Try out a new way to connect with your community in 2026!
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Community Sing
The Community Sing is led by Olivia Perske and Connie Townsend. This monthly sing, occuring on the last Monday of the month in September-April, was inspired by a class at the Augusta Heritage Summer Workshops. Workshop leader Matt Watroba spoke of a conversation that he had with Pete Seeger, who said that, “the most important thing I ever did was get people to sing together.” This is not a choir – participants sit in a circle, and share songs from the folk tradition. We invite you to come and sing; enjoy the beauty of group music-making in a warm and welcoming environment. ALL are welcome, regardless of experience, age, or self-determined skill.
For questions about the community sing please reach out to Olivia Perske at oliviaiperske@gmail.com
Elkins Barn Dance Collective Dance Series
Monthly in Elkins, WV
We are excited that community dancing is back in Elkins, WV! Look for announcements of monthly dances at various locations around Elkins, including the Arts Center, Big Timber, the YMCA and the downtown Augusta Heritage Center.
Friday, January 30, 2026: Square Dance @ The Arts Center
Friday, February 27, 2026: Square Dance @ Big Timber Brewing
Friday, March 27, 2026: Square Dance @ The Arts Center
Friday, April 17, 2026: Square Dance @ Big Timber Brewing
Come out and dance!
All dances start at 7pm unless otherwise specified. General Admission: $10; Students/AmeriCorps/Fixed Income: $5
Voices of Augusta (Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 p.m.)
Elkins, WV
Voices of Augusta teaches singers about music from around the world, music theory, vocal technique, and more. Younger students get a wonderful introduction to all of these topics and older students get opportunities for harmony, solos, and leadership. You will be amazed at how good the choir sounds at the end of the season! Voices of Augusta will meet Tuesdays, 4:30-5:30 and is for grades 1 through 6. Choir generally does not meet when Randolph County Schools are out of session and we will be in touch with parents regarding snow days. The first two rehearsals will be open (parents welcome to attend and listen), while the rest of the season’s rehearsals will be closed so that the students can focus on the music.
Olivia Perske leads the choir, with assistance from Emily Miller.
Voices of Augusta rehearsals will begin on Tuesday, February 3, 2026. The season will end with a concert in early May.
Rehearsal Location: The Randolph County Community Arts Center, 2 Park Street, Elkins, WV 26241
Augusta Strings Program
Elkins, WV
Augusta Strings Program (Thursdays, 5:45 – 7:15 p.m.)
The Augusta Strings Program offers group lessons on fiddle, banjo and guitar. Students learn how to play their instrument as well as traditional music from West Virginia. This program is a great way for West Virginian students to connect with their local cultural heritage in a fun and enriching way. The Augusta Strings Program will meet Thursdays, 5:45-7:15 and is for grades 4 through 12. The teachers for the program are Jesse Milnes (fiddle), Adam Casseday (banjo) and Seth Maynard (guitar).
The program will meet at the Old Brick Playhouse (329 Davis Ave, Elkins, WV, 26241).
Augusta Strings Program rehearsals will begin on Thursday, February 5, 2026. The season will end with a concert in early May.
Foodways Classes
All classes held in Elkins, WV.
Augusta is presenting a series of foodways classes in Elkins, WV. The classes will be taught by experienced chefs and home cooks from a variety of cultures represented in Appalachia today. Classes will cover specific dishes (In past seasons we have covered arepas, hand pies, pizzelles, pancit noodles, pepperoni rolls, dumplings, and collard greens, as well as addressing topics such as using local seasonal ingredients and home-canning techniques). Students can expect to come away from each class with hands-on knowledge about how to make a dish and hopefully a deeper understanding of the importance of that dish to the people whose kitchens it sprang from.
What are foodways?
Foodways are more than food itself — they are the beliefs and context surrounding food, the person-to-person teaching of its preparation, as well as the community in which the food is enjoyed. The passing down of food traditions from one generation to the next is an integral piece of a community’s identity and culture. We use food to deepen community ties, celebrate important holidays, mark milestones, and enrich our lives. A community’s values are readily communicated in the ways that food is celebrated and shared within it.
Lift Your Voice Choir
Elkins, WV
Augusta’s Lift Your Voice Choir is an inclusive and joyful community singing outlet for folks who already love to sing and those who would like to experiment with using their voices. The repertoire features traditional vocal music from exciting singing traditions found right here in West Virginia, including old-time, bluegrass, shape-note, gospel, and more, as well as traditions from other parts of the world. Singers will come away with a beautiful repertoire of new songs, a deeper understanding of the cultures they grew out of, and the lasting joy of singing together. Singers of all levels, ages and vocal ranges are welcome! The project is aimed at increasing opportunities for creative aging and lifelong learning in our community.
Rehearsals take place on Tuesdays from 6-8 p.m., beginning on February 17. Rehearsal location for this season is the Randolph County Community Arts Center. The choir will meet every Tuesday except for March 31. The culminating concert will be on Friday, May 1.
Registration is on a sliding scale of $40 to $200 for the season, with singers choosing the amount they can contribute. Singers of all levels, ages and vocal ranges are welcome to participate. The project is aimed at increasing opportunities for lifelong learning in the local community.
Bring a water bottle, a recording device (like your phone!), and your vocal cords! We will provide the rest!