Guyan River Cloggers were one of two clogging groups that performed on Saturday at the Cupcake Festival.
Once again cupcake mania swept over Teays Valley as the eighth annual West Virginia Cupcake Festival came to Valley Park in Hurricane. The event, held August 24 through 26, featured a multitude of cupcake confectioners from all over the state, as well as entertainment, contests, arts and crafts, and fun activities for all ages. In addition to offering a wide variety of tasty treats, the festival serves as a fundraiser for local charities, making it “the sweetest festival around.”
An additional day was added to the festival this year, which has grown from a one-day event at its inception to a multi-day extravaganza. Once a month throughout the summer and fall, Valley Park has hosted a Night Market with vendors, food trucks, and entertainment, and a special theme which varies by month. The event for August fell upon Thursday, August 24, the day before the Cupcake Festival, so this month’s Night Market featured both a cupcake theme in addition to a 1980’s theme.
Friday’s activities included Cupcake Classic Cruise-In/Car Show hosted by CLz Finest Car Club; the Pupcake & Friends Pageant for pets; story time hosted by the Putnam County Library; games for children; and live music.
Saturday started out with the Cupcake Chase 5K Run/Walk. Adults and children lined up to compete in the cupcake eating contest, which featured cupcakes decorated by one of the festival pageant queens who had never decorated a cupcake before. Brandon Davis of Sod won the contest, finishing off four cupcakes before any of the other contestants.
The two main events of Saturday were the Amateur Cupcake Contest and the Vendor Cupcake Contest. Barbara McKown of Orma won Best Tasting Amateur Cupcake, and Chika Yamaguchi of Japan won Best Decorated Amateur Cupcake. The Vendor Cupcake Contest, which featured multiple categories, pitted professional bakers against each other. People’s Choice winners were Beeg’s Bakes of South Charleston, First Place; These Cakes of Pocahontas County, Second Place; and Huntington High ProStart, Third Place. Queen’s Choice winners were Beeg’s Bakes, First Place; These Cakes, Second Place; and Tab’s Cakes of Milton, Third Place. The Cupcake Master Takes the Cake winners were Betty’s Sweet Treats of Hurricane, First Place; These Cakes, Second Place; and Huntington High ProStart, Third Place.
In addition to cupcake contests, Saturday’s entertainment included the Lincoln County Cloggers and Guyan River Cloggers, with musical entertainment provided by Adam Parker & the Bourbon Cowboys and Track 9. Throughout the weekend, people could view a photography exhibit and cupcake coloring pages created by local children.
The two local charities which the West Virginia Cupcake Festival raised monies for this year were the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia, an organization which provides services and promotes advocacy for the state’s most vulnerable children, and Putnam Shoes for Children, a Hurricane-based non-profit organization which provides shoes to children in need. A total of $4,000 was donated to Children’s Home Society, and $2,000 was donated to Putnam Shoes for Children.
