The Upshur County Public Library is marking three decades of tradition and community spirit with its 30th Annual Ramp Dinner, set for April 25, 2025, from 5 to 8 p.m. at the library. Get your tickets soon — the deadline for reservations is 10 a.m. on Monday, April 21!
The event, featuring a gourmet ramp-infused menu prepared by chef Dale Hawkins of Fish Hawk Acres, is not only the library’s largest fundraiser but has also become a beloved annual attraction, drawing visitors from across multiple states.
“The ramp dinner started in 1994, and has been the library’s principal fundraiser now for many years,” said Paul Norko, director of the Upshur County Public Library. “It’s actually become something of a tourist attraction as well, as we’ve been getting more and more out-of-state visitors each year, from as far away as New York State, Ohio, Maryland and Pennsylvania. We now have over 275 people attending each year.”
This year’s anniversary dinner holds special significance due to major transitions occurring within the library staff.
“We have three long-time employees, each with 20-30 or more years at the library, who are retiring soon, and new faces coming in to replace them,” Norko explained. “The dinner itself is a way for the community to see the library staff in a somewhat different light — as friends and neighbors sharing a meal, rather than the typical staff-patron interaction. People come back annually because of the good food and the good company.”
Dale Hawkins, the owner of Fish Hawk Acres, initiated the ramp dinner tradition with the library in 1994. After stepping away due to career demands, Hawkins resumed his culinary role in 2019.
“Fish Hawk is wonderful to work with, and having such a longstanding partnership makes it really easy to pull off an event of this magnitude,” Norko noted. “We both know what the other needs to provide for the dinner. It’s hard to cook meals for my family of three, let alone close to 300!”
Guests at the dinner will enjoy a unique Appalachian gourmet experience, including dishes like Deviled Eggs with Pickled Ramps, Fish Hawk Acres Signature Baked Ham, Spinach Salad with Bacon Ramp Vinaigrette, Potato & Ramp Chowder, and Ramp Focaccia. A non-ramp menu is also available upon request.
Entertainment for the evening will be provided by Key to Adam, a regionally renowned guitar and violin duo.
“Key to Adam adds to the overall ambiance and gives the evening a bit of panache that isn’t typical of other ramp dinners,” Norko said. “The dinner is a community event. Friends meet and have a great meal together; we have groups of coworkers from our corporate sponsors that can get to know each other in a less formal setting. And it’s a chance to meet others in the community who might become friends.”
Norko encourages newcomers to embrace the ramp dinner’s unique menu.
“Try everything,” he advised. “The menu is a little different than the typical ramp dinner menu, but it’s all really well cooked and tastes excellent. Dale brings lots of new flavor combinations that really go well together.”
Recent improvements have further streamlined the event, with an additional serving line and expanded parking facilities. Take-out is also available if needed.
“Now that we’ve added a second serving line, the wait time is drastically reduced,” Norko said. “Last year was the first time with the second line, and we were able to get through almost all of the 270ish people who purchased tickets in about 90 minutes. Now that our parking lot is finished, there are plenty of places to park.”
The proceeds from the dinner are crucial to sustaining the library’s free community services.
“One thing we’d love for attendees to notice is that the library is more than just the books on the shelves,” Norko said. “We are also a gathering place for the community, offering services like free meeting areas, free Wifi — both in the building and to go with hotspots — and, most recently, jigsaw puzzles and kits for children and adults to check out.”
Tickets for the ramp dinner are $28 per person, $14 for children ages 6-12, and free for children 5 and under. Advance ticket purchase is required by April 21 at 10 a.m. For additional information, visit the library’s website at https://upshur.wvlibrary.info/ramp-dinner or call (304) 473-4219, ext. 2 or 3, during regular library hours. You can also purchase tickets online directly by clicking here.
The Upshur County Public Library is located at 1150 Rt. 20 South Rd. in Buckhannon.
