Leaf Peepers Festival

Since 1983 Davis, West Virginia and the Alpine Festival organization has played host to the annual Leaf Peepers Festival, celebrating incredible fall colors that descend upon Tucker County in late September and early October. The annual Leaf Peepers Festival always falls on the last full weekend of September, this year’s big event is September 22nd, 23rd, and 24th. In case you were not aware, Tucker County has some of the best uninterrupted fall color found anywhere in the United States!

It is not possible to mention Leaf Peepers Festival without including Tucker Community Foundations charitable event, the Run For It 5k/run and 3k/walk race, on Saturday morning. This event draws folks from all over the region to compete as individuals or teams, for the benefit of whatever cause one desires. FYI, this is a very competitive event for charities, a LOT of money is raised and given away during the Leaf Peepers Festival.

Good times kick off early Friday evening with live music, food vendors, Firemen’s Parade, and inflatable rides for the youth, or young at heart. This is definitely the most casual of all evenings, minus the blare of the fire truck horns, as candy is tossed out of the precession of vehicles.

Saturday is the big day in Davis and the action starts early in the morning with the Run For It race. Expect well over 1,000 participants to crowd out the Davis Fire Department and staging area. The vibe is electric as all the dedicated teams’ ramp up their enthusiasm for a sprint to the finish. If this is your first experience, being part of a team is not necessary unless you find a worthy cause right of the bat, and there are plenty!

The West Virginia Appalachian Craft Show brings select vendors that are one of a kind and 100% original to the inside of the Davis Fire Hall all day Saturday and most of the day Sunday. We work very hard to insure there are no duplicate vendors and all items are genuinely handmade.

Craft vendors are not limited to the inside. Outside, another three dozen merchandise and food vendors have an extensive setup around the perimeter of the event tent. Looking for that WV made gift? This is where you want to be! For those skiers and snowboarders out there, Driftland Ski and Sport has a huge ski swap all weekend, best bargains you will find anywhere! Driftland is located next door to the Davis fire hall.

You will not go hungry or thirsty during the Leaf Peepers Festival. Food vendors galore are on hand selling everything from shaved ice, to BBQ, to the delicious Tucker County Rotaries grilled chicken. The irresistible smells permeate the air starting early in the morning; it’s a two-lunch kind of day. Under the big tent, craft beer is served up from our local breweries all weekend, and so happens to go well with all foods!

Sunday does not lag in activities, unlike the event staff and volunteers who have been hard at it since Friday. The Leaf Peepers Car Show takes over all of the outdoor vendor space with muscle cars, vintage works of art, and plenty of the classics. Canaan Valley Resort is where you will find one of the most fun yet competitive golf tournaments out there, The Fall Colors Golf Tournament. Before we settle in for a long winter in Tucker County, the Leaf Peepers Festival is our “end of year” blowout. Join us for 2017, the Leaf Peepers Festival will not disappoint!

Cheers!

Brian