Fall Events Happening In October
Over the last 18 months, we have missed out on many annual downtown events due to the pandemic. We are all anxious to attend these popular events again, so this Fall you will see ArtOberfest and Monster Mash return but with modifications so we all stay safe.
ArtOberfest will take place on Saturday, October 16 from 6 to 10 p.m. on the 700 and 800 blocks of Market Street. The setting of the event will be beautiful with the Edison lights glowing above the street and the red umbrellas sprinkled around the footprint of the event. There is a talented line-up of live music for the evening. The Actor’s Guild “Elf the Musical” cast will hit the stage first performing a couple of numbers from the play. Next, we’ll hear music from Mandy & Chad Stevens and Jesse DeBarr, then Back Porch Alibi, and finally Levi Westfall & Hannah Miller.
That evening there will be a great selection of food from downtown restaurants and local food trucks. Unity Café (212 Seventh St.) will be serving out of their restaurant location, but the Parkersburg Brewing Company, The Cocktail Bar, and Crystal Café as well as the food trucks from Jimmy Avocado and Philippines Best will be set up within the event on the 700 and 800 block of Market Street. You’ll be able to pick up a beverage from the Parkersburg Brewing Company’s beer garden. Wine Down on Market (a new business coming to downtown) will also have a presence at the beer garden.
Other events taking place throughout the evening include Chalk the Block, the most colorful part of the event; traditional art demonstrations; art vendors; and the unveiling of the GoodSpace mural, which was made possible by the Arts Collaborative of the MOV, AARP grant, and the Ross Foundation. (Nearly 300 people worked on the mural over seven days. It is 32 feet high by 40 feet long and is 2,200 square feet.)s
Precautions for the evening are being taken. Hand sanitizer and Clorox wipes will be placed at tables and there will be small tables for individualized seating. Social distancing and
mask-wearing are recommended.
A huge thank you to the sponsors for supporting this event - Bill Bailey Insurance (title sponsor), United Bank (platinum sponsor), and WVUP, Artsbridge, Discount Pool Supply, and Parkersburg Brewing Company (our other generous sponsors).
Monster Mash will be held on the Saturday following ArtOberfest on Saturday, October 23 from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. at Bicentennial Park. The event this year will look different from previous years. Monster Mash will be a drive-thru event with participants picking up trick-or-treat bags full of goodies donated by area businesses for each of their children. There will be characters and displays to enjoy on your cruise by the park, so dress up and join in on the fun. Participants are asked to drive down Market Street to Third Street and to stay in their vehicles. The event will end earlier if all bags have been handed out.
Thank you to WVU Camden Clark and DuPont for sponsoring this event, and to the community businesses for donating items to the trick-or-treat bags.
There is no age limit to receive a trick-or-treat bag, but it is recommended for ages up to 14.