Helvetia Community Fair

From Helvetia Community Fair Website:

THE HELVETIA COMMUNITY FAIR celebrates the rich culture and history of Helvetia, WV, a small Swiss community located in Randolph County. One of the oldest agricultural fairs (since 1917) in West Virginia, the Helvetia Community Fair encourages local families, friends, and visitors to celebrate our harvest and our heritage.

Farmers, artisans, and children display their work at the Helvetia Community Hall the second full weekend in September. Canned green beans, yellow squash, pfeffernsse cookies, tatting, wildflower arrangements, 4-H projects, watercolor paintings, and much more line the hall to honor the past year and to uphold our history. Just beyond the blue ribbon exhibits, the kitchen bustles with volunteers who prepare food for a day full of celebration. Festivities include a parade, Swiss folk dancing, Fahnenschwingen (Swiss flag swinging), Alphorn playing, yodeling, field games, relays, and a square dance.

Helvetia's original settlers proved they could withstand harsh winters and rugged terrain while retaining the traditions of their mother country, Switzerland. Our hope is that the Helvetia Community Fair reflects that character, celebrates our ancestry, and encourages our children and visitors to embrace our traditions.