This side of the Mississippi, say the word marble to any collector and they will most likely know where Paden City is located. And they will probably have one of their favorite good luck marbles in their pocket.

Last Friday and Saturday alongside the Ohio River and under perfect sky’s, forty of those enthusiasts from around America descended on Paden City Park. With them they brought literally thousands of the glass creations known as marbles. Why Paden City? Well, for as long as anyone living can remember, the small glass plant down by the river has been producing these tiny round spheres for the kids of America to play the games of marbles. For years the game was popular back before electronics took over the portable game market, a kid could have a dozen marbles in his pocket, and if a game broke out in the alley or school yard, they were ready with the collection of cat’s eyes, clearies, aggies or clouds.

Marbles are still played but not in the school yards or back alleys. Today if you hear the sound of marble striking others, it is likely a pro-player who has prize marbles in the game.

Last weekend’s event had table after table with a variety of marbles going back to oldies and marbles that may have rolled off a shaping table last week. How do you tell, well that distinction of antique and modern day requires a good eye for subtle differences that give the tell away.

Marble creators and vendors came from as far away as Indiana, Missouri and Jane Lew West Virginia. Of course, there were some that grew up in the shadow of the Marble King factory.

Marbles ranged in price from five for twenty-five cents, up to a master creation that would set back a collector $400.00. Swirls of color filled some, and the faces of mythical creatures looked out at you as you examined the glass Orb.

Eric Sheldon, from Glendell Michigan, traveled eight hours to attend this weekend’s event. He gave visitors a view of the craft of working with glass. He explained, it was only a few years ago, he saw the working craft, and was hooked. Using a soft touch, he gently molded the red-hot glass into different glass pieces. For the untrained spectator it was just a red-hot gob of glass. But to Eric, he could see the delicate piece of craftsmanship rising in the flames.

Steve Strothers, from Paden City has since the festival folded in Sistersville, organized and held the festival in Paden City. Steve is an artist of molten glass and creates unusual marbles that contain at their center, mythical faces. Each marble can take several hours to create. He pointed out, arranging of glass does not always work as planned, and the marble becomes one which does not reach his high specification to be called glass art.

A very pleasant Tammy Rustameyer from Friendly, brought her collection of six totes filled with marbles to the festival. She explains that she collected them for her granddaughter, but decided that instead of them being sold after her passing at a yard sale for pennies on the dollar, she would offer them for sale along with her good-natured smile to the festival visitors. When asked, “your sign says antique marbles, how do you know they are old or rolled off the Marble Kings assembly line yesterday?” She responded, “Years of collecting and holding the marble in my hand. Old from new, a subtle difference.”

The festival drew hundreds to the park, along with vendors and craftspeople. Each of them indicated the weekend was good and they sold several marbles and even better had the opportunity to talk with a lot of good friendly people. A good festival for the marble collectors and a good weekend for the town of Paden City.