Governor Patrick Morrisey of West Virginia has announced that the state plans to extend its donor agreement with the National Park Service, which was set to expire tomorrow, so that New River Gorge National Park and Preserve is fully operational for Bridge Day. The agreement will also cover Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.
Bridge Day, held annually every third Saturday in October from 9AM-3PM, is West Virginia’s largest single-day festival and sees thousands of people gather on the New River Gorge Bridge in Fayetteville to watch daredevils BASE jump into the gorge below on the only day it’s legal.
While the New River Gorge Bridge is not on the premises of the New River Gorge National River, the landing area is. The National Park Service accordingly plays an important role in Bridge Day planning and production.
When it was built, the bridge was the largest arch bridge in the world and took three years to complete. There are only 876 feet separating the bridge and the gorge, which allows BASE jumpers only a few seconds of free falling before they need to open their parachutes.
Last year, 325 certified BASE jumpers reportedly participated in the event. According to Becky Sullivan, president of the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce, more than 300 BASE jumpers and more than 200 repellers from 39 states and four countries have registered for Bridge Day this year.
More than 500 people from 26 states have also registered to take part in a 5K race on the bridge Saturday morning, she said. More than 200 vendors from several states will participate in the festival, as well.
“Folks across West Virginia look forward to Bridge Day every year,” said Morrisey. “It’s important for many of our small businesses in Southern West Virginia to have a successful Bridge Day. We’re working with our federal, state, and local partners to ensure that the festivities move forward without a hitch.”
This year, the government shutdown, which began on October 1st, threatened the event, with some wondering whether it would be cancelled due to the number of NPS staff that have been furloughed.
The extension of the donor agreement with the federal government will keep New River Gorge National Park and Preserve open and allow Bridge Day to go on.
“Bridge Day has a huge economic impact on Fayette County and our surrounding region,” said Sullivan. “The entire New River Gorge region benefits from Bridge Day. It is a huge event for our state. It is a huge event for our area.”
During its 45-year history (the first Bridge Day was held in 1980), the event has only been cancelled three times. The first was in 2001, when Bridge Day was cancelled due to 9/11, and The Spirit of Bridge Day was held in downtown Fayetteville instead. The second and third cancellations occurred in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19, though Virtual Bridge Day was held across social media.
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