Beautiful Bars MORGANTOWN HAS ITS FAIR SHARE of bars—dozens upon dozens. Ten years ago we explored how an old bank made for a beautiful bar on High Street named Lira. It’s long gone now, but there are still plenty of spots in town to grab a drink, and a few that deserve a visit almost as much for the bar’s beauty as for the cocktails. The Wine Bar at Vintner Valley’s dim lighting and romantic atmosphere make it a go-to for date night bellied up to the beautiful bar. You’ll feel like you’ve been transported to the Italian
THE WEST VIRGINIA WINE AND JAZZ FESTIVAL was already going strong when we attended in September 2011 to take photos for our inaugural issue. Since then, Wine & Jazz has only gotten more popular, winning Best of Morgantown Best Festival 9 out of 10 years. And what’s not to love? The two-day late-September celebration at Camp Muffly routinely draws more than 5,000 attendees. Wine and Jazz showcases local and regional jazz artists in hourlong sets, and also welcomes performers from as far as New York and Kansas City. “Big bands to small combos, traditional to avant-garde, we have pretty much any style that’s been around in the past 50 years,” then- festival board President Jeff Miller told us a few years ago. Between sets, festivalgoers visit the regional wineries, local food vendors, and artisans that set up booths in the clearings around the camp grounds. Best of all, Wine and Jazz is a volunteer, nonprofit organization that directs proceeds right back into the community—more than $500,000 since 1994 for music scholarships, for sending college groups to perform at middle and high schools across the state, and for music-related nonprofit groups. If you’ve never experienced Wine and Jazz, mark your calendar: The 2021 festival will take place September 25 and 26. Longtime Best Fest
countryside as you peruse the 150- plus bottles on the wine list and the creative seasonal cocktail menu that’s earned a devoted faction of followers. Tin 202 is another local favorite for its inventive drinks and speakeasy spirit. The bar and restaurant’s name was inspired by the old tin ceiling uncovered during renovations. The owners decided that the gorgeous ceiling would set the tone for the rest of the space and created one of the most beautiful bars in town. Located in the renovated and revered Hotel Morgan, Anvil + Ax is the newest of Morgantown’s beautiful places to relax in style. The bar oozes sleek sophistication, from its luxuriant stools and polished bar top to the crystal chandelier that lights the room. Stop in for a modern twist on a collection of classic cocktails.
Kids on Stage
A typical MTC production involves about 50 children. Long-term participants get major creative opportunities like choreography. Quite a few alums continue on in theater, and some excel, Kale says, naming as example Trevor Dion Nicholas, known recently for his role in Aladdin: Live from the West End. Look for MTC’s production of The Music Man this fall. And keep an eye out—it’s Kale’s dream to one day soon expand MTC to an all-ages community theater.
theater programs for grades 2 through 12, culminating in two or three productions a year at the Metropolitan Theatre. It’s theater-plus, says Artistic Director Heath Kale. “Practicing for the show we just did, Little Shop of Horrors, we talked a lot about race and gentrification and greed,” he says. “So it’s theater, but the kids are also learning about the world around them.”
IN OUR INAUGURAL ISSUE, Morgantown-born stage, screen, and TV actor David Selby, best known for his roles in Dark Shadows and Falcon Crest, appeared alongside young actors for a fundraiser for Morgantown Theatre Company. MTC is still creating
memorable and instructive opportunities for kids today. Established in 1998, it offers after-school and summer
34 MORGANTOWN FALL 2021
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