BECKLEY, WV (WOAY) – Tamarack Marketplace welcomed in tourists and locals alike this weekend with live music and by honoring esteemed West Virginia artists, and on a day that just so happens to be Father’s Day, the kick-off to summer, and West Virginia’s 158th birthday.
“There’s just a ton of things to really celebrate, both the fine art aspect of what West Virginians have to offer and the performing arts with our courtyard concert series,” says Mandy Lash, Tamarack’s gallery director.
Of course, being one of the state’s main hubs for Appalachian art and culture, the marketplace was particularly focusing on West Virginia Day, and to honor it, an award ceremony was held for the art gallery’s 13th annual Juried Exhibition, of which, featured many artists from around the state.
“This is the only exhibition that we have that’s open to every artist in the state and not just those artists who are juried into Tamarack, so this year we got a ton of entries, we got over 300 entries from all over the state,” she says.
However, in addition to fine art, Tamarack is also giving its guests a taste of performing arts through their first-ever Courtyard Concert series, which launched at the beginning of June and will last until Labor Day. These concerts are held every weekend in the center courtyard and they also feature artists from across West Virginia.
“With our restaurant, it’s nice to come eat outside and enjoy some live music, so we reached out to a ton of West Virginia artists, everyone playing here that’s scheduled all three months are from West Virginia,” says Leah Dunmyer, marketing director for Tamarack. “And we have a wide variety of music that will be here, so there’s something different every weekend.”
While these courtyard concerts take place every weekend from noon to 3 p.m., they were extended until 5:30 this weekend to celebrate West Virginia Day, the birthday of our mountain state.
