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estaurants around downtown Charleston are preparing their best mixed drinks and appetizers for a good cause, and a new business has opened in the Kanawha metro area. Here’s the 411 from communities around the region, including Charleston, South Charleston and St. Albans.
CAPITAL COCKTAIL CLASSIC: If you like cocktails (or wine) and want to support local arts organizations, this is your weekend. The Fund for the Arts, with co-presenter Jackson Kelly PLLC, will host the 2025 Capital Cocktail Classic in downtown Charleston on Saturday, Oct. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m. Guests can visit participating venues—Hagy’s Irish Pie Pub, The Volstead Room, Sam’s Uptown Café and Fife Street Brewing—to sample signature cocktails and appetizers before voting for the “Best Cocktail in Town.” Tickets are $60 per person and can be purchased online. Attendees must be 21 years or older and have a valid ID to participate. Proceeds benefit 11 local arts groups. More information is available online.
BUSINESS OPENING: A new salon has opened in South Charleston. Carla's Good Vibes Salon, located at 91 MacCorkle Avenue, held a ribbon-cutting ceremony late last week. The business is owned by local beautician Carla Jordan. According to their Facebook page, Carla’s Good Vibes specializes in hair color, highlights, lowlights, wedding hairdos, prom haridos, perms and more. The salon is open Tuesday to Thursday, and walk-ins are welcome. You can see photos from the shop’s recent opening on the South Charleston Chamber of Commerce Facebook page.
HAUNTED TRAIL: The St. Albans Parks and Recreation Department kicked off its annual Haunted Trail this past weekend. Parks and Rec officials say nearly 1,000 people visited the trail at St. Albans City Park on Friday and Saturday during the Moon Lit Tales and Haunted Trails opening weekend event. “We had over 100 volunteers ranging from school age to adults,” officials wrote in a weekend Facebook post. The ghoulish fun continues on Thursday, Oct. 16, when the attraction hosts its special sensory night. The Haunted Trail is open from 7-10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday through Oct. 18. Guided tours cost $5, and hayrides and concessions are also available. You can find more local Halloween events, including trunk-or-treats, pub crawls, and other holiday-themed activities, in the Kanawha Valley Update’s free 2025 Halloween Guide.
