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Appalachia Cultural Arts Center

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Appalachia Cultural Arts Center

Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Appalachia Cultural Arts Center, Arts and entertainment, Main Street, Appalachia, VA.

This page is intended to provide information about activities at the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center, Appalachia, Va., and to provide a forum for people interested in the center.

10/16/2026

Test your knowledge!

Sunday (Oct 18) at 3pm you can learn about area author John Fox Jr., from his boyhood in Kentucky to his final home on Shawnee Avenue in Big Stone Gap, his short-lived marriage to a famous stage star, his time as a war correspondent and more. Historian and researcher Roger Bays will chat about Fox's life and his bestselling books, which became Broadway plays and movies.

Here's some interesting trivia about the Trail of the Lonesome Pine movies:

* Cecil B. DeMille, future director of Gone With the Wind, directed the 1916 Trail of the Lonesome Pine movie

* The 1936 movie version included a very young Spanky "The Little Rascals" McFarland, Henry Fonda, Fred "My Three Sons" MacMurray and if we have any Gen X'ers on the page, you may not know it, but the afterlife caseworker from 1988's Beetlejuice was played by the actress who played June Tolliver, Sylvia Sweeney.

* The Trail of the Lonesome Pine song was sung by actors Laurel and Hardy in 1937. Its 1975 re-release peaked at #2 on the UK Singles Chart. The song that kept it from the #1 spot...Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen.

Admission is free, though donations are welcome and help support activities like our fireside chats.

10/13/2026

The weather this weekend looks cool and sunny, perfect for our fireside chat at the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center on Oct. 18th. Join researcher Roger Bays for a fascinating conversation on the Trail of the Lonesome Pine author John Fox Jr.

Did you know parts of Fox's best-selling book were based on the real-life 1892 massacre of the Mullins family on Pine Mountain? The historical figures in the ambush influenced several of Fox's characters, including Red Fox and his subsequent arrest and hanging for the murders.

The chat starts at 3pm. Admission is free, though donations are welcome and help ensure future activities. We hope to see you there!

09/14/2026

What a great fireside chat this past weekend with Buddy Sampson and Allen Wolf who talked about the hard, often dangerous but always important work of coal mining and coal preparation.

Decades of experience meant they had lots of stories to share including how the miners kept warm underground (stuffing their shirts and huddling up to safety lights for warmth), the dangers of methane or cutting into water from hand-dug wells. They also praised the hard work of women in the mines, many who were single mothers or wives of disabled husbands.

Audience members chimed in with their own experiences such as seeing a cow being swallowed up by a mine break.

More events are coming up this fall and winter. Follow our page to make sure you hear about them.

09/09/2026

This Saturday, Sept 12th , please join us for our latest fireside chat.
with Buddy Sampson and Allen Wolf.

11-1 at the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center.

Buddy, from Andover, will share stories from his 39+ years working in the coal preparation plants in our areas. Allen will discuss his experiences working underground for more than 4 decades.

Bring your own memories, stories, or photos to share.

Admission is free (though donations appreciated) and snacks available.

09/07/2026

Our friends at the Wise County Historical Society and the Wise Business Association asked us to share their September essay contest. The topic is "Remember the Past, Imagine the Future." Winners and runners-up will receive cash prizes. See the information below and reach out to them if you have any questions. Good luck!

08/21/2026

Do you have your papaw's coal mining scrip in a jar somewhere? It's more than a collectible, it's a part of the history of the coal mining towns and illustrates the challenges miners faced in getting ahead.

Come out to our fireside chat with local author and historian Dennis Reedy this Sunday (the 23rd) at 2:30. Join the chat and also see a selection from his vast coal and railroad memorabilia collection. Suitable for ages 10 and up. Admission is free, though donations are welcomed. More info on our Facebook.

08/20/2026

From the early days, coal mining was important but often dangerous work. This miner's hat was made of fabric and leather and did little to protect its wearer. The carbide light affixed to the front provided an open flame for the miner to work by in the dark mine. For safety, electric lamps soon replaced the carbides and soft hats became boiled leather and eventually plastic.

See and learn more at our fireside chat with author and historian, Dennis Reedy this Sunday August 23rd at 2:30 at the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center. The event is free, though donations are appreciated.

08/18/2026

You may know about the use of canaries in the coal mines. Did you know other animals were used by miners for labor and transportation? Donkeys, Goats, and Oxen could also be found in the belly of the mines. Join local historian Dennis Reedy for this and other stories during: Black Diamonds and Iron Rails; a Fireside Chat on SWVA Coal and Railroad History this coming Sunday, August 23 at 2:30 pm. Check out our event listing at the top of our page for more information.

Dennis will have a selection of railroad and mining memorabilia from his vast collection, including oxen shoes, custom designed for their cloven hooves. Picture from WVA Encyclopedia.

08/03/2026

Thanks to all the volunteers, visitors, and vendors who made Railroad Days a success. We hope you got a chance to sample the delicious food like pretzel dogs from Oma's Haus , tasty bbq from Kilgore's Korner or the cakepops from Breads by Marla (don't forget you can order gluten free from her!)

There was great music and impressive crafts like the wooden birdhouses carved by a 92-year-old local gentleman. We learned about local wines with MountainRose Vineyards and got fired up for football by meeting the Union Sports Network Union Bears. (Pre-season starts August 14th!)

Thanks also to Randy Blair who not only keeps the 5K rolling every year but makes sure to get folks out to the Home Boys and Home Girls get together at the Cultural Arts Center. Stay tuned for more to see and do in the great town of Appalachia!

07/31/2026

We hope your weekend plans include Coal/Railroad Days. Tonight will be a great night to enjoy the street vendors, meet the Union Bears football team and cheerleaders, and enjoy Six Gun on the main stage.

Check out the schedule below for all the activities. Contact Appalachia Special Projects 276-393-2991 for more information.

* Road closures this evening at 5 and tomorrow morning at 7
* Shuttle buses from funeral home, Island Park, AHS and Kids Central Parking lot

*Did you grow up and/or go to school in Appalachia?*

Be sure and drop in to the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center for the Homeboys and Girls get-together. Meet up with old friends and enjoy some light concessions. Drop-in hours are 11-5, on Saturday. The reunion is free but donations will be accepted and are much appreciated.

Address

Main Street
Appalachia, VA
24216

Website

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