Festivals
& Annual Events
Wheeling is your place for fun every season of the year!
Wheeling is home to several sporting teams, including the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins ECHL affiliate the Wheeling Nailers, the ECWHL’s Wheeling Lightningbirds, and Wheeling Miners Indoor Football. Soccer fans can experience the Highlanders FC, part of the Ohio Valley Premier League. If basketball is your game, you can catch the Mountain East Conference Men’s & Women’s Basketball Championships every March at WesBanco Arena.
Local professional theater, national acts, comedy, dramatic works, Broadway shows, dance and more can all be found at the various theaters and stages throughout Wheeling at any time of the year. Wheeling Symphony Orchestra has made the Friendly City its home for nearly a century.
During the summer and fall, there’s a festival happening in Wheeling almost every weekend! And in winter, don’t miss the Festival of Lights at Oglebay. It’s a holiday tradition! Check out our annual festivals and events to make sure you don’t miss out on something you’d love! Search by dates, then add keywords to help narrow your results. You can choose categories and locations to filter your results, too.
WINTER
Winterfest 01/29/2027-01/31/2027, Oglebay Park Resort
Celebrate the season at Oglebay’s annual Winterfest—an unforgettable winter celebration packed with frosty fun and things to do for all ages. Take the plunge with our crowd-favorite Polar Plunge, warm up at a lively dance party, sip festive drinks, and enjoy family-friendly activities all weekend long in scenic Wheeling, WV.
SPRING
Easter Celebration 04/03/2026-04/05/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Relax and enjoy fun activities for the whole family. With warm gatherings and festive events, embrace the season's spirit together in joyful moments.
Handmade Holiday Spring Market 04/25/2026-04/25/2026, Wheeling Artisan Center
Handmade Holiday Spring Market is a one-day makers’ market hosted by Wheeling Heritage, bringing together local artisans and the community for a fun, accessible shopping experience. Browse a wide variety of high-quality, handcrafted goods while supporting small businesses and celebrating regional creativity. This vibrant market offers a welcoming space to connect with makers and discover unique, locally made products. For more details, go to https://wheelingheritage.org/handmade-holiday-sprin...
FidoFest 2026 05/16/2026-05/16/2026, Warwood Garden Park
FidoFest is a fun-filled community event celebrating dogs and their owners with activities, vendors, and entertainment for all ages. Enjoy a day featuring over 20 local vendors, food trucks, an adoption center with local shelters, a photo booth, demonstrations (including the K9 Unit), parade, live music, raffle and more!
To stay up-to-date on event details or learn how to get involved, follow Wheeling Heritage on Facebook and sign up for our newsletter!
SUMMER
Backyard BBQ Festival 05/22/2026-05/24/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Kick off summer at the Backyard BBQ Festival, presented by The Glessner Group. Enjoy beer, bourbon, bands, delicious BBQ, and free live entertainment from local and national acts all weekend long.
Live Music
Multiple Food Vendors
Beer & Bourbon
Pitmaster Demonstrations
Little Piggy Play Station
Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic 05/23/2026-05/23/2026, Throughout Wheeling
Half Marathon Run
The 48th annual Ogden Newspapers Half Marathon Classic Run will start at 7:15 a.m. on Saturday, May 23. This challenging, Ohio Valley course is well known for its changes in elevation. The Half Marathon Run will have prize categories (for male and female) for the Open division. Race towels, bottled water and fresh fruit will be available to participants. Participants will receive one food voucher. Pre-registered participants are guaranteed a shirt. The race committee has dete...
Ohio River Splashtacular 06/07/2026-06/07/2026, Wheeling Heritage Port
Enjoy a day of activities at Wheeling Heritage Port and the Ohio River. The Chippewa Lake Water Ski Show Team will return to the Mighty Ohio to perform spectacular stunts and formations. Food trucks, water-related activities, science, zoo animals, and more! PLUS raise money for Easterseals by participating to win amazing raffle prizes.
Ascension of Ink Tattoo Fest 06/12/2026-06/14/2026, Highlands Sports Complex
The Ohio Valley’s largest tattoo convention brought to you by the creators of Resurrection Island. Held at Highlands Sports Complex in Wheeling, WV June 12,13,14th 2026.
All ages welcome!
We will be bringing amazing entertainment, bands, and tattoo contests!
Salute to Patriotism 07/03/2026-07/05/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Celebrate Independence Day at Oglebay with fun poolside activities, live tunes, festive flair, and a fireworks finale to remember, all presented by Community Bank and the Schenk Charitable Trust.
Independence Day Fun Festival 07/03/2026-07/03/2026, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack
Enjoy the ultimate summer experience at Wheeling Island's Third Annual FREE Independence Day Fun Festival! Join us for hours of excitement with fun activities for all ages to enjoy! Savor delicious bites from some of the area’s best food trucks. Indulge yourself with carnival rides, games, and inflatables! Visit the track to experience the thrills of Live Greyhound Racing. And you won’t want to miss any of the live outdoor entertainment! Guests 21 and older can take advantage of special hote...
Party on the Plaza Music & Food Festival 07/11/2026-07/11/2026, Plaza on Market
July 11, 2026
Plaza on Market • Downtown Wheeling
5:00 PM – 11:00 PM
Undo's Upper Ohio Valley Italian Heritage Festival 07/24/2026-07/26/2026, Wheeling Heritage Port
Join us for the annual Undo's Upper Ohio Valley Italian Festival at Wheeling’s beautiful Heritage Port! This year's festival focuses on food, fun, & family. Beside Italian foods of homemade sausage & meatballs, wood- fired pizza and many more Italian dishes there will also be foods from other cultures. Entertainment will be ongoing throughout the festival on the Main Stage and the Little Italy Stage. Also, inflatables and games for the kids are BACK!!!
The mission of our Festival ...
Heritage Music BluesFest 08/07/2026-08/09/2026, Wheeling Heritage Port
Location: Heritage Port, 1201 Water Street, Wheeling, WVDates: August 7,8,9, 2026
Festival Hours & Schedule
Friday Gates:
VIP & Canopy Spot: 2:00 PM
General Admission: 3:30 PM
Saturday & Sunday: Gates open at 10:30a
Stages: Performances take place on the Main Stage and the Second Stage with minimal overlap.
AfterJam: Each night, join the official AfterJam at Waterfront Hall from 11:00 PM – 1:00 AM.
VIPs get in free
Daily Lineup & Schedule: Will be released June...
Mountaineer Brewfest 08/15/2026-08/15/2026, Wheeling Heritage Port
🍻 West Virginia’s premier craft beer festival is back! The Mountaineer Brewfest returns to Wheeling for a day of great West Virginia craft beer, live music, and unforgettable festival vibes.
The date for this year’s festival is Saturday, August 15, 2026
The festival hours are: VIP entry 3:00 pm; General Admission entry at 4:00 pm; and the festival ends at 10:00 pm.
**TICKETS GO ON SALE JUNE 1ST**
COST (until July 31):
General Admission - $35
VIP Admission - $70
VIP Admissio...
Labor Day Celebration 09/04/2026-09/07/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Celebrate Labor Day weekend at Oglebay with live entertainment, inflatables, a foam party, Revolutionary War reenactments, a woodcarvers show, and a fireworks finale to remember.
Paws in the Park 09/12/2026-09/12/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Join the paw-ty and celebrate our furry friends with a day full of fun activities for dogs and their humans! It’s a tail-wagging good time at our West Virginia park resort.
FALL
Food Truck Festival 09/19/2026-09/19/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Join us at Levenson Shelter for Oglebay’s annual Food Truck Festival in Wheeling, WV. Savor mouth-watering eats from the area’s best food trucks, enjoy live music from popular regional bands, sip seasonal brews in our outdoor beer garden, and explore unique activities for little ones.
Oglebayfest 10/02/2026-10/04/2026, Oglebay Park Resort
Celebrate community spirit at the 49th annual Oglebayfest. Enjoy artisan markets, delicious local foods, fun contests, a parade, fireworks, and more. Our own unique version of Oktoberfest, this special event celebrates our local community, and the historic legacy of our iconic park resort here in scenic Wheeling, West Virginia. Oglebayfest is presented by WVU Medicine.
Resurrection Island Tattoo Convention 10/09/2026-10/11/2026, Highlands Sports Complex
The Ohio Valley's Premier 6th Annual Tattoo Convention Oct 9,10,11th 2026 - all ages welcome! Held at the Highlands Sports Complex in Wheeling, WV.
Where Legends are made!! Lets goooooooo!!! Live bands, entertainment, and tattoo competition all weekend long!
3rd Annual Eats and Beats Festival 10/10/2026-10/10/2026, Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack
There’s something for everyone at The Third Annual Eats and Beats Festival at Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack! Join us for hours of fun and excitement for all ages! Savor delicious bites from some of the area’s best food trucks. Indulge yourself with carnival rides, games, and inflatables! Visit the track to experience the thrills of Live Greyhound Racing. And you won’t want to miss any of the live outdoor entertainment! Guests 21 and older can take advantage of special hotel discou...
Festival of Lights 11/05/2026-01/03/2027, Oglebay Park Resort
Celebrate the season at Oglebay’s Festival of Lights—one of the best seasonal shows in West Virginia. Experience the wonder across millions of lights, festive displays, and unforgettable holiday magic for guests of all ages to enjoy. Festival of Lights is presented by WesBanco.
