Be a part of Mates of the Cheat (FOC) alongside the banks of the attractive Cheat River on Friday, Might 3rd, and Saturday, Might 4th, to have a good time the 30th annual Cheat River Pageant, positioned on the competition grounds off Route 26 simply north of Albright, WV, about 30 miles from Morgantown, WV.
Boaters, music lovers, and households get pleasure from two days stuffed with reside music, dancing, artwork, distributors, and enjoyable. For athletes, we maintain a 5K foot race and a Down River Race by means of the Cheat Canyon. Many fest goers make a weekend out of it and keep within the adjoining campgrounds. Cheat Fest serves as FOC’s major fundraiser and helps their work all year long.
Dwell Music
Music is the heartbeat of the Cheat River Pageant. Headlining the fest this 12 months – Cris Jacobs! Additionally that includes The Candy Lillies, Darkish Moon Hole, Fletcher’s Grove, The Plate Scrapers, Hiya June, Badger Crossing, OYO, The Cooley Gang & Mates, Stewed Mulligan, Herb & Hanson, Kelcey Wolf, Michelle Fincham, and extra!
Cheat Fest Downriver Race and 5K Foot Race
The Cheat River Pageant weekend kicks off with one of many largest, if not the biggest, mass begin downriver races within the nation often known as Rick Gusic’s Cheat River “Bloodbath-ence.” The race course travels almost 10 miles by means of the world-famous Cheat Canyon, dropping at a most gradient of 40 toes per mile. This part of the Cheat River is Class III – IV, and as a free-flowing river the character of the river, problem and danger range relying on the water degree, which might change rapidly. Solely boaters who’re extraordinarily comfy with the sort of paddling ought to register for the race!
Saturday morning begins with The Cheat Fest 5K run that pulls all forms of pedestrians: severe runners, informal walkers, and households with strollers. Members begin and end on the historic Preston County Nation Membership, cruising alongside the gently rolling course by means of the grounds of the golf course, the rhododendron lined banks of Buffalo Creek, and alongside the mighty Cheat River.
Distributors and Juried Artwork Market
The Cheat Fest Vendor Market is a superb place to buy outside gear, crafts, providers, scrumptious meals, & extra from native and regional distributors! The well-known Artwork Market is a circle of particular distributors who undergo a jury course of to supply the best of native artwork. Mom’s Day customers can peruse the tents and purchase regionally made items instantly from the artists.
Child’s Actions
Youngsters below twelve enter the competition without cost. The Child’s Tent is a spot for youths to be taught expertise, create crafts, go on nature hunts, and meet different youngsters. Child’s actions will embrace crafts made with recycled supplies and acid mine drainage tie dye. The dye for this challenge is constituted of acid mine drainage, the pollutant that plagues the Cheat River watershed. The child’s tent actions will finish with a parade group photograph.
About Mates of the Cheat:
For the reason that formation of Mates of the Cheat (FOC) in 1994, the group’s major focus has been addressing the extreme acid mine drainage (AMD) air pollution points within the decrease reaches of the Cheat River watershed. By means of coalition constructing, collaboration, and the implementation of AMD remedy methods, the Cheat River – named one of many nation’s most endangered rivers in 1995 – is as soon as once more alive with life.
FOC works with state and federal businesses to coordinate reclamation and remediation efforts, tutorial establishments to facilitate analysis initiatives, and quite a lot of different stakeholders from the enterprise and non-profit sector.
Restoring water high quality alone is not going to remedy the long-term issues and ongoing challenges the Cheat watershed faces. FOC works to coach the general public on native and regional points, greatest administration practices, and environmental stewardship along with offering and selling alternatives to understand our pure sources by means of outside recreation.
