The Tri-State is already aglow with the Friday Night lights of high school football, Marshall's getting ready to kick-off its season, and Gauley season is only a week away.

Yep, believe it or not, and somebody tell the sun, summer is fading fast.

To celebrate all the hot-buttered goodness of summer, we've got a glorious three-day Labor Day weekend to get ya all chunked, covered and smothered with great music and entertainment all up and down the river.

Here's a look at some hot picks for Labor Day fun.

Get crazy for Cornhole

Like the mother of all backyard parties, the Big Sandy Superstore Arena is hosting The Miller Lite World Championship of Cornhole V.

Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 4, come out and check out four big tournaments including juniors, women's Tri-State and at 5 p.m. Saturday, the Downtown Throwdown, 1-on-1 tournament.

At 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 5, it's the World Championship as the top 32 two-person teams play for a share of the $5,000 cash prize. The winners will take home $1,200 cash and custom championship belts.

You can still register by going online at www.worldchampionshipofcornhole.com.

Park it at Camden

A turn into the parking lot at the sign of the happy clown is always a good Labor Day call.

Since 1903, Camden Park has been first in fun and the park slathers up the Pronto Pups and gets the Big Dipper screaming for its last three-day weekend of the season.

The park is open 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Saturday through Monday, Sept. 4-6.

Come out and check out live music daily at 2 p.m. from award-winning songwriter Steve Free as well as more than 30 rides and attractions including the new Camden Princess, the Log Flume, the Kite Flier, the 18-hole West Virginia Adventure mini-golf and much more. The park is running a Coke bottle cap special as everyone who brings in a Coca Cola bottle cap can get in for the same price as kids 48" & under ($15.99).

Call 304-429-5063 or go online at www.camdenpark.com.

Forecast is fair to fiddling in Lincoln County

OK, so they've jumped the gun a bit with their 2010 Fall Festival, but the Lincoln County Memorial Fairgrounds, east of Hamlin, will have fun in living color Thursday through Sunday, Sept. 2-5.

The festival will feature Derby City Amusements' Carnival, Mud Run at 1 p.m. Saturday and a Demolition Derby at 1 p.m. Sunday. Live entertainment includes: by South of the River Band, Thursday; Matt Stillwell, Friday; puppet show, Midway Cloggers, Davisson Brothers and fireworks, Saturday; and Jim and Valerie Gabehart and The Freemans, Sunday.

For a complete schedule, visit wwwlcfairsandfestivals.com.

Get way back at Heritage Farm

The Heritage Farm Museum and Village, 3300 Harvey Road, always goes old-school cool with its sprawling, national-award-winning pioneer village and museums that honor the Appalachian way of life.

On Saturday, check out one of the area's great glass artists, Dave Osburn, who has been operating Milton's Osburn Modern Glass since 2006. A former worker at Blenko for more than 30 years, Osburn makes glass that is sold around the world.

Osburn will be doing demonstrations and there will be plenty of fun hand-on activities for children at the Appalachian Hall and the Petting Zoo will be open during the Way Back Weekend, which runs 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Cost is $8, $7 for seniors and $6 for children. Call 304-522-1244.

Power up at the park

The West Virginia Power close out the season with an eight-game homestand that's already started and that runs through Labor Day.

Some pick games? On Friday come out for a 7:05 p.m. game with the Hagerstown Suns, and enjoy the Ford Friday Night Fireworks presented by V100.

Saturday is college night with $1 admission, while Sunday is Sudden-Days Kids Day with all kids 12 and under eating free (at the 2:05 p.m. game) courtesy of Buzz Food Service, Flowers Bakery, Frito Lay & Pepsi.

The Power close out the season with a 1:05 p.m. Monday game with the suns with a buck night of $1 tickets, hot dogs, fountain beverages and draft brews.

Go online at www.wvpower.com.

String music at Chief Logan

The late, great, famous Logan County native folk singer, Aunt Jennie gets some love this weekend during the sixth annual "Aunt Jennie's Music Festival" at Chief Logan State Park.

The free fest runs 4 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday at the park's Liz Spurlock Amphitheater, located about one-half mile from the museum.

Aunt Jennie Wilson's grandson, Roger Bryant will be the emcee at the fest which will feature about a dozen great area old-time, bluegrass and gospel acts.

Huntington resident, and Champmanville native, Jeff Ellis will be one of the featured acts on Saturday as is The Sandy Cyfers Band, a country and rock band from Nashville, Tenn.

Sunday featured acts include: The Earl of Elkview, George Daugherty, Stewart Family, Robert Shafer and the Pour House Crew, and many others.

Don't miss the nearby Museum in the Park, which has a new exhibit memorializing the 29 men who lost their lives at the Upper Big Branch Mine at Montcoal, Raleigh County, on April 5, as well as We Are Marshall exhibit and Thorney Lieberman: Honoring America's Coal Miners exhibit.

For more info, call 304-792-7229.

Riding and rolling on the river

The Point Pleasant River Museum and the Huntington District Waterways Association celebrate National Maritime Days with a two-day event at the Point Pleasant Riverfront Park.

Free and open to the public, the festivities start at 10 a.m. each day and features exhibits and towboat tours and lots of live music.

Friday through Sunday, enjoy $10 cruises in the Spirit of West Virginia, and at 2 p.m. Saturday, check out the Sternwheeler Parade. There's also a chili cook-off and corn hole and line-throwing contests as well on Saturday.

For more info, go online at www.pprivermuseum.com or call Jack Fowler, Ruth Fout or Martha Fout at the Point Pleasant River Museum at 304-674-0144.

In Portsmouth, Ohio, the annual River Days kicks off on Thursday with the Miss River Days pageant and has nightly national-act free shows.

Friday's headliner is The Outlaws, on Saturday, Foghat takes the stage and on Sunday, there's a full plate of regional acts topped off with free fireworks at 10:30 p.m.

On Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., they'll also be a ton of children's activities all weekend long include a "How to be a Pirate," class, tricycle races, inflatables, and the RiverWorks Discovery, a hands-on

For more info, go online at www.portsmouthriverdays.org.

One last splash

While some area pools have already closed for the summer, several pools and swimming beaches are open through Labor Day including Stowers Branch at Beech Fork Lake (on the Lavalette side), which is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through Labor Day.

In Kenova, Dreamland, which still open 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday for evening swims, will be open through Labor Day. For more information call 304-453-6288.

In Kentucky, the community pool at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park is open through Monday, Sept. 6. The campground is also hosting lots of family fun this weekend with crafts, hayrides, a scavenger hunt, mini golf and all sorts of fun-filled activities. Call 800-325-0083.

Sholten Singer/The Herald-Dispatch

Glass artist Dave Osburn will be on hand at Heritage Farm Museum and Village on Saturday. You can check out demonstrations and hands-on activities as well as other Way Back Weekend fun like a petting zoo.

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