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Berkeley Springs rings with the sound of art this weekend -- metal art and blacksmiths.

Friday beginning at 5pm is an Artwalk that leads to the opening of the special Metal Fashioners exhibit at the Ice House Gallery. First stop is a meet-the-blacksmith Glenn Horr reception at Mountain Laurel Gallery from 5 to 7pm where you can admire Glenn's exquisite hand-forged functional metalwork pieces including hooks, fireplace tools and more. Then stroll down the street to the Ice House Gallery arriving at 7:30pm for the opening of Metal Fashioners, a show about metal clothing, home decor and garden art. Most compelling are the stylish and elegant metal sculpture dresses of Washington, DC artist Donna McCollough, inspiration for the show.

The metal art fun continues even louder on Saturday from noon to 5pm when a gaggle of blacksmiths and metal workers assemble to demonstrate their skills and techniques in a traditional Hammer-In from noon to 4pm in the yard at the Ice House.

Getting into the spirit of metal art, the Star Theatre is showing X-Men Origins: Wolverine, starring Hugh Jackman and telling the story of how he got those sharp metal blades embedded in his hands. Showtime is 8pm Friday through Sunday.

There is an abundance of music entertainment this weekend starting on Wednesday night with a jam session at Earth Dog Cafe where the barbecue is as big a draw as the music. On Thursday, the scene shifts to Tari's Cafe for Jam Night accompanied by the treat of prime rib specials and a jam night snack menu. This week, Jonathan McBee hosts. The Jam starts at 8pm. Saturday from 8-10pm there is an evening of music with classical and jazz Guitarist Brad Wolf at the Country Inn. Here is another place where the food is an outstanding part of the music adventure. Also on Saturday, beginning at 8pm, The Fairfax Coffee House offers a light fare menu plus grown-up drinks -- wine and beer as well as coffees -- accompanied by the alluring music of the Shifters - Bill McLaughlan and Mary Anne Haines, guitar and vocals, performing a blend of originals, swing and blues, rock n' folk and other down home oddities.

Sunday is the music finale to the weekend with Jim Jam at the Troubadour. It starts at 1pm and is the biggest country jam of the season with musicians, both local and visiting, coming out to play. Dinner starts at 2pm. Jim Jam is part of Back To Our Roots and the Troubadour one of the major centers for local roots music as well as being the WV Country Music Hall of Fame.

Another unique activity on Sunday is the open house and lecture at Valley Caravan Gallery where owner Fahima Vorgetts shows slides and talks about her efforts to help women and children in Afghanistan with revenue from selling Afghani rugs and art. The event is 2-5pm -- and the rugs are splendid. If you cannot make it on Sunday, stop by for rare shopping Fridays through Sundays from 10am to 5pm.

Berkeley Springs has so many attractions that make it stand out among all other getaway places that it is hard to know where to begin -- or end. There is the shopping where it is easy and fun to discover treasures ranging from wine, antiques and art to nature items, fairies and books. History is around every corner in this newly designated national Historic District with the story told at the Museum in the park. And spas remain one of the main reasons folks come visit -- and have been for more than two centuries. There are a half dozen locations to find cutting edge bodywork treatments in the country's first spa.

Food is a major lure for discerning diners. Tari's Cafe has an exciting new menu and extensive wine list. Panorama at the Peak is locavore central with both plants and meats on the menu from regional farms and a tasty Sunday brunch. Lot 12 is the domain of West Virginia's only James Beard listed chef and another devotee of cooking and eating local. You can also sample Lot 12's offerings at their booth at the Sunday Farmers Market. The Country Inn offers outstanding chef-prepared food at every meal plus a special tapa feast on Friday and Saturday from 6-8pm. Angus and Ale has a new location on the grounds of Best Western. Creekside Creamery has both ice cream and light fare. The new Rose's Cafe opens this weekend with excellent vegetarian fare and a grand opening party on Friday from 5-7pm. If breakfast is your favorite meal, get it all day and evening at Earth Dog Cafe. Some of the tastiest light fare -- and Sunday brunch -- is found at La Luna Wine Bar which also caters to night owls, staying open late for after theater and after dinner fun. They've brought a new female chef to town -- Alisha Hanlin -- and she's created a brunch menu with items like baked French toast and rosemary sausage sandwiches.

This is also the perfect time for enjoying the tame wilderness that surrounds Berkeley Springs. Cacapon State Park is the biggest outdoor activity magnet with and 18-hole golf course, miles of mountain hiking trails, horseback riding and game courts. A new favorite activity is clay shooting joining the other big family activity -- swimming a Cacapon Lake with a sparkling white sand beach. A little tamer swimming is at Berkeley Springs State Park with an outdoor pool open daily and filled with the famous spring water.

All these special activities mean you must stay more than a day to even get a taste of the good life. Fortunately, Berkeley Springs has lodging places that are as fabulous as the place itself. You can stay at the Country Inn and be on site with a full-service spa as well as being in the heart of town. There are B&Bs like Highlawn or the Manor. Cacapon State Park has rustic cabins and lodge rooms. Best Western's Berkeley Springs Inn offers name brand familiarity with a local flavor. Collecting all the types of offerings under one mantle is Berkeley Springs Cottage Rentals where you can choose from cabins, vacation homes and suites both in town and out. There are a long list of single properties with truly unique characteristics that you can check on our lodging page.