It's a long weekend. Berkeley Springs weather continues perfect and scenic splendors are....well.... splendid. You'll need the extra day to consume all the fun.

The big news is the 13th annual Festival of Light Psychic Fair and Alternative Healing Expo at the Ice House on Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Healers and readers and vendors of magical items are spilling out the door -- more than 70 for the biggest event ever. A full roster of talks and workshops makes the weekend show even more exciting. Check the schedule, get there early, make your appointments, pick your talks and settle in to explore your present and future, inside and out. Not all the bodyworkers in town are going to be at the Festival. Evelyn Garcia is holding down the fort at Awakening Health Center on Fairfax St. and offering a great deal on an hour massage and half hour facial.

Art jumps on the magical bandwagon with the opening reception of Rare Alignments so inspired by the calendar eclipse of 11-11-11 on Friday. The reception begins at the Ice House at 7:30pm for the multi-media show focusing on the underlying mathematics of art. The exhibit has a unique video "Between the Folds" on a DVD kiosk that shows intricate origami creations and the people who make them. Gallery hours are Saturday and Sunday 10am to 5pm to coincide with the Festival of Light.

More art and music action starts on Thursday night at 7:30pm with an open-to-the-public Writers Forum hosted by noted WV author, poet and musician, Colleen Anderson at the Ice House. The topic is how to bridge cultural divides with readings by local writers. The music scene has two nights at the Fairfax Coffee House. On Friday at 7pm, The Lickety Split Banjo Boys play their own brand of hard-charging bluegrass, old-time mountain music and gospel while on Saturday at 7pm you can hear Chelsea McBee with Bob Keel playing acoustic, folk and Americana.

For the dancing crowd, we have both doing it and watching it this weekend. If you want to dance, head out to the Troubadour on Saturday at 9pm and go retro with the Flashbacks. If you want to watch some exceptional local dancers, go to Berkeley Springs High School at 7pm Friday and Saturday when Arts Triumphant Dance Theater stages "Behind the Scenes."

Who doesn't want to see George Clooney on the big screen? You can satisfy that desire on Friday. Saturday and Sunday nights at 8pm at the Star Theatre when he stars along with Ryan Gosline in the political thriller "The Ides of March."

A special buying opportunity on Saturday from 9am to 4pm opens Caperton Furniture Works for a factory inventory sale. Their prized handcrafted furniture can be found in stores around the country so don't miss this rare chance to pick up some bargains right from the factory. The factory is about 10 miles south of town on US522. Create your own art Saturday at Frog Valley Artisans when Veronica has a handbuilding with clay workshop from 2 to 4pm. The Vintage Kitchen on Green Street has most of its stock including Homer Laughlin at reduced prices to make room incoming Christmas items. Plenty more shopping opportunities -- just roam the couple streets in the downtown area and you'll be amazed at the collection of alluring shops.

With all this activity, you'll be starved. Lucky for you, there is a long list of places to fix that. Lot 12 Public House and Panorama at the Peak both were recently awarded the Snail of Approval from Slow Foods DC -- the ONLY West Virginia eateries to be so honored. And their food is more than simply locally sourced -- it's fabulously tasty. Panorama has new Sunday hours: 11:30am to 5pm and recommends delicious amaretto dipped French toast encrusted with diced pecans and served with local peaches Panorama preserved this year! accompanied by the musical entertainment of Larry Bish's mellow tones. Angus and Ale is another hot Sunday brunch spot. Temptations Cafe has introduced their new winter menu which features fresh fish frenzy on Friday, steak s pecials on Saturday and an outstanding Sunday brunch as well as great breakfast specials every day but Tuesday and Wednesday. Next door, Temptations Too Bakery is celebrating its 1-year anniversary with a 10% discount on all items except wines Thursday through Monday. Check the dining list for all your options from the longtime favorite Tari's Cafe, open daily for lunch and dinner to all-day breakfast and barbecue at Earth Dog Cafe to family-friendly fare at Cacapon State Park, Maria's Garden and Mountainside Cafe.

Now it's time to pick a place to stay. Fortunately, we have a wide range of choices. Check out the Country Inn if you want to walk to the Festival of Light as well as the Highlawn Inn and several other B&Bs and suites downtown. If outdoors is the attraction this weekend -- comb through cabins, inns and vacation homes available. They all come equipped with still colorful though somewhat muted foliage.

If ever a weekend will convince you that Berkeley Springs is at the magical center of the universe, it's this one. And, you'll be amazed at how nearby all this magic is.

(Information courtesy of Travel Berkeley Springs)