-18, June 23-25 and June 30 through July 2) at the Ritter Park Amphitheater.
Admission to Cinema Under the Stars is $1. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. Friday with the movie starting at 8:30 p.m. There is a cinema-style concession stand open for this family-friendly event at Heritage Station, which is located at 210 11th St., Huntington.
For more information contact GHPRD at 304-696-5954, or go online at www.ghprd.org. You can also follow the Park District on Facebook and Twitter.
Something Fishy Going On in Kentucky
It’s the free fishing weekend in the great Commonwealth of Kentucky, and to celebrate the weekend, there’s a number of organized fishing tournaments at regional state parks and lakes.
Over at Yatesville Lake in Louisa, (about 35 minutes southwest of Huntington), The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will host the 9th Annual Kids Fishing Day from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday,
June 3 at the Yatesville Lake State Park Marina shelter. Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.
Prizes will be awarded for the most fish caught and the biggest fish caught in each age division. Competitors may bring their own fishing pole;
but for those who don't have one, there will be a limited number of fishing poles and bait available for your use. A free lunch will be provided by
local sponsors.
Any child 17 and under is eligible to participate in this event. Children are required to be under the supervision of a parent or guardian for the duration of the event.
Contact the Yatesville Office to pre-register or for more information by calling 606-686-2412.
Dial Up Some Flashback Cinema At Pullman Square
Tired of this summer’s not so great films like “Baywatch” washing up at the theater? Then head over to Pullman Square, where the Pullman 16 will screen one of the great fantasy film classics, the 1987 cult classic, “The Princess Bride,” that was directed by Rob Reiner and whose screenplay was adapted for film by William Goldman, who first wrote “The Princess Bride” as a fantasy novel in 1973.
The PG-rated film will be shown at 3:30 and 7 p.m. Sunday, June 4 and Wednesday, June 7 as part of Pullman 16’s Flashback Cinema series.
One of the most quotable comedies ever made, “The Princess Bride” follows our hero Westley (Cary Elwes) who is intent on rescuing lovely Buttercup (Robin Wright) from an unhappy fate as the bride of Prince Humperdinck (Chris Sarandon). Mandy Patinkin co-stars. (“My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.") Not a big hit when it first played in theatres (“Inconceivable!”), this film has become a cult classic. (“Have fun storming the castle!”)
My Road-Trip Picks This Weekend .. Festival season has truly begun and there’s three outstanding music festivals in our region: Mountain Music Festival in the New River Gorge, Bunbury in Cincinnati and the 13th annual Nelsonville Music Festival at Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio.
Here’s some more info on these three fantastic festivals …
Mountain Music Festival
From Thursday through Sunday, June 1-3, West Virginia’s ACE Adventure Resort will host four stages of eclectic music pouring out from more than 25 bands, including headliners Umphrey’s McGee, Saturday night, and The Revivalists, Friday night, at the 4th Annual Mountain Music Festival in the New River Gorge.
The festival kicks off Thursday, June 1, with a pre-party featuring the Pittsburgh rock and soul band The Commonheart and Spiritual Rez at The Lost Paddle Lounge, the resort’s bar and restaurant that sports a 1,500-square-foot deck.
On Friday and Saturday, music starts at 9 a.m. with three morning and early afternoon acts on the Strange Music Stage, the main stage fires up in early afternoon and rolls until 1 a.m. with The Revivalists closing Friday. There's also two sets Friday at the Greenbrier Valley Brewing Lake Stage where there will be a beach party on ACE’s Wonderland Water Park, a five-acre water park with slides, ziplines, inflatable toys and the famous “Blob” (a giant inflatable pillow on the water). There will also be more than 25 vendors and 15 visual artists.
Saturday, music rolls 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. at the Lake Stage, 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on the Strange Music Stage, 4 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. on the main stage with two late sets by Umphrey's McGee. The Strange Stage will have two early morning DJ sets by Tim Hoover at 2 a.m. Sunday morning and DJ Charlie Brownsuperstar at 3:30 a.m.
While the fest includes rare WV stops for such nationals as Umphrey's McGee, and The Revivalists, MMF also includes a near buffet of Huntington-based regionally-traveling acts including Tyler Childers and The Food Stamps, Ona, William Matheny and The Strange Constellations, Short and Company, The M.F.B., Hillbilly Carnival, and that late night/early morning set by DJ Charlie BrownSuperstar.
Go online a http://www.mountainmusicfestwv.com/ to find out more about the campout music fest.
Nelsonville Music Festival
Located just an hour and change from Huntington, and just west of Athens, the 13th annual Nelsonville Music Festival, is a regional music staple for indie music fans.
Located on the campus of Hocking College, NMF17 is set for June 1-4 with a few dozen acts including Emmylou Harris, Conor Oberst, Ween, Rodriguez, Parquet Courts, Son Volt, Twin Peaks, Sara Watkins, They Might be Giants, as well as two locally-based nationally-traveling acts, Huntington's Ona, and Tyler Childers, out ofEastern Kentucky.
NMF is unique in that it utilizes not only two big typical festival stages, but also has a Boxcar Stage that sits on the
nearby railroad tracks, and has a couple stages (inside a one-room schoolhouse) and on a log cabin porch that are part of the historic Robbins Crossing log cabin village.
There's a full array of local vendors including the famed Ohio brewery, Jackie O's, Snowville Creamery, kids crafts, games, camping, a disc golf course, as well as bicycle path (the Hockhocking Trail that connects to Athens), at the fest which is a Zero Waste festival.
Go online at http://nelsonvillefest.org/
Bunbury Music Festival
Bunbury returns to downtown Cincinnati’s Sawyer Point and Yeatman’s Cove June 2-4. Celebrating its sixth year in 2017, the three-day music festival will transform the banks of the Ohio River into a vibrant music festival experience.
Friday June 2 acts include: Wiz Khalifa, G-Eazy, Death Cab for Cutie, The Shins, MUTEMATH, Mike Stud, NF, Eden, Civil Twilight, July Talk, Flor, The Upset Victory, Flying Underground, Alex Angelo
Saturday June 3 acts include: Bassnectar, Pretty Lights, D.R.A.M., Tech N9ne, Hayley Kiyoko, Kevin Garrett, Cobi, CVBZ, San Fermin, VHS Collection, Frenship, Charlie Hirsch, Liberty Deep Down, Current Events
Sunday June 4 acts include: Muse, The 1975, Thirty Seconds to Mars, AFI, Jon Bellion, Flogging Molly, Watsky, Moon Taxi, Rev. Horton Heat, Arkells, Dreamers, White Reaper, CAAMP, Time Cat
Single day general admission and VIP tickets, as well as three-day general admission and VIP weekend passes are on sale now at Ticketmaster.com. For ticket information and pricing visit BunburyFestival.com/tickets.
For more information and volunteer opportunities: Website: www.bunburyfestival.com; Facebook: www.facebook.com/bunburyfestival and Twitter: @bunburyfestival
Dave Lavender is the author of "Dave Trippin: A Daytripper's Guide to the Appalachian Galaxy of Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia" and his new travel book, "Mo' Dave Trippin" now for sale on Amazon.com and through CreateSpace.
Check out the new book at the Red Caboose, Empire Books and News, and now at Camden Park. Lavender covers regional travel. Follow The Herald-Dispatch reporter on Facebook and Twitter @DaveLavenderHD.