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September festivals fill Tri-State calendars

September 07, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

DAVE LAVENDER

The Herald-Dispatch

With a wild bunch of Labor Day festivals, Louisa's Septemberfest and even X-Fest in the rear view, you might think September weekends would simmer down.

Think again.

Like flame to a Coleman stove frying up hot chili peppers, September weekends get turned up a notch as the region celebrates our big fat fall festivals.

From one of America's largest traditional music festivals and the state's chili championship to the infamous Mothman Fest and Gauley River Festival (the world's largest river-running fest), there's something every weekend to celebrate in style.

Here's a look at just a few of the region's upcoming fests.

High on a mountaintop

Hear banjos? Well, drive faster.

Point your vehicle down U.S. Route 60 or Interstate 64, and don't stop until you run into a whole mountain of bluegrass bands and fans.

About five miles east of Morehead, Ky., the Poppy Mountain Bluegrass Festival will run almost around the clock with great grass from Sept. 16-20.

The 16th annual festival features dozens of acts including Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys, Melvin Goins, Marty Raybon, James King, Gerald Evans, Hillbilly Gypsies and many others.

Tickets are $15 for Tuesday and Wednesday, Sept. 16-17, $30 for Thursday, Sept. 18, $40 for Friday, Sept. 19 and $50 for Saturday, Sept. 20.

Go online at www.poppy mountainbluegrass.com.

All swine, all the time

The historic Huntington neighborhood of Guyandotte has blown up its annual church-fired pig roast into a full bore (or should that be boar) community party.

Swinefest 2008 is set for Wednesday through Saturday, Sept. 10-13, in Guyandotte with a midway featuring 11 to 25 rides and games under the 31st Street bridge.

Swinefest will also feature live music, wrestling, a pig roast, dunking booth, arts and crafts booths, food vendors, a fishing contest and horse-drawn carriage rides to Guyandotte historic sites.

For more information, call 304-412-4430 or 304-522-6582. Go online at www.swine fest2008.com.

Fall for Barboursville

The annual Barboursville Fall Fest is set for Sept. 17-20, with the theme of "Barboursville Goes Caribbean."

Activities begin Wednesday with a carnival from 5 to 10 p.m. Thursday will feature a parade at 6:30 p.m., a street dance from 8:30 to 10 p.m. and a carnival from 5 to 10 p.m.

The schedule swings into high gear Friday with more carnival, crafters and food concessions and live music from The Legends at 8 p.m. and Buffetman at 9:30 p.m.

Saturday's activities begin with a car show from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Main Street at the library. The carnival continues from 1 to 11 p.m. Saturday, Joey Dee and The Starliters Rock and Roll are featured at 9:30 p.m.

For more information go online to www.barboursville.org or call Barboursville City Hall at 304-736-8994 or 304-736-9820.

Our big fat Greek Festival

Now in its 26th year, the Greek Festival at the St. George Greek Orthodox Church in Huntington's Southside neighborhood is about as much food and fun and fellowship as can be legal in a church parking lot.

Come for the baklava and stay for the immersion into Greek goodness with music, dance, church tours and fellowship.

The festival is 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26-27, and 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27.

Call 304-522-7890, 304-522-0773 or 304-525-5634. Go online at www.stgeorgehwv.org.

Mothman lives

Point Pleasant celebrates the legend of the Mothman at its almost-famous seventh annual Mothman Festival that includes music from the band, Mothman, tours of the Mothman Museum and Research Center located on Main Street, screenings of Mothman movies and documentaries, vendors, craftspeople and an authors forum.

Mothman hayride tours will be available starting at 8 p.m. at the TNT area of Mason County (West Virginia State Farm Museum) where the first reported sighting of the Mothman was documented.

Featured guests include Linda Scarberry and Tom Ury, two eyewitnesses to the Mothman.

The festival is set for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 20-21.

For more information, call Jeff Wamsley 304-675-0273 or go online at www.mothmanlives.com or www.mothmanfestival.com.

Stirring it up at Chilifest

It seems like every town with more than one stoplight has a chilifest these days, but the old-school West Virginia State Chili Championship is still the hot tamale.

Come and get packed into downtown for the 25th annual Chilifest, sponsored by Chili Willi's and WSAZ, that takes place Saturday, Sept. 20, in downtown Huntington along 3rd Avenue and Pullman Square.

Enjoy lots of live music and wacky contests, all for a good cause. For $1 sample tickets, chili fans can get a mouthful of the goodness with spicy chili offerings from some of the best chili cooks around the region. All proceeds benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities in the Tri-State.

Go online at www.chilifest wv.com.

If you're out of town that weekend or have plans, a smaller but equally cool Chilifest can be found Saturday, Sept. 27, at the parking lot of the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland.

For more information, call 606-324-3175 or go online at www.paramountartscenter.com.

Get paddled at the party

One of the world's best commercially-run whitewater rivers, The Gauley River (100 rapids in 26 miles) deserves a cool fest, and it's got one.

American Whitewater hosts Gauley Fest, Sept. 19-21, at the Nicholas County Veterans Memorial Park in Summersville, W.Va., with streams of funky, live music, whitewater vendors armed with the latest gear and much more.

Started in 1983, the Gauley Fest has now grown into the world's largest river festival, drawing in more than 5,000 people.

The Gauley River Festival is a critical fundraiser for American Whitewater and is the group's largest fundraising event.

Go online at www.american whitewater.org.

Poages -- Party of thousands

Ashland pays homage to its roots -- the Poage family that first settled Ashland -- with a super street festival called Poage Landing Days that runs Sept. 19-21.

The free festival that features a fiddle fest (which gives a nod to the late, great fiddler Ed Haley), the Kentucky Fried Cone Fest, a slalom skateboarding race, as well a car and bike show, kid's events and of course, what Ashland does best, lots of live music.

Enjoy a bevy of regional acts as well as national acts such as American Idol finalist Phil Stacey, Darryl Worley, Carolina Rain and Emily West.

Go online at www.poage landingdays.com.

Events

1940s Radio Hour
Thursday-Saturday, Dec. 4-6, and 11-13; matinee at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14. A "live" radio show with seven performances. Complimentary tickets offered to...

J. Chris Newberg
7:30 p.m. Thursday; 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4-7. A refreshing smart and edgy humor, delivered with a streetwise sense of philosophical...

First Friday and Second Look Saturday
5-9 p.m. every first Friday, 2-6 p.m. every first Saturday. Visit with Pendleton artists in their studios. Questions, call 606-920-9863.

Lions Arts and Crafts Show
4-9 p.m. Friday; 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday; noon-5 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5-7. Hosted by the Lesage and Southeast Huntington Lions Clubs. The juried show is filled with...

"The Nutcracker"
school matinee begins at 9:30 a.m. and regular show at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Ashland Youth Ballet presents their annual presentation of The Nutcracker. Questions...

Christmas Tour of Homes
11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6-7. Tour six outstanding homes in the Bellefonte area dressed for the holidays. Questions, call 606-329-8888 or visit...

2nd annual Holiday Candlelight Tour
2-7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 7. A tour (inside and out) of eight prominent Huntington homes beautifully decorated for the holidays. Questions, call 304-733-ARTS.

Marshall Artists Series: "Wizard of Oz"
7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9. A spectacular celebration of the iconic 1939 MGM film, "The Wizard of Oz." Tickets, call 304-696-3326 or visit www.marshallartistsseries.org.

16th annual Joy to the World Holiday Concert
8 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 11; doors open at 7:30 p.m. Featuring Bob Thompson with guest vocalist Dwight Lenox. Tickets, visit www.mountainstage.musictoday.com or call...

"Cowboy" Bill Martin
7:30 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 and 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 11-14. The Texas native, who has toured with some of the biggest names in country music,...

Movies

Showtimes

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Released 7-Nov-08. Runs 93 min.

"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" is a fictional story that offers a unique perspective on how prejudice, hatred and violence affect innocent people, particularly children, during wartime. Through the lens of an eight-year-old boy largely shielded from the reality of World War II, we witness a forbidden friendship that forms between Bruno, the son of Nazi commandant, and Shmuel, a Jewish boy held captive in a concentration camp. Though the two are separated physically by a barbed wire fence, their lives become inescapably intertwined. The imagined story of Bruno and Shmuel sheds light on the brutality, senselessness and devastating consequences of war from an unusual point of view. Together, their tragic journey helps recall the millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust.

Rated PG-13 for some mature thematic material involving the Holocaust

Showtimes

The Duchess

Released 19-Sep-08. Runs 105 min.

"The Duchess" is the story of an extraordinary woman who rose to fame by staying true to her passions in a world of protocol, gossip and social rules--and paid the price. Long before the concept existed, the Duchess of Devonshire, Georgiana Spencer, was the original "It Girl." Like her direct descendent Princess Diana, she was ravishing, glamorous and adored by an entire country. Determined to be a player in the wider affairs of the world, she proved that she could out-gamble, out-drink and outwit most of the aristocratic men who surrounded her. She helped usher in sweeping changes to England as a leader of the forward-thinking Whig Party. But even as her power and popularity grew, she was haunted by the fact that the only man in England she seemingly could not seduce was her very own husband, the Duke. And, when she tried to find her own way to be true to her heart and loyal to her duty, the resulting controversies and convoluted liaisons would leave all of London talking.

Rated PG-13 for sexual content, brief nudity and thematic material

Showtimes

The Metropolitan Opera: La Damnation de Faust Encore

Released 3-Dec-08. Runs 165 min.

Fathom presents an encore presentation of Berlioz's "La Damnation de Faust" in HD on the Big Screen! The encore presentation (captured live on Saturday, Nov. 22) will be shown for one day only on Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, at 7 p.m. in all time zones. Robert Lepage, one of theater's most imaginative directors, applies his artistry to Berlioz's contemplation of good and evil. Using ethereal projections, Lepage has created a vision for "La Damnation de Faust" that seamlessly marries art and technology. Marcello Giordani stars in the title role opposite Susan Graham as Marguerite and John Relyea as Méphistophélès. James Levine conducts this rarely staged masterwork.

Rated

Showtimes

The Secret Life of Bees

Released 17-Oct-08. Runs 109 min.

Set in South Carolina in 1964, the film is the moving tale of Lily Owens a 14 year-old girl who is haunted by the memory of her late mother. To escape her lonely life and troubled relationship with her father, Lily flees with Rosaleen, her caregiver and only friend, to a South Carolina town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by the intelligent and independent Boatwright sisters, Lily finds solace in their mesmerizing world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna.

Rated PG-13 for thematic material and some violence

Showtimes

Appaloosa

Released 19-Sep-08. Runs 108 min.

When two gunmen, Virgil Cole and Everett Hitch, arrive in Appaloosa they find a small, dusty and lawless town suffering at the hands of renegade rancher Randall Bragg. Bragg has not only taken supplies, horses and women for his own, but also has left the city marshal and a deputy for dead. In Bragg they find an unusually wily adversary who raises the stakes by playing with emotions. It is now up to Cole and Hitch to stand against the actions of the renegade rancher, which have already taken their toll on the town.

Rated R for some violence and language

Showtimes

Australia

Released 26-Nov-08. Runs 165 min.

An English aristocrat inherits an Australian ranch the size of Maryland. When English cattle barons plot to take her land, she reluctantly joins forces with a rough-hewn cattle driver to drive 2,000-head of cattle across hundreds of miles of the country's most unforgiving land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor only months earlier.

Rated PG-13 for some violence, a scene of sensuality, and brief strong language

Showtimes

Beverly Hills Chihuahua

Released 3-Oct-08. Runs 85 min.

Chloe, a diamond-clad, bootie wearing Beverly Hills Chihuahua enjoys her luxurious lifestyle so much, she hardly notices Papi, a hilarious Chihuahua who happens to be crazy for Chloe. But when the most pampered pooch gets lost in Mexico with only a street-wise German Shepherd to help her find her way home, Papi heads south of the border--joining forces with a motley crew: three dogs, two humans, a sly rat and a nervous iguana--to rescue his true love.

Rated PG for some mild thematic elements

Showtimes

Bolt

Released 15-Nov-08. Runs 96 min.

For super-dog "Bolt", every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue - at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet - a cross-country journey through the real world to get back to his owner and co-star, Penny. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and the help of two unlikely traveling companions -- a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster named Rhino -- Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero.

Rated PG for some mild action and peril

Showtimes

Bolt in Disney Digital 3D

Released 15-Nov-08. Runs 96 min.

For super-dog Bolt, every day is filled with adventure, danger and intrigue - at least until the cameras stop rolling. When the star of a hit TV show is accidentally shipped from his Hollywood soundstage to New York City, he begins his biggest adventure yet - a cross-country journey through the real world. Armed only with the delusions that all his amazing feats and powers are real, and with the help of two unlikely traveling companions: a jaded, abandoned housecat named Mittens and a TV-obsessed hamster in a plastic ball named Rhino, Bolt discovers he doesn't need superpowers to be a hero.

Rated PG for some mild action and peril

Showtimes

Changeling

Released 24-Oct-08. Runs 140 min.

Los Angeles, 1928: On a Saturday morning in a working-class suburb, Christine said goodbye to her son, Walter, and left for work. When she came home, she discovered he had vanished. A fruitless search ensues, and months later, a boy claiming to be the nine-year-old is returned. Dazed by the swirl of cops, reporters and her conflicted emotions, Christine allows him to stay overnight. But, in her heart, she knows he is not Walter. As she pushes authorities to keep looking, she learns that in Prohibition-era L.A., women don't challenge the system and live to tell their story. Slandered as delusional and unfit, Christine finds an ally in activist Reverend Briegleb, who helps her fight the city to look for her missing boy.

Rated R for some violent and disturbing content, and language

Showtimes

Eagle Eye

Released 26-Sep-08. Runs 118 min.

Jerry Shaw and Rachel Holloman are two strangers thrown together by a mysterious phone call from a woman they have never met. Threatening their lives and family, she pushes Jerry and Rachel into a series of increasingly dangerous situations--using the technology of everyday life to track and control their every move. As the situation escalates, these two ordinary people become the country's most wanted fugitives, who must work together to discover what is really happening--and more importantly, why.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of action and violence, and for language

Showtimes

Fireproof

Released 26-Sep-08. Runs 122 min.

At work, inside burning buildings, Capt. Caleb Holt lives by the old firefighter's adage: Never leave your partner behind. At home, in the cooling embers of his marriage, he lives by his own rules. Growing up, Catherine Holt always dreamed of marrying a loving, brave firefighter...just like her daddy. Now, after seven years of marriage, Catherine wonders when she stopped being "good enough" for her husband. Regular arguments over jobs, finances, housework, and outside interests have readied them both to move on to something with more sparks. As the couple prepares to enter divorce proceedings, Caleb's father challenges his son to commit to a 40-day experiment: "The Love Dare." Wondering if it's even worth the effort, Caleb agrees-for his father's sake more than for his marriage. When Caleb discovers the books daily challenges are tied into his parents' newfound faith, his already limited interest is further dampened. While trying to stay true to his promise, Caleb becomes frustrated time and again. He finally asks his father, "How am I supposed to show love to somebody who constantly rejects me?" When his father explains that this is the love Christ shows to us, Caleb makes a life-changing commitment to love God. And, "with God's help" he begins to understand what it means to truly love his wife. But is it too late to fireproof his marriage? His job is to rescue others. Now, Caleb Holt is ready to face his toughest job ever ... rescuing his wife's heart.

Rated PG for thematic material and some peril

Showtimes

Four Christmases

Released 26-Nov-08. Runs 82 min.

When upscale, happily unmarried San Francisco couple Kate and Brad find themselves socked in by fog on Christmas morning, their exotic vacation plans morph into the family-centric holiday they had, until now, gleefully avoided. Out of obligation--and unable to escape--they trudge to not one, not two, but four relative-choked festivities, increasingly mortified to find childhood fears raised, adolescent wounds reopened and their very future together uncertain. As Brad counts the hours to when he can get away from their parents, step-parents, siblings and an assortment of nieces and nephews, Kate is starting to hear the ticking of a different kind of clock. And by the end of the day, she is beginning to wonder if their crazy families' choices are not so crazy after all.

Rated PG-13 for some sexual humor and language

Showtimes

High School Musical 3: Senior Year

Released 24-Oct-08. Runs 100 min.

Seniors Troy and Gabriella face the prospect of being separated from one another as they head off in different directions to college. Joined by the rest of the Wildcats, they stage an elaborate spring musical reflecting their experiences, hopes and fears about their future. With incredible new music and exciting dance numbers designed to take maximum advantage of the big screen, this motion picture extravaganza delivers plenty of high-energy entertainment from East High's talented ensemble.

Rated G

Showtimes

Lakeview Terrace

Released 19-Sep-08. Runs 110 min.

In "Lakeview Terrace," a young couple has just moved into their California dream home when they become the target of their next-door neighbor, who disapproves of their interracial relationship. A stern, single father, this tightly wound LAPD officer has appointed himself the watchdog of the neighborhood. His nightly foot patrols and overly watchful eyes bring comfort to some, but he becomes increasingly harassing to the newlyweds. These persistent intrusions into their lives ultimately turn tragic when the couple decides to fight back.

Rated PG-13 for intense thematic material, violence, sexuality, language and some drug references

Showtimes

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

Released 7-Nov-08. Runs 89 min.

Alex, Marty, Melman, Gloria, King Julien, Maurice and the penguins and the chimps find themselves marooned on the distant shores of Madagascar. In the face of this obstacle, the New Yorkers have hatched a plan so crazy it just might work. With military precision, the penguins have repaired an old crashed planesort of. Once aloft, this unlikely crew stays airborne just long enough to make it to the wildest place of all--the vast plains of Africa, where the members of our zoo-raised crew encounter species of their own kind for the very first time. Africa seems like a great place--but is it better than their Central Park home?

Rated PG for some mild crude humor

Showtimes

Quantum of Solace

Released 14-Nov-08. Runs 106 min.

Betrayed by Vesper, the woman he loved, 007 is determined to uncover the truth. He and M interrogate Mr. White who reveals the organization which blackmailed Vesper is far more complex and dangerous than anyone had imagined. Forensic intelligence links an MI6 traitor to a bank account in Haiti where Bond encounters the beautiful but feisty Camille, and she leads him to Dominic Greene, a ruthless business man and major force within the mysterious organization. On a mission that leads him to Austria, Italy and South America, Bond discovers that Greene, conspiring to take total control of one of the world's most important natural resources, is forging a deal with the exiled General Medrano. Using his associates in the organization, and manipulating his powerful contacts within the CIA and the British government, Greene promises to overthrow the existing regime in a Latin American country, giving the General control of the country in exchange for a seemingly barren piece of land. As Bond gets closer to finding the man responsible for betraying Vesper, he must keep one step ahead of the CIA, the terrorists and even M, to unravel Greene's sinister plan and stop his organization.

Rated PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and some sexual content

Showtimes

Role Models

Released 7-Nov-08. Runs 95 min.

Danny and Wheeler trash a company truck on an energy drink-fueled bender. Upon their arrest, the court gives them a choice: do hard time or spend 150 service hours with a mentorship program. After one day with the kids, however, jail doesn't look half bad. Surrounded by annoying do-gooders, Danny struggles with his every neurotic impulse to guide Augie through the trials of becoming a man. Unfortunately, the guy just dumped by his girlfriend has only sarcasm to offer a bashful 16-year-old obsessed with medieval role play. Meanwhile, charming Wheeler tries to trade in an addiction to partying and women to assist a fifth-grader named Ronnie redirect his foul-mouthed ways. It would probably help if Ronnie's new mentor wasn't an overgrown adolescent whose idea of quality time includes keggers in Venice Beach. Once the center's ex-con director gives them an ultimatum, Danny and Wheeler are forced to tailor their brand of immature wisdom to their charges. And if they can just make it through probation without getting thrown in jail, the world's worst role models will prove that, sometimes, it takes a village idiot to raise a child.

Rated R for crude and sexual content, strong language and nudity

Showtimes

Transporter 3

Released 26-Nov-08. Runs 100 min.

Frank Martin has been pressured into transporting Valentina, the kidnapped daughter of Leonid Vasilev, the head of the Environmental Protection Agency for the Ukraine, from Marseilles through Stuttgart and Budapest until he ends up in Odessa on the Black Sea. Along the way, with the help of Inspector Tarconi, Frank has to contend with the people who strong armed him to take the job, agents sent by Vasilev to intercept him, and the general non-cooperation of his passenger. Despite Valentina's cynical disposition and his resistance to get involved, Frank and Valentina fall for each other, while escaping from one life-threatening situation after another.

Rated PG-13 for sequences of intense action and violence, some sexual content and drug material

Showtimes

Twilight

Released 21-Nov-08. Runs 120 min.

"Twilight" is an action-packed, modern-day love story between a teenage girl and a vampire. Bella Swan has always been a little bit different, never caring about fitting in with the trendy girls at her Phoenix high school. When her mother re-marries and sends Bella to live with her father in the rainy little town of Forks, Wash., she doesn't expect much of anything to change. Then she meets the mysterious and dazzlingly beautiful Edward Cullen, a boy unlike any she's ever met. Edward is a vampire, but he doesn't have fangs and his family is unique in that they choose not to drink human blood. Intelligent and witty, Edward sees straight into Bella's soul. Soon, they are swept up in a passionate, thrilling and unorthodox romance. To Edward, Bella is what he has waited 90 years for--a soul mate. But the closer they get, the more Edward must struggle to resist the primal pull of her scent, which could send him into an uncontrollable frenzy. But what will Edward and Bella do when a clan of new vampires--James, Laurent and Victoria--come to town and threaten to disrupt their way of life?

Rated PG-13 for some violence and a scene of sensuality

Dining

GOOD EATS: Rocco's Ristorante serves up Italian faves

November 27, 2008 @ 12:00 AM

CEREDO -- Rocco's Ristorante has been a favorite of the Tri-State since 1977. The restaurant continues to serve delicious Italian meals, which have attracted people from miles around.

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Mark Webb/The Herald-Dispatch

Traditional Greek dances are performed during the 25th annual Greek Festival at the St. George Orthodox Church in this 2007 file photo.

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Photo courtesy of Bonny Rushbrook

Bonny Rushbrook is "attacked" by the Mothman at last weekend's Mothman Festival in Point Pleasant, W.Va. The Mothman turned out to be quite a genial fellow who added to the all-around fun mood of the festival.

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Chris Harris/The Herald-Dispatch

Nick Tsismanakis of the Knight Templar Eye Foundation stirs the ingredients in his first batch of chili to kickoff Chilifest 2007. The annual West Virginia State Chili Championship is sanctioned by the International Chili Society, and the winner of Chilifest represents West Virginia at the ICS's World's Chili Championship. Chilifest also helps raise money for the Tri-State Ronald McDonald House.

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