Published: July 17, 2008 10:59 pm         

Friends of Coal Auto Fair opens today

After months of planning, the 2008 Friends of Coal Auto Fair kicks off today at the Beckley-Raleigh County YMCA’s Paul Cline Memorial Youth Sports Complex on Grey Flats Road.

Between 600 and 700 automobiles are expected to be on hand for the three-day event, which is in its fifth year.

“We’re excited about the weekend,” Jay Rist, marketing and membership director for the Y, said. “It’s going to be a great event and a fun weekend.”

The event gets under way at 10 a.m. with vehicle registration. Today’s activities include food and specialty vendors, a flea market, car corral, swap meet, children’s games, arts and crafts and live entertainment.

A carnival by Meyer’s Entertainment will run from 5 to 9 p.m. with rides and games for both adults and children.

At 6 and 7 p.m., participating cars will line up for a police-led cruise into Uptown Beckley for Beckley’s Cruise-in Car and Bike Show, sponsored by Beckley Renaissance and Friends of Coal.

In addition to the vehicles, the evening will include food and entertainment provided by a capella group One-A-Chord and Ann Louise Sumpter, local winner of the 2007 Colgate Country Showdown.

Today’s events, Rist said, are the perfect lead-in to Saturday’s action back at the sports complex.

The fairgrounds will reopen at 8 a.m. Saturday, and will include activities from today, with the carnival running from noon to 4 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m.

A free bicycle, courtesy of Ride N Slide Sports and Creager Tire, will be given away during each session of the carnival.

At 7 p.m., three Friends of Coal spokesmen — former WVU football coach Don Nehlen, former Marshall football coach and current University of Virginia assistant head coach Bob Pruett and Jeremy Starks of the BassMaster Elite Series — will take the stage for a special FOC presentation.

Saturday will be anchored by the 7:30 p.m. concert featuring country music legend Randy Travis with local favorite Taylor Made.

Also, the evening will include a special launch party for Travis’ new CD “Around the Bend,” which hit shelves this week.

Those attending the concert will have the opportunity to purchase a CD, which comes with a free Randy Travis T-shirt, for $10.

“We’re real excited to have Randy Travis here and we’re very excited and honored for the national attention the City of Beckley is receiving for him deciding to have his record release party here,” Rist said.

The U.S. Army Golden Knights tandem and competition parachute teams will jump in prior to the start of the concert and the evening will wrap up with a fireworks display at the end of the show.

Events for Sunday will run from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with the carnival opening at 10 a.m., an all-denominations church service scheduled for 10:30 a.m. and the awards presentation at noon.

Rist says he expects a big crowd for the weekend, which he says offers something for everyone.

“It’s a state fair-style event that encompasses a multitude of activities that appeal to the entire family,” he said. “That’s what the YMCA is all about.”

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Admission to the auto fair is $2 per person per day and admission to the carnival, which includes unlimited rides, is $15 Friday and $17 Saturday and Sunday.

Visitors to the event will receive free parking and shuttle service, provided by Raleigh County Community Action Association.

Tickets for the concert are on sale at area Little General Stores, the Beckley-Raleigh County YMCA and at the auto fair. Prices are $15 for adults and $10 for students ages 7 to 18. Children under 7 will be admitted free.

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The event, Rist said, is made possible by the Friends of Coal and other sponsors, many of whom are from the coal industry.

“A lot of people across the country don’t really have an idea of what coal does for the communities and states where it’s abundant, but if you look at what it has done for West Virginia and for the community by supporting projects and events like these that go toward helping kids, you get to see the coal industry at its finest,” he said.

“The Friends of Coal Auto Fair is an excellent example of the coal industry’s commitment to making this state a better place to work, live and play.”

The following is a list of the platinum sponsors:

Massey Energy Co., Cecil I. Walker Machinery, Fairchild International, Terex SHM, Cline Resources, Bluestone Coal Corp., Ramey Ford, Riverton Coal Production Inc., Brooks Run Mining, WV Coal Recovery, Petroleum Products Inc., Marshall Miller & Associates, Nell Jean Enterprises Inc., Patience Inc., Pritchard Mining Co., Inc., Bucyrus America Inc., Eastern Arrow Corp., Coal News, Summit Resources Inc., Little General Stores, Vecellio & Grogan Inc., Brody Mining, LLC/Selah Corp./CK Coal Mining, Eagle Coal Sales, Inc./Diamond Trucking, WV Coal Association, Phillips Machine Service, Southern West Virginia Asphalt, Gould’s Electric, LAW River Co., LLC, TWP Enterprises, City of Beckley, Newtown Energy Inc., Kanawha Eagle Coal, LLC, Delta Electric, NARCO Inc., Raleigh General Hospital, ICG Beckley, LLC, Patriot Coal Corp. and Concept Mining Inc.

— E-mail: mjames@register-herald.com