1.800.447.8797                                                   Official Website of Berkeley Springs, WV ~ The Country's First Spa

Week of August 30- September 5, 2010

The traditional end-of-summer Labor Day weekend is celebrated in a traditional family and community way.

Sunday is the South Morgan Festival at the Fire Hall starting at 1pm and featuring a country supper, games and live bluegrass music by Five of A Kind. Monday is Homecoming at Cacapon State Park starting at 1pm and featuring a full program of local music, games and food as well as another auction. There's plenty of other outdoor family fun at Cacapon including an 18-hole golf course, miles of mountain hiking trails, a lake with sand beach, horseback riding and clay shooting.

The vintage Star Theatre hops on the family fun bandwagon with the animated hit, "Despicable Me." There is a Sunday matinee at 2pm as well as regular Friday through Sunday evening showings at 8pm. The kids will love the experience ...and the popcorn.

The Troubadour Lounge has a music saturated weekend planned with the Flashbacks at the Friday night concert outside from 9pm to midnight. Saturday from 9pm to midnight is country dancing to live music. Sunday is the big day with the Troubadour's annual Remembering Patsy Cline Day. Everything but the drinks are free. It's a covered dish party with music ranging from the Country Majestics to the Cajun River Band. While you are there, be certain to cruise the West Virginia Country Music Hall of Fame.

There is even MORE music. The Fairfax Coffee House presents the bluegrass and gospel sound of the Lickety Split Banjo Boys at 8pm on Friday while on Saturday evening it's Irish music from Stevie Morris and Dennis Vaughan, also at 8pm. Sunday, Panorama at the Peak features Larry Bish and his acoustic guitar at Sunday brunch from 11am to 2pm. Bish's music is not the only thing back at Panorama. So are the memorable turkey croquettes currently made from the famous organic turkeys of Ayrshire Farm.
More Saturday night fun is a free Dance Night at Rankin Physical Therapy from 7 to 9pm. If you want to know what the rest of the year will bring, have your fortune told at the Star Theatre from noon to 4pm on Saturday. Sign up on the door and take your pick -- astrologer or card reader?

Shopping is the best way to see the downtown streets of the Bath Historic District while searching out fabulous treasures. DO NOT MISS the two day Sidewalk Sale at Hunter's Hardware on Thursday and Friday from 8am to 5pm. Thursday afternoon and Sunday from 10am to 2pm it's the overflowing local food bounty of the Berkeley Springs Farmers Market. The Vintage Kitchen, just a block east of the courthouse, is having their fall sale with extra hours on Friday. Also on Sunday from 10am to 4pm, It's Art in the Park set up in Berkeley Springs State Park on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.

Speaking of art -- this is the final weekend for "Putting on the Dog", a gallery show at the Ice House devoted to artists' views of their favorite canines. You'll find everything from handcrafted dog clothes to a three headed dog totem pole. The Ice House Gallery is open 11am to 5pm on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. There are more than a dozen other great locales for shopping including previously owned items at Retrodini ('50s), R.A.G. Shop (recycled American Goods), Berkeley Springs Books and a pair of antique malls plus several shops.

Dining is another experience not to be missed with porch dining and outdoor decks as well as hip, comfortable or elegant settings. From Fresh Fish Frenzy on Friday at Temptations Cafe, to half price appetizers and shrimp at Ambrae House's happy hour (actually two,) to the best ribs in town at Tari's Cafe, to the most elegant bar around at Lot 12, silver service dinner Saturday night at Highlawn Inn, to three special meals a day at the Country Inn, to steaks at Angus and Ale to family friendly dining at Earth Dog Cafe and Cacapon State Park and Maria's Garden and Mi Ranchito and.....you get the point. Eating could fill your whole weekend. If dining in is what you want, check out Tony's Butcher Block for fresh meats as well as killer subs and remarkable pepperoni rolls (state food of West Virginia.)

We can go on and on about spas, and swimming in the pool at Berkeley Springs State Park -- or splashing in the springs channels and pools, and the Museum in the park, and following the Washington Heritage Trail National Scenic Byway and ending up wandering through the Paw Paw Tunnel. So much to do, you have to stay for days. So check out the lodging places and make your choice.

There are cabins, lodges and vacation homes in the surrounding wilderness; in town find elegant historic B&Bs and the Country Inn. More than 100 choices -- you'll find exactly what you need. Come to Berkeley Springs to cap off the summer and savor our centuries-long experience at welcoming guests and hosting homecomings.