There are some great Christmas towns in West Virginia, many of which feature iconic scenes straight out of something warm and homey like a Norman Rockwell painting. One of the best - for the last weekend in November and the first weekend of December at least - is the town of Beckley. That's because the ever-popular Beckley Exhibition Coal Mine, which is typically closed for the winter season, reopens. Not only does it reopen, but it also reopens, transformed by the magic of Christmas - an Appalachian Coal-Town Christmas, to be precise. It's the classic, quintessential West Virginia Christmas town.
Over 20 years. That's how long the Exhibition Coal Mine and Youth Museum in Beckley, West Virginia, has hosted the Appalachian Coal Town Christmas—two decades and counting. What an honor! This magical festival is even the star of its very own HGTV Christmas special. I'm not shocked, really; I mean, it fits. It's perfect for it. Christmas in West Virginia is an astonishingly magical time, with all sorts of things to do, see, and experience - many of which take pride in the sense of community present here.
In fact, this coal town experience is so amazing and so real and so all-American that if Norman Rockwell were here for it, we're absolutely certain he would immediately pull out his paintbrushes and get to work on a painting or two. He loved hard-working, down-to-earth families, didn't he? And holiday scenes, of course. We've got plenty of each!
Caroling in the church, a coal miner whistling a Christmas tune, a young man buying homemade fudge from the gift shop for his sweetheart, ice skaters on the skating rink... these are exactly the types of scenes you can expect to see at Appalachian Coal Town Christmas, and they are exactly the type of scenes that make this unique West Virginia Christmas town something straight out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
Appalachian Coal Town Christmas features underground mine tours, above-ground activities (like carriage rides and ice skating), and festive decorations everywhere you look. It typically occurs the last weekend of November and the first weekend of December, and there is a small fee for admission that's well worth the price to see the Beckley Exhibition Coal town transformed into a holiday wonderland! Of all the delightful West Virginia Christmas towns you ought to visit, this one should be toward the top of the list!
Plus, in addition to the two-weekend Appalachian Coal Town Christmas festival, the town of Beckley sponsors several other fun Christmas events for the season: a Christmas parade, beautifully decorated city parks, festive menus, and shopping opportunities galore.
For more information on every year's Appalachian Coal Town Christmas, check out the Visit Southern West Virginia website. Have you gotten to go to this classic celebration? Are you planning to go this year? We would love to hear all about your experiences in the comments. And while you're getting in the holiday spirit, take a look at the OnlyInYourState Holiday Gift Guides to find the perfect presents for your loved ones! It will be a very merry West Virginia Christmas this year... I just know it!
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