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Years in the making, the festival aims to focus on both the writer and the reader through panels and workshops. The panels gave local writers the opportunity to get insight from authors on how to make a career out of writing. Plans for the festival began before the COVID-19 pandemic.

A dedication was set up in the memory of Carter Taylor Seaton, a local author and one of the members who originally started planning the event.

Gina Milum, arts and outreach manager of the West Edge Factory, said the festival highlights the vibrant writing community of West Virginia, as well as Coalfield Development CorporationÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s goals of rebuilding the Appalachian economy in different ways.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œItÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s important to ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” along with the economic aspect ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” to make sure that aspiring authors have some information on how to help, maybe make a living completely with their art or and their writing, or to supplement their incomes with writing,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Milum said.

The Literary Festival is a collaboration between the West Edge factory and the Tamarack Foundation for the Arts. Milum said she hopes SaturdayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s event was the first of many.

Authors from Bluefield, Morgantown and other West Virginia cities attended the festival, which also included the unveiling of the West Virginia Writers Hall of Recognition. Its portraits were painted by Sassa Wilkes, director of creative placemaking at Coalfield Development.

Cora L. Hairston attended the festival showcasing her books ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œFaces Behind the Dust: The story told through the eyes of a coal minerÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s daughter (on the black side)ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� and its sequel ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œHello World, Here Comes ClaraBy Rose: An Adolescent Black Girl Coming of Age.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Her first book follows a young precocious girl who has eavesdropping down to science and her coal mining family. There are racial issues that took place in the early 1950s and ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™60s during the period of integration.

Hairston said she never planned to write a book and had no idea what she was doing at first. Her journey in storytelling began when she and a couple of friends had a reunion at their old school. As the group talked about their memories, a friend suggested someone write a book, Hairston said she agreed right away and took it upon herself.

Hairston said being an author is doable for anyone willing to push themselves forward in their talent.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œI had no idea what I was doing, so there isnÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™t a talent in writing books that I found out. You just have to do it,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Hairston said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œEverybody has a story and everybody can write a book.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

During the festival, the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District dedicated a new Little Free Library at Westmoreland Park, right across from the West Edge Factory.

The new little library is a replica of the West Edge Factory. It replaces one that was vandalized. The new library will be monitored by West Edge, who provided it, and stocked with donated books from the Cabell County Public Library.

The new library is also portable, and can be transported for events. David Dillon, GHPRD board member and park commissioner representing the Westmoreland area, said the park board appreciates the partnership with the West Edge Factory.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe West Edge is crucial to this park,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Dillon said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œReplacing the factory that was in here and occupying that space and keeping activity in this area is big to try to keep down vandalism and things like that.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Having a Little Free Library in parks, especially neighborhood parks, is important for children who will now have easy access to free books.

The Huntington Stormwater Utility also donated a rain barrel for the park.