Woodcrafts are sold at the South Charleston Mound Festival on Sept. 14. Several local communities will hold fall fests in the coming weeks.Photo byCity of South Charleston

CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- The autumn equinox – the official start of fall in the northern hemisphere – is set to begin at 8:44 a.m. on Sunday, Sept. 22.

For many in the Kanawha Valley, this marks the kick-off to community fall fairs and festivals.

East Bank’s Fall Festival, which took place at Calvert Field in eastern Kanawha County, and the South Charleston Mound Arts Festival were both held last weekend. If you missed these events, don’t worry – there are plenty more fall celebrations to come.

Here are some autumn festivals happening over the next few weeks in the Kanawha Valley.

Note: This is not an exhaustive list of all local fall festivals. Know of one we should feature? Email ramsburgreports@gmail.com with details. Keep checking NewsBreak for more local event announcements.

Dunbar Fall Festival

Dunbar Senior Center members show homemade crafts for sale at a previous Fall Festival. This year's event takes place Sept. 20-21.Photo byDunbar Fall Festival

Fall kicks off with the Dunbar Fall Festival, held on the first official weekend of the season. Sponsored by the city's Parks and Recreation department, the annual event takes place this year on Friday, Sept. 20, and Saturday, Sept. 21 along 12th Street in Dunbar.

On Sept. 20, the fair kicks off at 5 p.m. with local musical acts. Friday’s fun includes arts, crafts and a variety of food vendors.

Saturday marks Children’s Day at the festival, with activities running from 1-6 p.m. Several kids' activities will be offered, sponsored by local businesses.

More information on the Dunbar Fall Festival, including a full schedule of entertainment lineup, can be found on the city’s website.

Clendenin Lion’s Club Fall Festival

Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick (left) and former commission president Kent Carper participate in a past Clendenin Fall Fest.Photo byKanawha County Commission

The Clendenin Lion’s Club will hold its annual Fall Festival on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event will include music, food, crafts, door prizes and more.

Beginning at 11 a.m., a fashion show will be held at Elk River Boutique, 14 Main St. in Clendenin.

Following the fashion show, the annual fall parade will be held at noon. The lineup begins at Poca Valley Bank along U.S. 119. Anyone interested in participating in the parade is asked to contact Tim Huffman at 304-951-4400 or Sarah Bird at 304-932-2777.

The University of Charleston band and River City Youth Ballet will perform beginning at 1 p.m., followed by the Fender Bender’s at 2 p.m.

Town of Pratt Fall Fest

Bikers participate in the 2023 Paint Creek Bike Ride, which kicks of the Pratt Fall Festival. The 2024 festival is scheduled for Sept. 29.Photo byJennifer Hancock Ballard via Paint Creek Fall Ride

On the last Saturday of September, the eastern Kanawha County town of Pratt will celebrate its annual Fall Festival.

Now in its 39th year, the 2024 fair will take place Sept. 28 along Center Street in Pratt.

The day kicks off with the ninth annual Paint Creek Fall Ride, a 30- or 60-mile bicycle trek along Paint Creek. Participants meet at Town Hall on Main Street for the ride's 9:30 a.m. start.

At 10 a.m., fair festivities, including music, food, games, crafts and more, begin. The festival wraps up at 3 p.m on Saturday.

More information on the Pratt Fall Festival can be found on Facebook. Call 304-442-4731 with any questions.

OktoberWest

An OktoberWest goer dressed in a traditional Dirndl dress holds a beer at a previous festival. The 2024 OktoberWest will be held Sept. 29.Photo byCharleston Urban Works

Beer festivals and fall go hand in hand, and Charleston’s OktoberWest has both covered.

Now in its 15th year, OktoberWest -- “West Virginia’s largest traditional German Octoberfest,” according to organizers – takes place from 3-7 p.m. Sept. 28 in the Elk City neighborhood of Charleston’s West Side.

The raucous event, which attracts over 2,700 attendees, features over 100 craft brews and ciders, live music, games and prizes. Featured competitions include stein holding, keg rolling, a sausage toss and best traditional German dress contests.

Proceeds from OktoberWest fund community programs, public art, and other economic revitalization projects within the city of Charleston.

More information, including ticket pricing, is available at charlestonurbanworks.org.

Fall Y’all Festival Chili Cook-Off

Participants line Olde Main Street in St. Albans for a previous Fall Y'all Festival Chili Cook-Off. The 2024 event is scheduled for Oct. 5.Photo byFall Y'all Festival

The first weekend in October brings the Fall Y’all Festival Chili Cook-Off to the City of St. Albans. The Saturday, Oct. 5 event features craft beer, food vendors and a chili cook-off competition.

Live musical performances are held during the event, which runs from 12-5 p.m. Artists scheduled to take the stage include Kate Boytek, the Bent Whiskey Band, Adam Parker and the Bourbon Cowboys, and Travis Vandal.

Festival proceeds benefit a good cause, too. Monies from Fall Y’all benefit the St. Albans Police Department K-9 Unit. Contributions will also be made to St. Albans youth initiatives, organizers said.

More information on the Fall Y'all Festival Chili Cook-Off is available on Facebook.

Michael Ramsburg is a Kanawha County communities reporter. He can be reached at ramsburgreports@gmail.com or by calling 304-370-3067.