FAYETTEVILLE, WV (WOAY) – It’s a fun and spooky-season tradition that began a few years ago.
Area paddleboarders and local outdoor enthusiasts of Fayetteville gathered on the foggy banks of the Lower New River on Halloween morning dressing in their best witches and warlock costumes to take one last ride down for the year.
“Fayetteville, known for being fun, funky, a little bit different…who doesn’t love the excuse to dress up, and put on a cape and hat?”
After seeing much success with this Witches and Warlocks Stand-Up Paddle event in the past, this year the group is now acquiring park service permits to make it happen due to the growing number of people who are on board, making the event more official yet still simply keeping it just a good time.
“It was a lot of fun, I mean it’s not very often you get to paddle out on the river dressed as witches in the fog in October on Halloween, so it was a lot of fun,” says Tabitha Stover, an organizer of the event.
And not only is this a spooky, fun event to do on All Hallows’ Eve, but it also provides one that heightens and helps define the area for what it is– a place to be yourself in the limitless recreational opportunities and outdoor beauty.
“It’s just different, it’s a little bit spooky, it’s a little bit fun, the weather almost always cooperates and helps with the spookiness, so just Fayetteville’s version of grown-up Halloween,” Amy Summerford says, another organizer of the event.
You can catch this group of witch and warlock paddleboarders next Halloween riding the currents again, as they plan to keep making the event bigger every year.
