WHITEWATER WHIRL 2026
MAY 1-3
A mini dance vacation in WV’s New River Gorge area
Fayette County Park / 4H Camp
1407 Fayette County Park Rd
Fayetteville WV
We had a record attendance at the 2025 Whirl, with around 150 dancers from 16 states. Join us next year for another incredible weekend of dancing in the beautiful New River Gorge area of West Virginia. Free cabins and tent camping. Meal plan with vegetarian options. A wonderful wood and stone New Deal-era dance hall with suspended wooden floor and barn doors opened or closed to suit the weather. The calling terms will be larks and robins.
Register after 2025 October 1
Join the Facebook group Friends of Whitewater Whirl Contra Dance Weekend for updates
Relive all the fun you had at this year’s Whirl on our new YouTube channel.
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2025
Pictures and Videos
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Whitewater Whirl
Photos and videos from past years of our Whitewater Whirl weekend.
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2023
Pictures and Videos
2026 TALENT
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DARLENE UNDERWOOD
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BOB ISAACS
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HOT COFFEE BREAKDOWN
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THE HOLLERTONES
Welcome to the 2026 Whitewater Whirl. Whether you’re a dedicated, would-not-miss-it Whirler or new to the weekend, we look forward to dancing with you! The weekend is held at the Fayette County Park 4-H camp near Fayetteville, WV. Online registration is now open.
The Bands
Louisville-based Hot Coffee Breakdown is one of the most popular bands on the contra dance weekend circuit. Tom Cunningham’s fiery fiddle combines with the driving rhythms of Kate Sanders on keyboard and Luis de Leon on percussion and harmonica. Their dynamic range and musical crescendos will make you want the dance to go on forever! From the Ohio hills, we welcome The Hollertones with Paul Brown on banjo, Linda Scutt on fiddle, Jeanie Thieken Creamer on guitar and vocals and Nick Weiland on bass, with a blend of traditional, old time and Celtic music that’s made them popular at contra dances throughout the Midwest and East Coast.
The callers
The talented Darlene Underwood from Cincinnati returns for her second Whirl to spread happiness, connection and fun. It’s a Whirl debut for the talented and very funny Bob Isaacs, choreographer of so many creative dances, who’s driving all the way from Princeton, NJ (thanks, Bob).
We’re delighted that Gaye Fifer and Wayne Albright will again join us to teach the Beyond the Basics waltz workshop. Regular Whirlers know that Gaye called at every Whirl from 2005 to 2024. She’s taking a break, but we hope she’ll be back as a regular Whirl caller in future.
In 2024, we added a late-night techno-contra with DJ Polly Whittaker teaming with “Queen Darlene.” It’s back by popular demand, retitled as “DJ Contra,” and with “King Bob” on the team.
Our sound engineer, maestro Hanno Meingast, will be making the music in the hall sound great.
Here’s the weekend schedule [click on link].
Accommodation and meal plan
Cabin accommodation (metal frame bunk beds) or camping onsite at the Fayette County Park 4-H camp near Fayetteville, WV is included in the weekend price. When you register, let us know if you’ll be staying in one of the cabins, designated as coed, women and men.
You can pitch your tent anywhere, but if you’re pulling a camper the camp staff will tell you where to park.
The camp will open on Thursday night, April 30, for early arrivals. Consider staying Sunday night, May 3, hiking or rafting in the New River Gorge, and then heading south to Warren and Terry Doyle’s Spring Contradancers Delight Holiday, just a three-hour drive away at the Appalachian Folk School in Mountain City, TN.
Café One Ten in Oak Hill, WV, will provide catering—a five-meal plan with vegetarian options. Jennifer Horrocks and Heather Oelker will be running the kitchen and dining hall, with Jennifer preparing her signature desserts for Saturday dinner.
Dance buttons
We thank regular Whirlers Gwyn and Jennifer Williams for offering to make dance buttons. Here’s the design (this is a collector’s item, the limited edition 2024 button!)
Planning committee
We have a stellar planning committee for 2026, composed of dedicated Whirlers and dance organizers — Jim Sedivy (River Rendezvous), Fia Feller (Valley Contra Dance board, Bethlehem, PA), Bill Hedrick (Zionville, NC), Anna Brinkmeier (Wheeling, WV), Kim Thompson (Athens, OH), Dale Shirer (Cleveland area), Heather Oelker (central Ohio), Cawood Fitzhugh (Charlottesville, VA) and the FOOTMAD crew, Becky Park (FOOTMAD manager), Jeannie Dalporto, Hanna Thurman, and yours truly. If you have suggestions about how we can improve the weekend, please email us at whitewater.whirl@gmail.com .
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Info to Help You Prepare for the Weekend
We’re hoping for nice, dry spring weather, but when you’re packing for the weekend, check the weather for Fayetteville, WV (the nearest location with weather postings). If it rains, it can get muddy around the cabins and dance hall, so bring your mud shoes, rain gear, and an umbrella.
We’ve pulled together everything we think you need to know in one place on our “Detail” Page but here are some highlights and additional information:
On-site accommodations: We’re not taking reservations for the cabins—it’s first come, first-served. There are lots of bunks and we’ve never run out of cabin space. The cabins are women-only, men-only, and co-ed. Toilet and shower facilities are near the cabins. There’s plenty of camping space, but if the ground is wet, please don’t drive your vehicle too far off the camp road onto the grass. We don’t want to have to break up a contra line to push you out of the mud.
The camp will be open for early travelers one day prior to the Whirl. We have also booked Sunday night at the camp for those who want to stay over. The kitchen and dining hall will be open, but you’ll need to provide your own food and clean up after yourself. The first meal planned is the Friday night potluck.
If your travel plans permit, why not arrive a day early? Hike in the New River Gorge, jam or just hang out and help us set up the dance hall. Indeed, this can be a last-minute decision along the lines of "Let's cancel the hotel--it'll be more fun waking up to the sounds of the birds in a cabin in Fayette County."
Flashlight: They’ve installed solar lights on the steps between the dance and dining halls, but in other areas it may be dark. You will need a flashlight or two.
Potluck: Remember to bring a dish if you’re planning to attend the Friday potluck. We’ll supply plates, utensils, water, coffee, and tea.
Dance buttons: Bring your own from another weekend or pick up a new Whirl pin-on button.
Contact phone: 681-282-1676 (Becky) or 740-590-3783 (David). Call if you need to contact us on Friday or anytime during the weekend. Email during the weekend will be more iffy.
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Health Recommendations
FOOTMAD is adopting a trust-the-dancers health policy. We trust you’ve had your COVID-19 vaccines and boosters, but we’re not going to require proof of vaccination or a negative test. Masks will be optional.
If you’ve attended a previous Whirl, you’ll know that our dance hall is exceptionally well ventilated. We can open the barn doors on the two long sides for ample air flow.
We will have hand sanitizer available at the dance hall and the dining room and a supply of masks.
We appeal to your common sense. If you feel sick or are recovering from COVID-19 or the flu or have symptoms during the week before the Whirl, please stay home. We will refund your registration. You may consider taking a rapid test the day before the Whirl.
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Registration
- Registration Fee
- Meal Plan
- Accommodations
- Dance Snacks
- Walk-ins
- Guest of dancer
- Register online
- Register by mail -
Details
- General info about registration
- Check-in info
- Cabins
- Camping
- Offsite Lodging and Food
- What to bring
- General Information -
Schedule
2026 Whitewater Whirl Schedule is available as a printable PDF document.
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Venue
Fayette County Park / 4H Camp
Location
Map
Amenities
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Lodging & Food Offsite
Want to stay near the camp, but not at the camp?
Fayetteville West Virginia has many fine lodging and dining options available within 10 or 15 minutes from the camp.
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History
Bands and callers from past Whitewater Whirls
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Contact Info
Whitewater Whirl
Sponsored by FOOTMAD
Kanawha Valley Friends of Old-Time Music and Dance