Fasnacht 2025: My Experience, and the Fluidity of Folk Culture

There’s something so exquisite and magical about wandering around a small, cozy village surrounded by people wearing various masks of animals and characters, with a warm cup of coffee in my hand, as snow gently falls to the ground. Earlier this month, I made the trek to Helvetia, West Virginia for Fasnacht, which is a traditional Swiss end-of-winter celebration. This was my first time ever visiting this town, let alone for this festival, so I was not fully sure what to expect. I could not have predicted how much I would enjoy my time here. To quote the West Virginia folklife site, “Fasnacht is a pre-Lenten tradition that dates back to 1520 in Switzerland and celebrates the changing of the seasons”. The Fasnacht celebration in Helvetia is a prime example of the fluidity and ever-changing nature of folk traditions. “Tradition encompasses change”. This is a quote from Susan Auerbach, a former folk arts coordinator for the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, as quoted in the book “Destination Culture: Tourism, Museums, and Heritage” by Barbara Kirshenblatt-Gimblett. In other words, as society and individuals grow and change, so do our traditions and culture. I was able to observe firsthand how Fasnacht has simultaneously retained its’ core values and traditions, while synthesizing with relatively new traditions that are brought in as more people discover the event. One example of this is fans of the video game Fallout 76 who come to the festival each year dressed as characters from the game. I thought it was so cool to see how fans of this game have become a regular part of this tradition, even having their own area with Fallout merch set up. Not only has Fallout 76 introduced an entirely new audience to Fasnacht, but I think that it could work the other way around too. I can definitely say that seeing the Fallout costumes made me want to check the game out!

There were two sisters who were braiding tinsel into people’s hair at the Cheese Haus for three dollars a piece, so my friend and I decided to each get a tinsel. I want to give a shout-out to them and highly recommend that you find them and get your own tinsel, if you decide to attend Fasnacht. I want to recommend them not only because the tinsel was beautiful, but because they are so funny and personable and made it a memorable and fun experience.

As a first timer at Fasnacht, I can say that I immediately felt so welcomed and at home by everyone there. Everyone I encountered there was so friendly and kind. There was just such a sense of collective joy that made this celebration so special. I feel like I experienced this collective joy most of all during the parade in which everyone walked to the community hall, and the burning of Old Man Winter. Walking over to the community hall in a large group with everyone, and then standing in a big circle around the bonfire, cheering as Old Man Winter burned, was an experience like no other. There is no way to fully put this festival into words, so I highly recommend that you attend this festival next year and experience it for yourself.

The Gardner Winter Music Festival: An Interactive Folk Music Experience

 

Worley Gardner's picture on the 
auditorium stage

On Saturday, February 22, I had the opportunity to visit the Gardner Winter Music Festival in my hometown of Morgantown, West Virginia, at South Middle School. This festival offers a variety of unique and fun experiences, such as workshops in a variety of different types of traditional Appalachian music, jam sessions, a square dance, and live performances by local West Virginia musicians. This was my first time attending this festival, so I was not sure what to expect from it. I am so grateful that I was able to attend for the first time this year, because the experiences that I had are like no other. Worley Gardner is unique to other music festivals I have been to in that, rather than only watching others perform, visitors to the festival are given the opportunity to fully participate in and create music as well. This is such a fun, magical, and whimsical event that anyone of any musical skill or knowledge level can enjoy. 

We first arrived to the festival in the early afternoon. Upon walking into the festival, I was met with the sound of a happy fiddle tune coming from somewhere in the building, and everyone seemed so carefree and happy. There was an Appalachian foot dancing class being taught in the middle of the floor where visitors first walk in. People of all ages were standing in a circle to learn a dance, and occasionally someone would jump into the middle of the circle. I did not participate in this workshop, but it was so fun to watch!

The live performances from local musicians were held in the school’s auditorium, where people were free to duck in and out of throughout the day. After the Appalachian foot dancing concluded, we decided to head inside and check it out. We watched performances by Walter Hojka, Lackawanna Longnecks and the Kennedy Barn String Band. As the name suggests, the Kennedy Barn String Band was made up of several fiddle players who played various folk tunes.

Walter Hojka playing in the auditorium

  

After watching a few of the performances held in the auditorium, we decided to head to one of the classrooms to participate in one of the workshops for ourselves. We joined in on a singing workshop with local musician Mary Linscheid, who led us in singing Amazing Grace, Farther Along by Dolly Parton, among other songs from a variety of different genres. Similar to the Appalachian foot dancing workshop, the singing workshop included people from all different age groups and generations. I feel that I shared a beautiful experience with all of these strangers by singing these songs together. This is just another example of how this festival has a unique talent for bringing people together, in a way that other events may not be able to. Aristotle Jones also led a singing workshop in soul music. 

To conclude our time at the Worley Gardner Music Festival, we made our way back to the auditorium to catch performances by Turkey Hollow Barn Jam, Bill Schilling, and Aristotle Jones. Turkey Hollow Barn Jam is a group of several musicians who played happy folksy tunes. Bill Schilling is a folk musician who plays a variety of different instruments, such as the mountain dulcimer, banjo, and the guitar. Aristotle Jones, also known as the "Appalachian Soul Man", is a local musician from Osage, which is just outside of Morgantown. 

We had a great time at the Gardner Winter Music Festival! It was an immersive and fun experience that people of all ages can enjoy. It was my first time ever attending this festival, and I can say that I had a wonderful time, and plan to come back next year. I hope to see you all there too!