KINGWOOD, W.Va. (The Hinton News) – Governor Patrick Morrisey joined residents and visitors in Kingwood for the 84th Preston County Buckwheat Festival, where he celebrated nearly nine decades of agriculture, community and tradition in Preston County.
Watch Governor Morrisey’s remarks here.
“The Buckwheat Festival is a great West Virginia tradition because it brings generations of families together and reminds us where we came from,” said Governor Morrisey. “What started as a homecoming organized by volunteer firefighters nearly 90 years ago now brings tens of thousands of people to Kingwood every year. That says a lot about Preston County and the people who have worked generation after generation to keep this tradition going.”
The Preston County Buckwheat Festival was first held in 1938 after members of the Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department proposed a homecoming celebration marking the autumn buckwheat harvest. Firefighters and civic organizations from across the county organized the first festival in just six weeks. The following year, Preston County buckwheat cake experts were invited to the New York World’s Fair to prepare the county specialty as part of West Virginia Day.
The festival was suspended for four years during World War II before returning and growing into the five-day celebration held today. The annual event now attracts tens of thousands of visitors for parades, livestock shows, live music, carnival rides, arts and crafts and traditional buckwheat cakes and sausage.
“This festival shows what happens when West Virginians step up and work together,” Governor Morrisey said. “The Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department and hundreds of volunteers put in the work year after year, and the result is an event that strengthens this community, supports local businesses and gives people another reason to come experience West Virginia.”
The Kingwood Volunteer Fire Department organizes and operates the festival with support from community volunteers. Festival proceeds help support the department’s equipment, training and emergency services. This year’s festival theme is “Back to Our Roots.”
The festival comes as West Virginia continues to experience significant private-sector growth. Since October 2025, approximately $96 billion in private-sector investment and more than 19,000 projected jobs have been announced across the state.
