Editing Charleston, West Virginia (section)

===Annual events and fairs===
Charleston is home to numerous annual events and fairs that take place from the banks of the [[Kanawha River]] to the capitol grounds.

The West Virginia Dance Festival, held between April 25 and 30, features dance students from across the state that attend classes and workshops in ballet, jazz, and modern dance. At the finale, the students give free public performances at the West Virginia State Theatre.

Symphony Sunday, held annually since 1982, usually the first weekend in June, is a full day of music, food, and family fun culminating in a free performance by the [[West Virginia Symphony Orchestra]] and a fireworks display. Throughout the day, local community dance and music ensembles perform. Ensembles that perform on Symphony Sunday include the Kanawha Valley Ringers, the West Virginia Kickers, the Charleston Metro Band, the West Virginia Youth Symphony, the Mountain State Brass Band, and the Kanawha Valley Community Band. The now-defunct Charleston Neophonic Orchestra also performed at the event.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wvsl.org/symphsunday.htm |title=Symphony Sunday |publisher=West Virginia Symphony League |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608031245/http://www.wvsl.org/symphsunday.htm |archive-date=June 8, 2009 }}</ref>

The [[NPR]] program [[Mountain Stage]] was founded in Charleston in 1983. The live performance music program, produced by [[West Virginia Public Broadcasting]] and heard on the [[Voice of America]] and via [[NPR Music]], records episodes at the Culture Center Theater on the [[West Virginia State Capitol]] grounds.

[[File:The Clay Center for the Arts and Sciences of West Virginia, in Charleston LCCN2015631764.tif|thumb|[[Clay Center (Charleston, West Virginia)|Clay Center]]]]

Twice a year, in late April and early November, the West Virginia International Film Festival occurs,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wviff.org |title=Our Mission |publisher=West Virginia Film Festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090429035622/http://www.wviff.org/ |archive-date=April 29, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref> at which many domestic and international films are shown, including full-length feature films, shorts, documentaries, animation, and student films.

Charleston hosts the annual [[Gazette-Mail Kanawha County Majorette and Band Festival]] for the eight public high schools in Kanawha County. The festival began in 1947 and has continued on as an annual tradition. It is held at the [[University of Charleston Stadium at Laidley Field]] in downtown Charleston. It is the state's oldest music festival.

On [[Memorial Day]] weekend, the Vandalia Gathering<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wvculture.org/vandalia/|title=Vandalia Gathering|website=www.wvculture.org|access-date=October 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190917032020/http://www.wvculture.org/vandalia/|archive-date=September 17, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> is held on the state capitol grounds. Thousands of visitors each year enjoy traditional music, art, dance, stories, crafts, and food that stems from West Virginia's mountain culture.

Since 2005, FestivALL<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://festivallcharleston.com/|title=Home &#124; FestivAll|website=festivallcharleston.com|access-date=October 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190930200835/https://festivallcharleston.com/|archive-date=September 30, 2019|url-status=dead}}</ref> has provided the Charleston area with cultural and artistic events beginning on June 20 ([[West Virginia Day]]) and including dance, theater, and music. FestivALL provides local artists a valuable chance to display their works and help get others interested in, and involved with, the local artistic community. Highlights include an art fair on Capitol Street and local bands playing live music at stages set up throughout downtown, as well as a wine and jazz festival on the campus of the [[University of Charleston]] featuring local and nationally known jazz artists and showcasing the products of West Virginia vineyards.

The Charleston Sternwheel Regatta is an annual river festival held on the Kanawha Boulevard by Haddad Riverfront Park on the Kanawha River. Founded in 1970, it was originally held during Labor Day weekend each year until its discontinuation in 2008, but after its revival in 2022, it is now held during [[Independence Day (United States)|Independence Day]] weekend. The event has carnival-style rides and attractions and live music from local and nationally known bands.{{citation needed|date=April 2023}}