BUCKHANNON — Eleven community bands from across West Virginia will descend on Buckhannon-Upshur High School on Saturday for the inaugural West Virginia Community Band Festival, a day-long celebration of music that ranges from concert pieces to jazz to — you guessed it — British pub songs.

The first notes ring through the auditorium at 10 a.m., when the Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School band kicks things off. From there, a new band takes the stage every 30 to 45 minutes, with the day finishing in a combined finale that pulls musicians from across the lineup into one mass band performance.

“We’re going to have 11 bands, and they truly are from all across the state,” said Sheila Zickefoose, president of the host Buckhannon Community Band. “We’re going to kick off the morning on Saturday with the middle school band, and then we, as the host band, are performing. And then we just start popping around the state. We have three bands from Huntington, two from Charleston, and bands from Clarksburg, Washington, Fairmont and Martinsburg.”

One of those groups will be making one of its first big appearances anywhere.

“The band from Martinsburg is just a year old, and so we’re the first big thing they’ve done since they got started,” Zickefoose said. “We’re beyond-the-moon excited for Saturday and being able to bring everybody together.”

The festival closes with two pieces performed by a combined band drawn from the day’s musicians — one a classical work by Billy Joel chosen by the host band, the other written by a member of the Kanawha Valley Community Band, whose director will conduct it. That handoff is more than ceremonial.

“We’re going to be truly passing the baton,” Zickefoose said. “They are hosting next year’s band festival.”

The 2027 festival is already on the calendar for May 8 at the University of Charleston — a remarkable stretch of planning for an event that hasn’t had its inaugural event yet.

“It’s really kind of scary how it’s all come together, because I expected blow-ups, things that were not going to work, and you have to reverse course and come up with Plan B,” Zickefoose said. “And it really has not happened that way.”

The whole thing started, fittingly, with a goodbye. A husband-and-wife pair in the Buckhannon Community Band were leaving for a medical residency at CAMC in Charleston, and the band held a small farewell.

“His wife said, ‘Wouldn’t it be great if we could all get together and play again sometime?’” Zickefoose recalled. “So that just got us thinking, ‘Well, how many community bands are there?’”

They found 17, and by August, Buckhannon’s band had organized a Zoom call to pitch a statewide festival. Roughly nine months later, it’s about to happen.

Inside the high school common area, around 10 local arts and crafts vendors will be set up throughout the day. Outside, three food trucks will be parked in the lot, with additional sweet-treat options rolling in for afternoon stops.

“We’re going to have food trucks parked outside so people don’t have to leave,” Zickefoose said. “But they’re also welcomem, if they would like, to come to town to find something else to eat.”

The musical menu is as varied as the food.

“We have concert bands that are going to be playing concert music. We have two jazz bands who are going to be playing jazz,” Zickefoose said. “And we actually have a brass band. And this is the third band from Huntington that plays British pub music.”

That brass band, she noted, is “completely off the wall” — a mix of Marshall University students and community band members.

For Zickefoose, Saturday is also a not-so-quiet pitch to anyone in Upshur County still eyeing an old instrument in a closet. She joined the Buckhannon Community Band when it formed in the fall of 2023, after her own clarinet had sat unused for three decades.

“It had been 32 years of my moving my clarinet from one side of the closet to the other,” she said, “always wondering and thinking, ‘You know, it’d be so cool to be able to play again.’”

She said the band plans to spend the day reminding people they don’t have to stay on the sidelines.

“If this has made you nostalgic and made you get that inkling of playing again, don’t be afraid. Don’t be hesitant. Just do it,” Zickefoose said. “Has it been a little painful at times, learning, relearning, hoping that the brain and body memory kicks in? Absolutely. But the best thing that I’ve done for myself in a very long time was joining this band, sticking to it, and I just can’t say enough about it.”

She encouraged people to give it a try.

“If people are interested, or even think they might be,  get connected and come and have fun and enjoy it,” Zickefoose said. “Laugh when it doesn’t work and celebrate the little, wonderful victories that we have, because there’s nothing in this world more worth your time than making music.”

Performance schedule

• 8:30 a.m. — Vendors open
• 10 a.m. — Buckhannon-Upshur Middle School
• 10:45 a.m. — Buckhannon Community Band
• 11:40 a.m. — Brass Rhythm and Sax Orchestra
• 12:35 p.m. — Charleston Metro Band
• 1:30 p.m. — Brass Band of the Tri-State
• 2:25 p.m. — Kanawha Valley Band
• 3:20 p.m. — Greater Huntington Symphonic Band
• 4:15 p.m. — Eastern Panhandle Community Band
• 5:10 p.m. — Greater Huntington Jazz Band
• 6:05 p.m. — Fairmont Community Symphonic Band
• 7 p.m. — Shinnston Community Band
• 7:50 p.m. — Combined Band

Trip planned to W.Va.

A bus trip and train ride are planned by the North Huntingdon AARP Senior Citizens for June 17-19.

The bus will leave St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Church at 9:30 a.m. June 17 and arrive in Elkins, West Virginia, around 4 p.m. Participants will see a dinner show that evening.

A scenic train ride will take place June 18 and 19.

The price is $855 per person for double occupancy and $1,040 for a single room. The price includes two nights’ accommodations, two dinner shows, and two train rides.

To register, contact Janet Tatters at 412-841-8451.

Church rummage sale

The Lutheran Church of Our Saviour, 1570 Clay Pike, North Huntingdon, will sponsor a rummage sale from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. May 1 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 2.

Food will be available for purchase. Proceeds benefit the Blessed Bundles outreach ministry.

Art League workshops

The Norwin Art League has opened registration for a series of community workshops scheduled for May. The sessions, held at 305 Main St., cover a range of mediums including paper art, fiber arts and watercolor.

The following workshops are being offered:

3-D Paper Art (preteen/teen): May 2 from 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. This youth-focused session costs $25 and includes all materials. Prospective students must register by April 30 and contact Sarah at 412-522-5281 to specify their design preference.

Beginner Crochet: May 12 from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Designed for ages 10 and up, participants will learn to create an amigurumi octopus keychain. The fee is $15 for members and $20 for nonmembers. The deadline to register is May 11. For questions, contact Heather at 724-433-4869.

Ink and Wash Watercolor: May 16 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. This adult workshop (18+) explores the combination of ink and watercolor techniques. No prior experience is required. The cost is $40 for members and $45 for nonmembers. Registration closes May 14. For additional information, contact connect@StellarisCreativeStudio.com.

Space is limited for all sessions to ensure individual instruction. Participants must preregister and submit payment via norwinartleague.com.

Boy Scouts selling mulch

Boy Scout Troop 284 is accepting orders for its annual mulch sale through April 26.

The mulch is priced at $5 per bag, or $110 for 25 bags. The troop provides free delivery to customers located within the 15642 ZIP code and a surrounding 5-mile radius.

Deliveries are scheduled for May 1–3. In the event of a rainout, the backup dates are May 8–9.

To place an order, call 412-292-7467 or go to Troop284Irwin.com.

Help with heating bills

The Low Income Home Energy Assistance program (LIHEAP) provides cash grants to help Pennsylvania families pay their heating bills.

Through May 8, low-income residents who need assistance paying for their heating bill can apply for a one-time grant of $200 to $1,000 that will be applied directly to their utility provider.

Funding is limited and distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

The link to apply is pa.gov/services/dhs/apply-for-the-low-income-home-energy- assistance-program-liheap.

To qualify for LIHEAP in Pennsylvania, you must meet income requirements, which are set based on household size. Renters and homeowners are eligible for benefits. You do not need to be on another public assistance program or have unpaid heating bills to qualify.

If you are experiencing an emergency related to your household’s heat, such as broken equipment, or facing utility service termination, you might be eligible to receive additional funds through a crisis grant.

To check your eligibility for LIHEAP and crisis grants, visit peoples-gas.com/help or call 1-800-400-9276.

Homeowner repairs

The nonprofit Carpenter’s Apprentice, a group of volunteers from Norwin and Harrison City area churches who help make repairs to homes of residents in need, is planning a spring fix-up weekend May 15-17.

The organization is seeking volunteers to donate their time and talent toward projects for that weekend. It is also looking for community members, churches and pastors to refer homeowners in need.

Anyone referred to the organization for assistance will be contacted, and a site surveyor will be assigned to speak with the homeowner to determine their needs and decide if the project fits the volunteers’ capabilities. A financial needs assessment also will be conducted by the site surveyor.

Those living within 30 minutes of the Norwin School District — North Huntingdon, Irwin and North Irwin — are eligible to be considered for a home repair.

The Carpenter’s Apprentice was created in 2008 to provide essential repairs to homes to ensure residents can live in a safe and secure environment.

Those who want to volunteer, apply for assistance or refer someone in need can visit the organization’s website at thecarpentersapprentice.org.

State police academy

The Pennsylvania State Police is now accepting applications for its 2026 Law and Leadership Academy – Southwest Location. The application period runs through May 1.

The free program is designed for residents or students in Southwest Pennsylvania, ages 18 and older, who have a high school diploma or GED and are seeking a career in law enforcement. Modeled after professional police academies, the curriculum includes instruction on criminal investigations, traffic laws and police resources, alongside paramilitary training in physical fitness, swimming and marching.

The academy runs from May 11 through Aug. 5. Classes are held:

Mondays: 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Wednesdays: 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Saturdays: Two dates (tentative)

The program aims to foster self-discipline and teamwork while giving participants a firsthand look at the cadet experience.

Interested applicants can obtain an application by contacting the Southwest Program Coordinator, Trooper Tristan T. Fay, at tfay@pa.gov, or by visiting www.PATROOPER.com. More information is available on the PSP website.

New members sought

The Association of University People invites potential new members to join them at an event.

The association welcomes singles 50 and older, who are four-year college graduates, to join them for activities and to meet new people. Activities include picnics, monthly dinners, a book group and meetups at local concerts and wineries.

For more, call 412-353-9088 or email AUPsingles@gmail.com.