Winner of a regional Emmy Award and two Telly Awards!
Bridging the past to present, we celebrate the rich culture and history of Virginia's Appalachia by seeing how treasured traditions are kept alive and are thriving today.
This series takes you on a journey exploring the multitude of Appalachian traditions.
Stream them on ECHO and PBS Video
Mondays 7:30pm
COMING UP:
June 30 - Flatfooting
Lace up your dancing shoes because in this episode of Life in Virginia's Appalachia, we head to the iconic Floyd Country Store to experience the energy and tradition of flatfooting up close! We sit down with Becky Hill, a professional flatfooter and passionate advocate for Appalachian dance traditions. Becky shares the roots, rhythms, and stories behind flatfooting, and even gives us a demo you won’t want to miss. We're also joined by Jason and Gina Dilg, a talented duo who bring Appalachian music to life with every performance. They share how music and dance connect communities across the region and beyond. We also visit the Old Fiddlers Convention in Galax Virginia to witness their flatfooting competition. Come along as we dive into the heart of Appalachian culture through music, movement, and conversation.
July 7 & 14 - Storytelling
We explore the rich and enduring tradition of storytelling in Appalachia. We sit down with Lee Hunsaker, creator and storyteller midwife of Hoot and Holler, to discuss the heart and craft behind curating true stories from our region. You'll also hear some classic Jack Tales from storyteller Rex Stevenson, keeping a beloved oral tradition alive. And to ground it all, Appalachian scholar Ricky Cox joins us for a fascinating history lesson on the roots and evolution of storytelling in the mountains. Storytelling is more than entertainment, it's a thread that binds our past to our present, and it's still thriving in Appalachia today.
July 21 & 28 - Foraging
We step off the beaten path and into the woods for a deep dive into the world of foraging in Appalachia. We join the NRV Mushroom Club on a foraging walk to uncover the fungi hiding in plain sight, chat with Appalachian Sustainable Development about the deep cultural roots of herbal traditions in our region and visit Reeds Valley Farm to see how herbs are being cultivated and brought to market in Virginia. Plus, we get a flavorful glimpse of the annual Whitetop Ramp Festival, a celebration of one of Appalachia’s most iconic wild edibles. From forest floor to festival table, this episode explores how foraging connects us to the land, history, and community.
THANK YOU TO OUR SEASON TWO PROGRAM SPONSOR!
Season One Epsiodes:
101 - Moonshine
We explore Franklin County, Moonshine capital of the world, to get a better look at the history of white liquor. We travel the backroads with Henry Lee Law, Roddy Moore and Bethany Worley as they share their expertise and stories of the past and the economic outlook for this now legal favorite of Virginia’s Appalachia.
102 - Food
Appalachian cuisine is a great cultivation of different cultures; so, we travel to Bristol, Abingdon, Cedar Bluff and Castlewood Virginia to get a taste for what’s cooking in Virginia’s Appalachia. From food trucks, a BBQ joint, fine dining, and Grandmas kitchen – we cover it all.
103 - Logging
We spend time with Jason Rutledge at Ridgewind Suffolk Farm in Floyd County, Virginia to dig deep into the old practice of logging with horses. We also learn about restorative forestry and bridge past to present with a visit to a logging mill.
104 - Quilting
You might have a cherished one on your bed or know someone who’s made one or maybe made one yourself- it’s all about quilting as we visit quilting bees, meetings, shows, and talk with a quilt historian along with other local quilters about the art of quilt making.
105 - Canning
Canning has been and continues to be an important part of living in Appalachia, either in the home or now industrialized. Join us on a visit to local canneries to learn about the history and see the way the time-honored tradition is thriving today.
106 - Hunting & Fishing
Hunting and fishing have always been a big part in Appalachian culture. We learn more about the history of hunting in SWVA, along with going on a coon hunt in Boones Mill, a turkey hunt out in Wytheville, fishing a creek in the same area, and learning more about how Elk were re-introduced to Southwest Virginia.