Vandalia Gathering
Encyclopedia
The Vandalia Gathering is a popular festival devoted to old-time
and bluegrass music
, as well as related arts such as dance
, quilt
making, and cooking, which takes place each summer on the state capitol
grounds in Charleston
, West Virginia
, United States
. It was established in 1977. It is held on Memorial Day
weekend in May. The festival features solo competitions, whose winners are awarded cash prizes.
Performers at the festival have included Lester McCumbers
, Dwight Diller
, Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz
, and Everett Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers.
Old-time music
Old-time music is a genre of North American folk music, with roots in the folk music of many countries, including England, Scotland, Ireland and countries in Africa. It developed along with various North American folk dances, such as square dance, buck dance, and clogging. The genre also...
and bluegrass music
Bluegrass music
Bluegrass music is a form of American roots music, and a sub-genre of country music. It has mixed roots in Scottish, English, Welsh and Irish traditional music...
, as well as related arts such as dance
Clogging
Clogging is a type of folk dance with roots in traditional European dancing, early African-American dance, and traditional Cherokee dance in which the dancer's footwear is used musically by striking the heel, the toe, or both in unison against a floor or each other to create audible percussive...
, quilt
Quilt
A quilt is a type of bed cover, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a layer of batting or wadding and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. “Quilting” refers to the technique of joining at least two fabric layers by stitches or ties...
making, and cooking, which takes place each summer on the state capitol
West Virginia State Capitol
The West Virginia State Capitol is the seat of government for the state of West Virginia, and houses the West Virginia Legislature and the office of the Governor of West Virginia. Located in Charleston, West Virginia, the building was dedicated in 1932...
grounds in Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
, West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It was established in 1977. It is held on Memorial Day
Memorial Day
Memorial Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May. Formerly known as Decoration Day, it originated after the American Civil War to commemorate the fallen Union soldiers of the Civil War...
weekend in May. The festival features solo competitions, whose winners are awarded cash prizes.
Performers at the festival have included Lester McCumbers
Lester McCumbers
Lester McCumbers is an old-time fiddler from Nicut, West Virginia. His students include Erynn Marshall and Jake Krack.He also makes fiddles, sometimes using local woods....
, Dwight Diller
Dwight Diller
Dwight Diller is an American banjo and fiddle player and teacher. He is considered to be one of the most prominent exponents of the clawhammer banjo tradition....
, Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz
Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz
Ginny Hawker and Tracy Schwarz are an American folk music duo known for performing traditional music from the early American canon of bluegrass, gospel, and old time music. The duo, however, on occasion does record original songs and music by contemporary songwriters...
, and Everett Lilly and the Lilly Mountaineers.