LEWISBURG, WV (WOAY) – Healing Appalachia is excited to celebrate its 2024 lineup from Sept. 19 – 21 at the West Virginia State Fair.
They say the event will host more than 80 recovery groups from 13 states creating community through music, art therapy, yoga, faith, fellowship and more.
This Kentuckian says the Healing Appalachia event is near and dear to his heart. He lost a few close friends over the years to opioid addiction.
“Both of my parents’ families are from eastern Kentucky down in Breathitt County and it’s hit down there very hard,” said HA volunteer Redneace. “So I’ve seen it firsthand a lot. And it just means the world to me to be here and to help out with everything that’s going on. It’s amazing to see what people can accomplish when everybody works together.”
“It’s quiet now, but over the next three days there’ll be thousands here at the West Virginia State Fairgrounds in Greenbrier Valley for Healing Appalachia, an unforgettable movement of music and recovery.”
Charles Hatcher helped create Healing Appalachia. He says year one (2018) 1200 to 1400 people attended. They thought if 1,000 people showed up they could call it a success. In 2019 there were 8,000; From 2020-2021 they were off for COVID; then 12,500 in 2022 and 18,000 in 2023. They program their shows in between each act with speakers who come out and share their recovery stories.
“And just where they’ve come from to put a face to what addiction really is and that people do recover,” the founding member said. “It’s okay to be mad, but keep trying.”
Healing Appalachia is a beautifully rewarding thing to meet people where they’re at says Hope in the Hills’ Dave Lavender. Twenty-two million people in the United States consider themselves in recovery. But sometimes people paint addiction as a black hole you can’t come back from.
“These people have come back from a place that people thought they couldn’t come back from,” Lavender said. “And their stories, their faith in action walks — you know, when we hear those from the stage, when we see them helping with the festival — our souls are filled.”
According to Hatcher, when they saw what was going on in their own backyard…
“We put a board together and decided this was something we needed to do to make our communities better,” he said. “I love Appalachia.”
This is a public health and spiritual crisis and it’s far from over. In 2023, nationwide we lost 110,000 people to overdoses.
“With fentanyl and then coming out of the mental health crisis that COVID caused; it’s really a long slog. But you know what? People are worth it and I always say that,” said Lavender. “It doesn’t matter if it’s your second chance or 40th chance, you’re worth it. Incredible to use music to bring in the magic and then also fuel the movement that’s Healing Appalachia.”
IF YOU WANT TO GO
https://healingappalachia.org
Thursday 9/18 Gate Opens 4PM
Friday 9/19 Gate Opens 4PM
Saturday 9/20 Gate Opens 2PM
