A weekend of events will kick off at noon on Thursday, June 20, with a West Virginia Day Celebration, followed up by the 160th anniversary of the U.S. Custom House (West Virginia Independence Hall) at 5 p.m. Friday, June 21. From noon to 11 p.m. Friday, June 21, and Saturday, June 22, the Ohio Valley Chicken and Rib Cook-Off, will be held at Heritage Port, with food, a beer garden, craft vendors and, of course, the chicken and rib competition. On Saturday, Wheeling Heritage Port is also the site for the 170th anniversary of the Wheeling Suspension Bridge. 
A plein air painting party is set for 9 a.m. to dusk and storytelling about the bridge from 2-5:30 p.m. To celebrate the Suspension Bridge from the river, excursions aboard Pittsburgh’s Gateway Clipper Queen will be available from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, June 22. A Fireworks Dinner Cruise is set for 6:30 p.m. with live music, food and drinks. For tickets for the day cruise, visit this link. For details about the dinner cruise and to purchase tickets, visit this link. At 8 a.m. Sunday, June 23, a Historic Wheeling Bicycle Tour offers cyclists an itinerary stopping at 14 historic locations, beginning at the north end of Centre Market at 22nd Street.
GOOD ZOO BREW
IPAs, porters and ales, oh my! The 10th annual Good Zoo Brew microbrew festival is on tap from 7-10 p.m. Saturday, June 22, at the Good Zoo at Oglebay. Sample craft beers and other adult beverages, enjoy food from a variety of area eateries such as Wilson Lodge, Ye Olde Alpha, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Bubba’s Gourmet Burghers and Beer, Texas Roadhouse and more. VIP hour is 6-7 p.m. Enjoy the animals, live music and train rides. Good Zoo friends, OVConnect members and Oglebay Institute members will receive $5 off advance ticket sales. Bring photo ID (must be 21 to enter). For ticket information, call 304-243-4100 or visit this website.
IT’S A MYSTERY!
Mystery Theatre Unlimited presents “The Case of the Ms. and the Show Biz Whiz,” at 6:45 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at River City, and at 7:45 p.m. Friday, June 21 at The Vue Bar and Grill in Grand Vue Park, Moundsville. In the show, the world’s dumbest detective Elliot Brick (played by Butch Maxwell) bungles his way through an incompetent investigation of a shady Hollywood agent — leading to laughter and music parodies. Brick is hired by actress Dame Loretta LaDiva (portrayed by Melody Meadows) to get her out of a long-term contract with her agent, the unscrupulous, shady fast-talker Harley Winestein (played by Evan Oslund), whose other clients include pop singer-with-a-substance-problem Amy Finehouse (portrayed by Karissa Martin). While Brick pursues the most powerful agent in show business, he encounters the strangely orally dyslexic actor Sir John Feelgood (played by Michael Moran) and other shady characters (played by various audience members). It all leads to a very silly murder and some funny song parodies. For reservations at River City, call 304-233-4555. For reservations at the Vue Bar and Grill, call 304-810-2778. Dinner is included in the ticket price. For more information, see www.MysteryTheatreUnlimited.com.
THIRD FRIDAY
Sean Decker of the Bridge and Tunnel Collective describes the bands that will play at the June 21 Third Friday at Artworks Around Town as “youthful.” Set to take the stage are Pleonasm and 12/8. The Collective decided it was time to give some young local musicians a chance to showcase their talents. Both groups are composed of members with an average age of 16 or 17 years. Pleonasm consists of three young men from Marshall County — “A straight-up grungy, raucous powerhouse of punk rock goodness,” says Decker. 12/8 band members spend most of their pre-gig time summoning power from the gods of classic rock. According to Decker, “These extraordinarily talented young men bring arena rock energy to whatever stage or venue will have them.” Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show starts at 7:45 p.m. Snacks are available for purchase. There is no cover charge but donations are welcome, 100 percent of which goes to the bands.
POP-UP MUSIC
Nail City Record will host a pop-up show featuring the local teen band, 12/8, at the Loading Dock at 1230 Water St., Wheeling (the former Berry Supply building) from 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 22. 12/8, a hard rock band that formed in January of 2018 in Wheeling, is influenced by a multitude of bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, The Eagles, Rush and Red Hot Chili Peppers, and others. Band members are: Jake Broski, frontman; Joe Glorioso, lead guitar; Ryan Quckel, keyboards; Isaac Ridgely, bass; Ethan Williams, drums. More details can be found here.
POP-UP HISTORY
Eleanor Caldwell, the founder of the Wheeling Symphony, will come to life in the Pop-Up History series. Laurie Ruberg will be featured as Caldwell at 12:15 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at The Capitol Theatre. Look for the Pop-Up History flag at the storytelling site.
THE PANTS ARE FANCY
The local trio Mr. Fancy Pants will perform an evening of popular rock music from 9 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, June 22, at Undo’s Elm Grove, 1253 National Road, Wheeling.
GET SOCIAL WITH ICE CREAM
An ice cream social to benefit Youth Services System Inc. is set for 6:30-8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 20, at Stone Presbyterian Church, 25 East Cove Ave., Wheeling. 304-242-4620
THE CLARKS
The Clarks with Joe Zelek Band, will perform Friday, June 21, at Generations. The concert begins at 7 p.m. For tickets, visit the website.
TAKIN’ IT TO THE STREETS
The Muddle will perform from 7-10 p.m. Friday, June 21, at the Centre Market Street Party.
MOVIE NIGHT
“Star Wars — A New Hope,” will be presented at 6 p.m. Monday, June 24, at the Ohio County Public Library. Light refreshments and popcorn will be served.
THE GOOD LUNCH
Jay Cole will discuss the new book from WVU Press, Beyond The Good Earth: Transnational Perspectives on Pearl S. Buck, at Lunch With Books at noon, Tuesday, June 25, at the Ohio County Public Library. How well do we really know Pearl S. Buck? Many think of Buck solely as the Nobel laureate and Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Good Earth, the novel that explained China to Americans in the 1930s. But Buck was more than a novelist and interpreter of China. As the essays in Beyond The Good Earth show, she possessed other passions and projects, some of which are just now coming into focus. Who knew, for example, that Buck imagined and helped define multiculturalism long before it became a widely known concept? In Beyond The Good Earth, scholars and writers from the U.S. and China explore often overlooked topics from the life of Pearl S. Buck, positioning her career in the context of recent scholarship on transnational humanitarian activism, women’s rights activism and civil rights activism. Editor Jay Cole serves as senior advisor to the president of West Virginia University. He teaches courses about Pearl S. Buck as part of the WVU Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and he is a member of the Pearl S. Buck Birthplace Foundation board of directors. Lunch With Books programs are free and open to the public. Attendees are welcome to bring a bag lunch, and complimentary beverages are provided. 304-232-0244; www.ohiocountylibrary.org
ALL SUMMER LONG …
SUMMER SERIES
• Glenn Miller Orchestra, 7 p.m., Sunday, June 23, Oglebay Sundaes Under the Stars, Anne Kuchinka Amphitheater
• The Matt Van Fossen Band, 7 p.m., Tuesday, June 25, Toe Tappin’ Tuesdays, Warwood Garden Park
• Original Fantasy’s, 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 25, St. Clairsville Summer Concert Series, Central Park Complex
• Let’s Groove Tonight (Earth, Wind and Fire tribute band), 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 26, Wheeling Waterfront Wednesdays, Heritage Port
SCENIC RIDES
Oglebay announces the return of scenic Segway tours! Tours take riders on an adventure through the park’s hard-surface trail system to enjoy breathtaking scenery while aboard the ultimate high-tech ride. Segway tours depart from Oglebay’s Schenk Lake boathouse daily at 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. Cost is $50 per person, and tours are approximately 90 minutes. All Segway riders must be at least 16 years of age and wear a helmet and closed-toe shoes. 304-243-4026; www.oglebay.com/segways
DIVE INTO DISCOUNTS
Beat the heat and take advantage of special rates all summer long with Wheeling Park’s Fun After Five discount program. Through Aug. 9, park visitors will receive discounted pool admission of $3 for adults and $1 for children, plus free waterslide admission from 5-7 p.m. Guests can also enjoy half-priced activity wristbands daily after 5 p.m. Activity wristbands provide access to mini golf, swimming, water slide, tennis and pedal boats. 304-243-4085
DIVE-IN, DRIVE-IN
Back by popular demand, Wheeling Park presents free summer drive-in movies. Grab a parking spot in front of the Wheeling Park White Palace at dusk for an old-fashioned drive-in experience. Drive-In movies take place from 9-11 p.m. on June 28; July 12, 26; Aug. 16, 30. Guests who prefer to float with a flick can dive into the Wheeling Park pool to enjoy the summer dive-in movie series from 9-11 p.m. every Saturday through Aug. 10. Admission for kids ages 4-12 is $6.25, and admission for guests ages 13 and older is $7.25. The movie screening is included with the cost of pool admission. Dive-in movies can also be enjoyed free of charge from the upper level of Wheeling Park’s Stone Building. Drive-in and dive-in movie titles will not be published due to movie licensing constraints. However, guests are encouraged to visit the Wheeling Park Facebook page to participate in weekly movie guessing games, where they’ll be challenged to guess the movie titles for themselves. 304-243-4085; www.oglebay.com/wheeling-park
DOWN THE ROAD …
• The Eckhart House will present the following special teas: Summer Tea Luncheon with assorted tea sandwiches, scones with sweet cream and jam, seasonal fruit, confections and gourmet tea selections, 2 p.m., June 29 ($20); Chocolate Tea, in celebration of World Chocolate Day, with scones with sweet cream and jam, assorted confections and gourmet tea selections, at noon, Saturday, July 6 ($12). Reservations 304-232-5439; www.EckhartHouse.com
UP THE ROAD …
• Brooke Hills Playhouse will present “Ghost of a Chance,” at 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday, June 22, with a final performance at 2 p.m. Sunday, June 23. 304-737-3344
• Pittsburgh Public Theater ends its season with the Pittsburgh premiere of “Marjorie Prime,” the funny and emotional sci-fi hit written by Jordan Harrison (TV’s “Orange is the New Black”) and directed by Marya Sea Kaminski, who is completing her first year as The Public’s artistic director. Marjorie Prime runs through Sunday, June 30, at the O’Reilly Theater. In Harrison’s play — a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize — the company Senior Serenity manufactures “primes,” a holographic “person” made as a companion for someone who has lost a family member. Their artificial intelligence is loaded with memories specific to the customer who buys it. The play stars Nathan Hinton, a Morgantown, W.Va., native, known for Angels in America, Two Trains Running, Blood Knot, Romeo and Juliet, A Streetcar Named Desire, and others including television credits “Manifest,” “Madam Secretary,” “Elementary,” “The Good Wife” and the new military legal series “The Code.” 412-316-1600, ppt.org
