BARBOURSVILLE -- Barboursville's going Caribbean, mon.

The town's 27th annual fall festival -- which runs Wednesday through Saturday -- will feature a parade, carnival games and rides and Jimmy Buffett-style entertainment beginning Wednesday and running through Saturday. The only admission charge associated with the event is for the carnival, staged at Sadler Field on Farmdale Road. Pre-sale tickets are available through 3:30 p.m. Wednesday for $10. Tickets purchased at the carnival are $12 and $15. All other events in downtown Barboursville are free.

"This is a huge community event. Everybody here is involved in this one way or another," said Kandy Miller, recorder for the village of Barboursville. "People enjoy walking uptown and seeing neighbors and folks they know on the streets, talking and having a good time."

The annual festival originally started with a group of business owners looking for a way to help civic groups raise funds for their budgets. What started as a very small street fair has morphed into a huge undertaking with a $40,000 entertainment budget, an ever-expanding list of food and craft vendors and events, including a car show, street dance, pancake breakfast and spaghetti dinner.

On Thursday at 6:30 p.m. the parade will wind through town, followed by a street dance. Friday night will welcome The Legends and headliner Buffettman. Nearly 60 arts and crafts vendors and food concessions will line the streets as visitors take in Art in the Park, with local artwork on display, and Barboursville Idol, with winners chosen every two hours.

"Between the clubs and the food vendors, we're going to have tons," Miller said.

The carnival events will fill Sadler Field.

Fall Fest hours are 5 to 10 p.m. Wednesday and Thursday, 5 to 11 p.m. Friday and noon to 11 p.m. Saturday. For more information, call 304-736-8994.

Courtesy of www.tomwatt.com

Tom Watt, bettern known as The Buffettman, will perform as part of the annual Barboursville Fall Fest. He is scheduled to perform at 9:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19.

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