Each year, War has an annual gathering in the fall which we call our "Fall Festival". Vendors gather from all over McDowell County and sell home made goods and services such as food, clothing, used items, and music discs. Keeping in tradition, there are live bluegrass country, and gospel singers. During the weekend event, the town hosts a street dance for teenagers on Friday and Saturday night with music courtesy of Dwane Muncy from Cucumber & Company. Every year at noon on Fall Festival Saturday, the town reenacts a version of an old shootout. The "War shootout at 2 PM," is a town tradition where local, well known citizens participate in the event as actors. To view pictures from previous years or information on the current year's festivals, click here. Located two miles south of War is Berwind Lake, a state-owned recreational area that was built in the late nineteen fifty's. Some call War the "Gateway to Recreation" and say that Berwind Lake is a portal to the gateway. Berwind Lake offers camping, fishing, hiking, and swimming. In addition to these activities, War and McDowell County are widely known as hunting and 4-wheeler country. Home to wondrous mountains and wildlife, many hunters anxiously await the opening of hunting season. For more information on War: The Gateway to Recreation, please click here.