Beautiful skies, comfortable temperatures and plenty of music provided the perfect backdrop for the third annual Mountain Mama Music Festival, held Aug. 28-30 at Sistersville Park.

Now in its third year, the festival continues to grow, offering what organizers describe as a weekend filled with live music, delicious food, unique vendors and family-friendly fun. This year’s event was bigger and better than ever, drawing musicians, visitors, campers and local residents together for three days of entertainment along the Ohio River.

The festival showcases local and regional artists representing a wide variety of musical styles, giving attendees an opportunity to hear everything from original music to tributes and other performances.

Friday’s opening day featured hometown favorite PT Dabbs, helping kick off a weekend packed with free live entertainment. Among the many performers taking the stage throughout the weekend were New Age Adenas, Ridgeline, Clinton Carsey and the Tracklayers, Corey Hager, Sunshine Murphy, Jasper Stringer, Zoe Buccella, Tanner Skym, an Elvis tribute artist, Coalfire Run, The Travellers, and many others.

New this year was tent camping, allowing festival-goers to make a full weekend of the event. Several campers took advantage of the opportunity and stayed throughout the festival, enjoying the full hookups available at the Sistersville city park.

Music wasn’t the only attraction. A variety of unique vendors added to the festival atmosphere, including Wood Fellow Drum Company, which showcased its handmade wooden drums. Clifton Guitars also displayed its handcrafted instruments, many of which are made from repurposed wood. The wood used in the guitars has come from a variety of sources, including logs found along the road and wood salvaged from furniture.

One of the most meaningful moments of the weekend came Saturday when Mountain Mama Music Festival proudly honored the late Mike Parsons, officially welcoming him into the Mountain Mama Music Hall of Fame. The ceremony celebrated Parsons’ lifetime dedication to music and his lasting impact on those who knew and loved him.

Sunday brought another full schedule of music, beginning at 12:30 p.m. with the Cowgill Family Singers. The day continued with performances by God Stewart, Lost for the Cause and Rust Belt Radio before Funkbilly closed out the festival on the main stage from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

The Mountain Mama Music Festival is the brainchild of Josh Rice, who saw an idea become an annual event that continues to attract more people and performers each year. “It’s been incredible watching Mountain Mama grow from an idea into something the whole community can be proud of,” Rice said. “Every year we see more people, more musicians and more support, but what means the most to me is seeing Sistersville come alive for a weekend.” Rice emphasized that the festival’s success is the result of a community effort rather than the work of one individual.

“This festival has never been about one person; it’s about our community, the musicians, the volunteers and everyone who believes the West Virginia hills were made for music,” he said. “Seeing that vision continue to grow is something I’m extremely proud of.”

With its combination of music, food, vendors, camping and family entertainment, the third annual Mountain Mama Music Festival once again brought the Sistersville community together for a weekend of celebration proving that the West Virginia hills truly were made for music.

Look for more pictures of the Mountain Mama Music Festival in next week’s Tyler Star News.