Cheat Fest

05/26/2026

Better late than never😉

Our Cheat Fest photos finally made it to the album and honestly? The wait just made the memories hit harder💗

There is nothing quite like that Cheat River MAGIC and these photos say it all. What an incredible weekend with an incredible community!

Feel free to tag your people, share the love, and drop your own photos in the comments — the more the merrier!

Photo credit to William Wotring, Donnie Riggs, and Gabe Dewitt.

05/09/2026

The auction ends tomorrow at 6pm. Make sure to get your bids in soon!

It's auction time!

The 2026 Cheat Fest Silent Auction kicks off today, April 27th at noon, featuring over 35 items from Cheat Fest vendors and friends. Bidding closes Sunday, May 10th at 6pm.

Whether you're looking for something unique or just love a good deal, you won't want to miss this.

https://www.32auctions.com/2026CheatFestAuction

05/08/2026

The Cheat Fest Downriver Race is always full of surprises🤣

05/06/2026

Its time for a big ole Cheat Fest THANK YOU!

Starting with the Friends of the Cheat staff, who work tirelessly year round to make the Festival happen. Without your help, I wouldn't be able to do what I do.

The FOC Board members who help out with the Fest including a special shout out to Tess Meinert and Ben Hogan for holding down the Info Booth for extended periods of time.

To our Sponsors for supporting this event and thus the mission of FOC to restore, preserve, and promote the outstanding natural qualities of the Cheat River watershed.

To our incredible Volunteers, and especially our Lead Volunteers who went above and beyond to help organize and run so many moving parts during the Fest. Also our amazing new Campground Hosts, Liam and Brooklyn Storer, for all of the extra help.

To our Bands, Vendors, and Nonprofit organizations for showing up and sharing your talents, your passion, and your energy with our community all weekend long.

To our Security team and Pete Avery for staying flexible, keeping everyone safe, and treating every single festival-goer with fairness and respect.

To our Sound team and Ronnie Shaffer for handling all of the musical logistics needed to put on a good show for YOU.

And finally, to every single attendee. Thank you for joining the cause, donating to our Food Drive, caring for the environment, and making Cheat Fest the kind of gathering we're all proud to be part of.

Keep up the great work Family!

Silly photo of me in my shark onesie. Credit to Will Wotring

04/27/2026

It's auction time!

The 2026 Cheat Fest Silent Auction kicks off today, April 27th at noon, featuring over 35 items from Cheat Fest vendors and friends. Bidding closes Sunday, May 10th at 6pm.

Whether you're looking for something unique or just love a good deal, you won't want to miss this.

https://www.32auctions.com/2026CheatFestAuction

04/25/2026

Make sure to get your tickets soon before presales end on April 29th at 9 pm!

$45 plus tax presale combo for Friday and Saturday entrance
At the Gate prices- $20 Friday and $35 Saturday
Kids under 12 are FREE!
https://events.leapevents.com/event/2026-cheat-river-festival/listing

Gates at 5pm on Friday and 12pm on Saturday.

Gas stations are located nearby in Albright and Valley Point for your beverage, ice, and food needs.

Consider donating an item to our Food Drive! Donation list can be found at -Cheatfest.org and items can be dropped at the Info Booth.

Dress for all occasions, including rain/mud.

Bring cash, many vendors are cash only–no ATM on site.

Festival rules:
NO DOGS (certified service animals allowed), glass, fireworks, unauthorized sales, weapons, etc.
NO ELECTRIC BIKES, ONE WHEELS, SCOOTERS etc will be allowed to operate within the Fest site. (ADA exceptions)
In field pop up tents MUST be behind the Sound Booth and staked down.

Onsite camping is for VIP's and Volunteers ONLY!

There is no WIFI access available onsite. A public WIFI access site is located at the Front Box Office if needed.

BE RESPECTFUL or you will be asked to leave💪

04/24/2026

The Friends of the Cheat Campground is open all week before the Fest.

This is the closest camping area to the Fest located just outside the Back Gate so it fills up quickly!
-$15/person/night-Cash or card(starting Thurs.) accepted
-Pay at the Friends of Deckers Creek Tent, the Back Gate, use the on-site self-serve box, or pay our new Campground hosts.

Camping Guidelines:
-Potable water is available at the spigots within the Campground
-Port o Pots on site
-First come, first served sites—no saving large areas please
-Keep your footprint small and be respectful of your neighbors
-Park facing the road to allow for easy in/out
-No RVs, campers, or trailers. Truck bed campers and small sprinter-style vans are allowed but space is limited
-No fires outside existing fire rings unless in a raised fire pit/pan. Firewood is for sale by the Back Gate.
-No generators or pets allowed for everyone’s safety
-Service dogs are permitted by law—please pre-register at [email protected]

If you have a large rig or space runs out (usually by Friday afternoon), visit our friends at the Cheat Canyon Campground just down the street for more camping.

Thanks for helping us keep Cheat Fest safe and fun for everyone! We can’t wait to celebrate with you soon! 💚

04/22/2026

We would like to thank our 2026 Friends of the Fest Sponsors for the love and support!

You can learn more about each of these sponsors by using the links below.
https://www.pntrservices.com/
https://truttasolutions.com/
https://wvrivers.org/
https://bigsandybrewing.com/
https://www.prodigiwv.net/
https://www.blackbearburritos.com/

04/21/2026

Cheat Fest is just 10 days away!

As we count down to the big weekend, things are getting busier by the minute. Setup is in full swing with heavy equipment on-site, mowing operations, last minute logistics, and essential site prep happening all over.

For everyone’s safety, we kindly ask that you respect the gate hours. Please DO NOT show up early expecting entry-you will be turned away. Keeping the site clear and safe is essential to getting everything festival-ready!

Access to the FOC Cheat Canyon put-in will be closed starting Monday, April 27th. Please use the Laurel Highlands put in just upstream instead.

Back Gate Entry Hours:

Vendors, Sponsors, and Lead Volunteers:
Thursday: 4–9 PM
Friday: Starting at 8 AM (vendors must be set up by 4 PM)
Saturday: Starting at 8 AM (vendors must be set up by 11 AM)

Volunteers & Bands:
Entry begins at 8 AM on Friday and Saturday
*Volunteers working on Thursday or Friday’s 9 AM shift may enter Thursday starting at 4 PM.

Front Gate – General Admission:
Friday, May 1st: Gates open at 5 PM
Saturday, May 2nd: Gate open at 12 NOON
The Box Office in Public Parking will open 1 hour before the Gates open each day.

Presale tickets are still available! $45 plus tax for Friday & Saturday
Get yours at https://events.leapevents.com/event/2026-cheat-river-festival/listing
Single day tickets will be for sale at the Gates only- Friday-$20 Saturday-$35

Tickets for 2026 Cheat River Festival in Albright from Leap. The Cheat River Festival is a beloved annual celebration of the Cheat River watershed's remarkable comeback — and Friends of the Cheat's biggest fundraiser of the year. Every dollar raised goes directly toward watershed restoration and s