KINGWOOD -- It's the last weekend in September, which means it's Buckwheat Festival time in Preston County. But it's about more than just the fun and the carnival. The annual festival is an economic boost for Kingwood and Preston County.

"Preston County gets recognized across the state, and really a tri-state area for this festival, bringing in visitors and friends and family from all over to get together for this weekend," says Mark Schooley, a volunteer in the community building.

The proceeds help keep Kingwood and the surrounding fire stations well equipped, but it's a great fundraiser for groups like the Special Olympics.

"Community groups from all over the county are serving buckwheat cakes, not just here in Kingwood, but it's also on the way in or the way out of Kingwood," says Kingwood volunteer firefighter Neil Reed.

In its 68th year, the festival crowd has grown bigger just about each year. Coordinators try to attract more visitors by making sure no festival is exactly like the last.

"Each year, someone comes up with a new idea something new and exciting, something that's not too expensive," says Reed.

The biggest draws are the festival's staple attractions.

I enjoy the camaraderie, the people, and the good food, says David Riggs, a Kingwood resident.

He doesn't mean your traditional fair food. Buckwheat pancakes are one of the main attractions, and the community building is a streamlined process for churning out the plates of cakes and sausage for the hungry crowds.

"It's actually a weed," Schooley says of buckwheat, "and it has a little grain or seed on it, it's a little black seed and we have ours ground in the original grist mill in Hazleton, WV." The only stone-ground buckwheat to be found, he claims.

The festival runs through Sunday night, but don't worry, there will be plenty of buckwheat cakes to go around.