Hey kids, put down the fidget spinner and pay attention, it is Father's Day Weekend and prime-time to get out, get up and get down with your pops.
Here's a bunch of fun ways to make some new memories with dear ol’ dad at some cool weekend events.
A Father's Day Firkin Fest
If your dad is the craft beer drinking kind then have we got the fest for you. Ashland in Motion is sponsoring the third annual Firkin Fest that takes place from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 17 in downtown Ashland with live music, food trucks, local vendors, and 103 different craft beers from as close as Kentucky and Ohio and as far away as Austria and Germany.
Tickets remain on sale. General admission tickets are $25; VIP admission tickets are $50.
For the full 3rd Annual Firkin Fest beer list visit the “3rd Annual Firkin Fest” Facebook page or www.ashlandinmotion.org/firkin-fest/.
Create Some Smoke on the Water
Enjoy both food groups with dad - beer and chili - from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 17 as part of the
19th annual Smoke on the Water Chili Cookoff hosts dozens of the nation’s top chili cooks competing to see who has the best red, green and home-style chili and salsa at the beautiful Haddad Riverfront Park in downtown Charleston.
Enjoy some of the region's best chili (in verde and ICS red) as well as a full plate of kids’ activities, wild contests including the frozen t-shirt and hot pepper eating contests, local food vendors and live music (11 a.m., Shaw Brothers; 12:15 p.m., The Change; 1:30 p.m., The Sea, The Sea and at 2:15 p.m., Beggar's Clan). Proceeds benefit HospiceCare. To register to cook, visit chilicookoff.com, and go online at www.festivallcharleston.com for a complete list of FestivALL events.
Throw Dad On the Big Dipper
Want to see your dad scream like a little girl? Grab the last seat on The Big Dipper (that's the one that feels like it hop up off the tracks), during a visit to Camden Park on June 18, Father's Day, when the park lets all dads in for $1 when someone purchases a regular general admission ticket.
The family-run park is now open everyday but Monday and this weekend - 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday.
New this season at the 26-acre amusement park is Aunt Dovie's Petting Zoo, which is run by Honey Hill Farms out of Kentucky, and which also does petting zoos at King's Island and Cedar Point.
Go online at www.camdenpark.com for more info about the historic park which is home to such favorite rides as the Haunted House, the Log Flume, the Big Dipper and The Kite Flier.
My music picks for the weekend ...
On Saturday, former West Virginia coal miner, Justin Payne celebrates the release of his EP, "Coal Camps" that is out now on Young Mary's Records, and that was cut with a little help from his friends including red-hot Canadian throwback country artist, Colter Wall (who was named one of Rolling Stone's Top 10 Artists You Need to Know), and Kentucky artist John Clay, who just got back from touring Europe with Colter Wall.
They will be celebrating the release at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 17, at the V Club, 741 6th Ave., Huntington, with separate sets as well as playing some music together. Go online at https://www.facebook.com/JustinDeanPayneMusic/ to find out more about Justin Payne's new project.
For all those hip hop pops out there ... how about some Ice Cream, Graffiti and DJs, Oh Yes!
Summer busts a beat onto the streets as Charleston Main Street and Charleston's West End sponsors Ice Cream & the Arts in Elk City 2017 from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17.
The urban street fair will feature WV hip hop artists, DJs and breakdancers as well as an afternoon of graffiti artists such as Justin "Ketchup" Withrow, Preston Shomo, TSEW and Kris Hillen who will be doing a professional street art mural.
Participatory art will also return with stencils created by the artists for temporary chalk spray. All the fun will take place on Tennessee Avenue between Washington and Lee Streets with performances from West Side performing arts organizations, caricaturists, face painting, take-away craft stations, a sports zone, a participatory permanent public mural, and, of course,free ice cream. There will also be beer and hard root beer will be provided by Capitol Beverage. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own seating to enjoy the activities.
For Dads and Daughters ,,,
Cue the lightning bugs and the orchestra because HART in the Park and The Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District kick off its third season together of live, summer theater with a three-weekend run of the Disney favorite, "Beauty and the Beast," that will run Friday through Sunday, June 16-18, June 23-25 and June 30-July 2 at the Ritter Park Amphitheater.
Gates open at 7 p.m. for picnics with the children's pre-show at 7:30 p.m., the community pre-show entertainment at 8 p.m., and the main show at 8:30 p.m.
Tickets are $15, and $12 for seniors and children, with group rates also available. Tickets can be purchased now at www.GHPRD.org or by calling 1-304-696-5954 or at the gate the night of the show.
Happy Birthday Camden Park!
Camden Park is turning 114 on Friday, June 16, and you can come out and celebrate in style as the historic park will be roaring with some Dixieland jazz that dates back to the 1920s and 1930s from the horns of Dale Jones and his Backyard Dixie Jazz Stompers.
While enjoying the Stompers, go ahead and get you a free piece of birthday cake, while supplies last, and enjoy a spin on such popular rides as The Rattler, The Slingshot, the Haunted House and the Big Dipper. Or enjoy a nice calm trip around Swan Lake on the pedal boats, a leisurely trip on the train or the Skyrider, a stop by the new petting zoo or a round of 18-hole West Virginia Adventure miniature golf.
Also, remember that dads get in for $1 on Sunday when another adult pays regular admission.
Go online at www.camdenpark.com and follow Camden Park on Twitter and Facebook @camdenparkwv to find out more about the park which has more than 30 rides and attractions.
My Road-Trip Picks This Weekend .. is to Prestonsburg, Kentucky where the Mountain Arts Center kicks off its 27th summer season of Billie Jean Osborne’s Kentucky Opry at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 17 in the Willard & Lucy Kinzer Theater at the Mountain Arts Center (MAC).
Hear crowd favorites such as Garland Rogers and Susan Scott will be returning as well as the comedy of Munroe, and of course, a showcase of some of the best young talent from the Country Music Highway performing in the Opry as well as the Junior Pros as well. For more information, call 1-888-MAC-ARTS or visit macarts.com.
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.