By Stephen Smoot
It all started as a way to bring some festive fun to springtime years ago.
Then it evolved into a celebration of one of locals’ and visitors’ favorite means of recreation.
That said, the focus of the fun will always be what he called “our world class trout streams.”
Fishing will commence an hour early at 7 a.m. instead of the prior 8 o’clock start. Jared VanMeter thanked Bob Grimm “for being a vital part of the rodeo.” The top prize for adults will be $1,000 with a prize of $500 based on numbers if the $1,000 prize fish does not get caught. The children’s area will have a $500 top prize with $250 for the closest number if the top prize fish escapes being hooked.
Trout Fest evolved in the past few years under Elizabeth Scott through her former role as executive director of the Pendleton County Chamber of Commerce. The event grew from partnerships established with local organizations such as Pendleton County Family and Senior Services, the Pendleton County Library, and a number of entertainers, vendors, and others who love fishing and related fun on early spring Saturday mornings.
“Our plan is to grow the future,” shared VanMeter, current chamber of commerce executive director. He related that the festival would work to expand its focus and footprint in 2026 and in the coming years. One way in which it will evolve lies in building more family friendly activities aimed at kids, even those who do not fish.
“We’re going to have a pretty large kids’ conservation area,” he added.
Partnering with Trout Fest in the effort to encourage more learning on fishing and the surrounding environment will be familiar organizations, including Trout Unlimited, Future Generations University, the West Virginia Department of Natural Resources, and others. Organizers speculate that adding to the educational element will bring in more people from even farther afield.
Different kinds of games, competitions, and other fun will be available to children, including a bouncy house, hula hoop tosses, and similar games.
Another opportunity for kids to take center stage actually invites area young people to show off their talents. Friday night will feature, alongside the traditional trout dinner, the “Hooked on Talent” competition. Designed to playfully mimic televised variety show competitions, such as Star Search and America’s Got Talent, prizes will be awarded to acts based upon “fan favorite voting.” Winners can take half of the proceeds.
Dean’s Gap Farms will cater the Friday night dinner with a menu of grilled trout and other freshly made sides. The next morning, Pendleton County Senior and Family Services will have their traditional breakfast made homemade by the ladies in the kitchen, as always.
Entertainment continues all day Saturday. Locals eagerly await the show put on by the performers at Raymond’s Gymnastics as they show off athletic and painstakingly choreographed moves. Jonathan Zinn, Joe Crites, and the Sodapop Gypsies from Belington will be part of the slate of entertainers.
Competitions continue into Saturday. A number of cut out wooden trout figures will be available for painting. Winners will be judged and given an award from the proceeds.
VanMeter explained how proceeds from Trout Fest would directly support a need in Franklin. The community beautification project, started by the Pendleton County Foundation, maintains the black iron poles and hanging flower baskets. Cunningham Place Greenhouse painstakingly assembles the baskets and donates the resulting work to the project, but the work of installation and maintenance costs money. Also, occasionally, traffic damages the poles.
Proceeds from various Trout Fest activities will support this project. Additionally, VanMeter wishes to see the project stand on its own as an organization. “It was with SRRDA, then the CVB, then us (Chamber of Commerce),” he said, then added “it needs its own energy.”
VanMeter speculated that such an organization with its own leadership and purpose could expand its work. One possibility lies in doing the gardening and light maintenance of rain gardens envisioned by the Town of Franklin stormwater mitigation plan project. In any event, directly supporting Trout Fest translates into directly helping Franklin.
Other major sponsors and partners for the event include Greer Lime, sponsoring the fish used in the rodeo. A new platinum sponsor is Bonds Creek Knives. VanMeter explained that “they said this is the exact type of festival they want to be associated with.” Rexrode remodeling, he added “sponsors every year and we always appreciate that.” Breezewood Adventures, a canoe and kayak rental business in Hardy County, also will sponsor.
VanMeter shared also that the chamber wishes to have more information on attendance and will fly drones during the festivities to track crowds, where they go, and what they seem to want to do.
