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ce-covered meters mean free parking in one local city, and a new group will focus on advancing festivals in one local municipality. Here’s the 411 from communities around the region, including Charleston, St. Albans and Marmet.
Free Parking: The weekend ice storm brought a lot of misery, with cold temperatures, icy roads, and power outages affecting many neighbors around the Kanawha Valley. But it also brought at least one positive thing to a local city: free parking. The city of Charleston announced on Tuesday that on-street metered parking would be free through Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026. The reason? “Frozen coin slots and card readers,” city officials said in a social media post. Now, if only the parking spaces would just stay clear of frozen slush.
Festival Group: A newly formed group in St. Albans will focus on the city’s fairs and festivals. Aptly named St. Albans Fairs and Festivals, or StAFF, the purpose of the committee is to build stronger, more successful events within the municipality. The group was organized by volunteers from Yakfest, St. Albans’ Train Day, and the St. Albans Fall Y'all Festival. Officials said the group would champion initiatives that support the St. Albans Police Department K9 Unit, as well as youth initiatives that promote education, mental health, and physical well-being. The first StAFF events will include a Dog Bowl, held at Town ‘N Country Lanes on March 22, 2026, followed by the Town Carnival on June 3-7, 2026.
Valentine’s Dance: Looking for something to do on Valentine’s Day with that special someone in your life? A Valentine’s Day dinner and dance will be held at the Marmet Recreation Center on Saturday, Feb. 14. Dinner will be held at 6 p.m., followed by a dance at 7 p.m. The band Restless will provide music. Tickets are $20 per person. For more information or to order tickets, call 681-268-9819 or 304-644-9197.
