PARKERSBURG - Two local organizations will celebrate West Virginia's 149th birthday with special events today.
Blennerhassett Island Historical State Park will offer birthday cake on the island in the afternoon while the evening will see Boreman Park light up with music.
The island will honor West Virginia becoming the 35th state in the Union by inviting the public to join for birthday cake and lemonade in the concession shelter at 1:30 p.m., which will last until the treats are gone.
Cake and lemonade will be free, with the sternwheeler ride to the island costing $9 for adults and $7 for children ages 3 to 12. The sternwheeler departs from Point Park at 11 a.m. and every hour-on-the-hour.
At Fort Boreman Hill Historic Park, the members of Carlin's Battery Civil War re-enactors will hold their annual West Virginia Day event at 6 p.m.
There will be cake and drinks at the cabin, the Carlin's Battery headquarters, and this year will include a new bluegrass camp, said Jim Miracle, a member and coordinator of Carlin's Battery.
"During the Civil War, the soldiers with instruments would get together and play music in the off-time and we figured bluegrass is pretty close to that kind of music," Miracle said. "We just wanted to try something new."
Miracle added that next year's West Virginia Day event at Fort Boreman Hill Historic Park will be larger with more going on.
"With next year being the 150th birthday of the state, the party will be a lot bigger," he said.
