The following information was disseminated by the Travel Berkeley Springs office:

A week of showers has spring truly "busting out all over" in Berkeley Springs this Mothers Day weekend. The road and mountainsides are alive in a million shades of fresh green trimmed in a variety of colors from the creamy white of dogwood blossoms to the soft purple of lilacs. In town, the colors come from street pots and gardens areas as well as the yard-square quilts hanging in virtually every business or public building.

Plants are also the stars of the annual Plant Fair staged by the Morgan County Master Gardeners in Berkeley Springs State Park, the town green along the main square. It starts on Friday at 9am and continues Saturday until 4pm. Selling natural products continues on Sunday when the Farmers Market sets up across from the park from 10am to 2pm. In addition to early greens and plants, there are local meats and prepared foods.

Quilts dominate the weekend's activities with the quilt show and display at the Ice House, the Yard Square quilts throughout town and on Saturday and Sunday only, two performances of Piecework. See three one-act staged readings by local authors with quilts featured in the stories and small quilts made to match each play. Every ticket to the staged readings is a chance to win one of the six quilts. The shows are Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 3pm at the Ice House with first-come first seated. As if this is not enough to see and do at the Ice House this weekend,the Smithsonian's "New Harmonies" exhibit on American roots music is on display. The "New Harmonies" exhibit may be toured Wednesday through Sunday from 11am to 5pm with trained docents available.

Saturday from 1 to 5pm, the Country Inn stages its first annual Afternoon of Wines in their quaint and secluded garden. Admission includes an array of wines to taste and light hors d'oeuvres. Reservations are required so call 304-258-2210. If you decide to stay for dinner, try the new spring menu items of ramps and lamb.

If you just need a break while strolling town on Saturday stop in at LaLuna Wine Bar and Gallery for their monthly wine tasting from 3-5pm. This months tasting features Chianti from Italy.

The Star Theatre features family entertainment this weekend with the animated hit: Monsters vs Aliens for moms everywhere who often feel this describes their lives. Showtimes are Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 8pm with a Sunday matinee at 2pm. Mom will also love the idea of great popcorn that she doesn't have to make.

All the restaurants in town are going all out to see that mom does not need to cook on her day -- Sunday. Since this is the biggest dining out day of the year, we urge you to make reservations so as to not be disappointed. From noon to 5pm in Sunday, the Country Inn has a Mother's Day Buffet in the beautiful Parkview Garden Room complete with classical music and a flower for every mother. Cacapon State Park also features a Mothers Day buffet from noon to 6pm. Other fine dining options include Tari's Cafe and Panorama at the Peak which also has brunch items available until 4pm. Lot 12 Public House now is open at 5pm Wednesdays through Sundays for dinner. You can also have exceptional Lot 12 food at the Farmers Market on Sunday. For devotees of the Holy Mother, Maria's Garden is place to dine on Mothers Day surrounded by the glow and artifacts of the Marian Museum. If taking Mom to breakfast is the plan, choose Earth Dog Cafe where a delicious breakfast is served all day along with barbecue. Check the dining menu for other choices both on Mothers Day and all weekendlong.

If you are concerned about finding your way around the back roads of the county to enjoy the springs foliage, there is an ideal workshop for you on Saturday at Cacapon State from 1 to 5pm where you can learn to use the Global Positioning System. Other activities at the most popular state park in West Virginia range from an 18-hole golf course for golfing moms to hiking miles of mountain trails to enjoying fishing on the lake to clay shooting.

Moms, or other visitors looking for the local music scene need to come early in the week. Earth Dog Cafe has an open mic on Wednesday while Tari's Cafe stages the region's longest running Jam Nite on Thursday at 8pm, this week hosted by Jonathan McBee. Tari's has the added bonus of Thursday being prime rib nite.

For those moms whose idea of the perfect Mothers Day is a getaway filled with spas and shopping -- Berkeley Springs is the ONLY place to be, A half dozen spas and health centers plus individual practitioners offer every type of massage or bodywork or beauty treatment imaginable from scared Lomi Lomi massage to European facials to pedicures with foot massage. She can get reflexologied, or acupunctured or wrapped and rubbed in every substance imaginable from sugar to mud. There are steams and saunas and baths in ye famed warm springs. There is a yoga class at the Ice House at 9am on Saturday.

Fed, relaxed and looking for fun, moms should be encouraged to cruise the fabulous shops of Berkeley Springs, easily strolled in a few downtown blocks. She'll find the gift she MUST have whether it is handcrafted jewelry or art, quilts, antiques, crystals, unique home items, books, bath supplies or birdfeeders. Nature Niche is offering a 15% discount on any 1 item with proof of motherhood.  All sorts of proof is acceptable & motherhood also includes being that special person to animals! No mom need leave Berkeley Springs without a treasure to support her memories.

To stay for the weekend, peruse our lodging list looking for what you want from on site spas to Victorian splendor to rustic charm with a fireplace to a comfortable country inn or fully equipped vacation home in the woods. Some places let mom bring the kids; others love pets. Check it all out to make the right choice for every mom and her entourage. And ask about specials whether it's a treat in the room to free nights. We want to be the special place you take your mom -- and the fun place she comes back to alone.