Beckley's Honey Festival attracts beekeepers from West Virginia and Virginia.

Beekeepers and enthusiasts from the Two Virginias convened for the ninth annual Honey Festival at Beckley’s Exhibition Coal Mine on Saturday. Leslie Gray Baker, director of Beckley Parks and Recreation, emphasized the vital role bees play in human survival, stating, “If something happens to the bees, eventually we’re gone too.”

Brian Ward, an environmental health and safety specialist from Smitty Bee Honey, traveled from Virginia to attend the festival. He highlighted the intelligence of bees, noting their unique communication methods. Ward expressed his commitment to wildlife protection, saying, “That’s what we’re here for—to protect the bees.”