2023 Cheat River Festival

Ticket sales will open March 6th, 2023 at 12:00pm EST.

The annual 2023 Cheat River Festival is a gathering of friends, old and new, who come together to celebrate the rebirth of the Cheat River.  This river was once dead, its waters turned bright orange with Acid Mine Drainage(AMD) from legacy mining operations in the area. AMD pollution further damaged the already dead river and the people who tried to enjoy its waters would suffer from burning eyes and itching skin. 

Thanks to a handful of local people and businesses, the Friends of the Cheat(FOC), a non profit watershed group, was created to address these issues and help clean up the river.  Over the years, FOC has worked with all kinds of groups to identify and address the many sources of mine pollution that poured into the Cheat River. Today, we have a thriving river ecosystem that is home to many species of fish, bugs, mammals, and birds, thanks to those clean up efforts. 

Cheat Fest is now celebrating its 29th year and we would love to have you join us in celebrating the amazing accomplishments that have been achieved.  This festival is FOC's main yearly fundraiser and is critical to funding the work that goes into cleaning up the watershed.  Your attendance ensures that we can keep working towards our mission to restore, preserve, and promote the outstanding qualities of the Cheat River watershed.