Come and join the community of Middlebourne Sept. 4 and 5 for a rip roarin’ good time at the fourth annual Hillbilly Days, hosted by the Middlebourne Festival Committee in conjunction with the Tyler County Speedway’s “Hillbilly 100”.

Hillbilly Days serves as a wonderful venue to showcase Appalachian Heritage with a tongue in cheek and good hearted sense of humor. As a wise person once said, “Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they will never cease to be amused.”

This year will be a showcase for local artists and demonstrators both Friday and Saturday at the Middlebourne Stealey Greene Center.

New this year, “West Virginia Born Out of Rebellion” will be on display. This is an exhibit of informational text, photos, and maps to inform people about West Virginia: Our divergence, the sectional differences between western and eastern Virginia. The Civil War and its impact on the creation of the state. The birth of West Virginia and the process of becoming a state. Statehood, our final boundary, and the question of whether or not the formation of the state was constitutional. Tying into that will be information of the local area, such as A. I. Boreman as the first governor. Also, a living history interpreter will describe what life was like as a woman spy for the South during the war. This will be located at the Hillbilly Welcome Center a.k.a. the fire department. Here visitors can stop to catch their breath, sit a spell, and put their feet up. The Welcome Center will be hosted by the Tyler City Pentecostal Church of God.

Entertainment will abound with local groups playing music both Friday and Saturday at the gazebo and in front of the Middlebourne Stealey Greene Center.

Merchants will be hosting specials, door prizes and free samples throughout the weekend.

A chicken Bar-B-Q is planned for both Friday and Saturday, as well as groups and organizations participating with bake sales. Soup beans and sassafras tea over an open fire will also be featured.

Indian Creek Southern Baptist Church will be hosting a street fair with games and bounce houses, face painting, and clowns. Plans for cloggers and a softball tournament are also in the works.There will be many opportunities for groups or business to participate, volunteer, or raise money for their organization.

For general information, call Did Slider at 304-758-4891; for information on parade entries, call Slider or Peggy George at 304-758-4414, for information regarding crafts, call Betty Tustin at 304-758-4904.