Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival returns to Mercer County

By BBG

PRINCETON, W.Va. — Culturefest returns to Mercer County September 8–13, bringing music, art, storytelling, and cultural experiences into local schools before filling downtown Princeton with four days of free performances, workshops, and creative activities.

Presented by the Princeton-based nonprofit RiffRaff Arts Collective, the 23rd annual Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival will take place September 10–13 throughout the Mercer Street Grassroots District. The public festival will feature more than 30 music and dance performances, unique artisan and retail vendors, workshops, children’s activities, healing arts, and opportunities to explore the vibrant venues and businesses throughout the downtown district.

In the days leading up to the public festival, internationally acclaimed artists will share music, history, storytelling, and cultural traditions with local students through Culturefest in Our Communities, an educational outreach program taking place September 8–10 at select Mercer County schools and afterschool programs.

Four stages will feature regional, national, and international artists performing styles ranging from Americana, blues, Appalachian folk, soul, rock, jazz, funk, and world fusion to experimental music. The festival will also feature dance, performance art, live painting, fire performance, and participatory workshops in drumming, yoga, movement, upcycled art, and more.

CULTUREFEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES

Before the public festival begins, Culturefest artists will bring music, history, storytelling, and cultural traditions directly into local classrooms through Culturefest in Our Communities, an educational outreach program launched by RiffRaff Arts Collective in 2024.

Master djembéfola Adama Dembele, a 33rd-generation West African drummer from Côte d’Ivoire who has toured internationally with legendary artists including Salif Keita and Oumou Sangaré, will introduce students to traditional West African rhythms, drumming, storytelling, and cultural traditions.

Corey Harris, an internationally acclaimed blues musician and MacArthur Fellow, will guide students through the rich history of the blues, exploring its deep roots in African musical traditions through performance, storytelling, and interactive discussion.

Melissa McKinney, Princeton native and acclaimed singer-songwriter, educator, and Programming and Education Director for LEAF Global Arts, will engage students through music, songwriting, and creative expression while encouraging the power of creativity, community, and finding one’s own voice.

The artists will visit select Mercer County schools and afterschool programs throughout the week before appearing at the public festival. Designed to connect young people with global traditions and plant seeds of creativity that will grow for years to come, Culturefest in Our Communities is made possible by Mid Atlantic Arts’ Central Appalachia Living Traditions program.

MUSICAL LINEUP HIGHLIGHTS

National and International Artists

Corey Harris — An internationally acclaimed blues musician, MacArthur Fellow, and one of the leading voices in the modern revival of country blues. Through masterful performances and storytelling, Harris explores the deep connections between African musical traditions and the blues. He will also serve as a lead teaching artist for Culturefest in Our Communities.

Jamal Milner — A virtuoso guitarist, producer, and audio engineer whose career has included performances with Taj Mahal, B.B. King, Dave Matthews Band, Ali Farka Touré, Vusi Mahlasela, and many others. A longtime collaborator with Corey Harris, Milner is celebrated for his extraordinary musicianship and genre-spanning artistry.

MAMA — Asheville’s award-winning blues and soul powerhouse, fresh from a second-place finish at the 2026 International Blues Challenge after winning the 2025 MerleFest Band Competition. Fronted by dynamic vocalist Melissa McKinney, the band delivers electrifying performances fueled by soaring vocals, a blazing horn section, and infectious energy.

Adama Dembele — A 33rd-generation master djembéfola from Côte d’Ivoire, Dembele has toured internationally with artists including Salif Keita and Oumou Sangaré. Returning as both a performer and educator, he will bring West African drumming, storytelling, and cultural traditions into local schools through Culturefest in Our Communities.

Father Sun — Hailing from Floyd, Virginia, Father Sun blends roots reggae, soulful grooves, and Caribbean rhythms into uplifting performances that invite audiences to dance, connect, and celebrate together.

Local and Regional Artists

Option 22 — Princeton’s own genre-bending folk-rock band, whose music is rooted in hope, healing, and community transformation. Led by festival founders Lori McKinney and Robert Blankenship, the group has spent two decades using creativity to help revitalize downtown Princeton while inspiring communities through music with a mission.

The Kind Thieves — One of Southern West Virginia’s most exciting original bands, blending rock, funk, bluegrass, and improvisation into a dynamic live experience defined by exceptional musicianship and memorable songwriting.

James Hart & Old Soul Reunion — A powerhouse original Americana project led by acclaimed songwriter and Stages Music School Director James Hart. Blending soul, blues, folk, and rock, the band showcases emotionally resonant songwriting backed by some of the region’s finest musicians.

Andrew Adkins Band — Described by No Depression as “the embodiment of the current state of roots music in West Virginia,” Andrew Adkins is one of Appalachia’s most respected singer-songwriters, known for authentic storytelling, heartfelt performances, and timeless Appalachian craftsmanship.

Cariño — Charleston, West Virginia’s premier live Latin music ensemble, bringing the explosive energy of salsa, bachata, and merengue to the Mountain State. With driving percussion, soaring brass, and infectious rhythms, Cariño has become a driving force in West Virginia’s growing Latin dance scene, creating joyful performances that invite everyone to move, connect, and celebrate.

Additional performers include Lady D, Marisa Cristina Blake, McKinney, Holy River, Fred Nez-Keams, Infinite Third, Ovadya, Andrew Carpenter, The Charleston Rogues, Petah Iah & The Mind Renewers, Taran Trea, Derian Blane, Emma Shirey Band, Fluidity Performance Troupe, Colby Elswick, Infinite Options, and Tim & Maggie.

The festival will also feature a Grassroots Blues Jam with local voices including Jean Hanna Davis, Bob McGraw, Jerry Crews, Robert Klander, and Margaret and Garret Persinger, along with a Songwriters Showcase featuring Zach Elmore, McKinney, Gary Meadows, and others.

Featured visual artists include Rainbow Art Farms, Jillian Firth, Chloe Blankenship, and additional artists to be announced.

Artist biographies, links, schedules, and additional festival details can be found at culturefestwv.com.

FESTIVAL TRADITIONS

Children’s crafts and daily activities, a kids’ parade, and collaborative community art projects ensure that families can participate fully in the festival. Facilitated workshops in drumming, yoga, hoop dance, and more invite attendees of all ages to become part of the creative process.

Culturefest is a rain-or-shine event, with comfortable indoor venues and furnished tents in the Town Square providing welcoming spaces to gather throughout the weekend.

SPONSORS AND PARTNERS

Culturefest is presented by RiffRaff Arts Collective with financial assistance from the West Virginia Department of Tourism and the National Endowment for the Arts, with approval from the West Virginia Commission on the Arts.

Additional support is provided by the Mortimer & Mimi Levitt Foundation, whose mission is to strengthen the social fabric of America through the power of free, live music. Learn more at levitt.org.

Culturefest is also made possible through the generous support of WVU Medicine/Princeton Community Hospital, Princeton Storage, Xfinity, Country Inn & Suites, Sleep Inn & Suites, Hampton Inn, Ramey Toyota, and a host of local advertisers.

Special thanks to the City of Princeton, Princeton Public Works, and the Princeton Police Department for their cooperation and support.

ABOUT RIFFRAFF ARTS COLLECTIVE

RiffRaff Arts Collective is a Princeton-based nonprofit organization that creates arts experiences and educational opportunities, presents cultural programming, and supports community connection and revitalization in Princeton’s Mercer Street Grassroots District and throughout Southern West Virginia.