2022 Vandalia Gathering

Saturday, May 28th, we made our way to the Capitol Complex for the 2022 Vandalia Gathering. This is a great festival for introducing the boys to the tradition of Appalachian music where little pockets of musicians get together and jam out old-time tunes.

The Vandalia Gathering brings together the finest traditional Appalachian musicians for a weekend of great picking. Elder statesmen and young upstarts perform on stage, compete in contests and play in impromptu jam sessions all over the Capitol Complex. Visitors to the Gathering can enjoy fiddle, banjo, mandolin and guitar contests outside during the day, and concerts in the State Theater in the evenings.

From mountain flatfooting to Celtic dancing, the Vandalia Gathering brings to life the international heritage of West Virginia dance. The Gathering features demonstrations of Irish, Scottish, Morris, Swiss, Croatian and Appalachian dancing in the Great Hall, with the audience invited to learn and join. Native Americans present their dance and music outdoors on the Capitol grounds. Square dancing and flatfooting takes place at the Dance Stage outdoors all afternoon for public participation.

It was an excellent weekend with perfect weather! A wonderful celebration of Appalachia.