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Saturday, September 28, 2019

Fall Festival whet your appetite? Here are more festivals

By Bill McCann
Special to the Midway Messenger

The Midway Fall Festival was held last weekend. What will you do now? How about getting in the junker, the truck, or even the new car and taking off to see the fall colors and enjoy some of Kentucky's fabulous fall festivals?

This weekend

ALL Fall Festival of the Agrarian Literary League of Henry County: Saturday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at The Berry Center and The Locker on South Main Street in New Castle. Henry County arts, crafts, music and food; the Berry Center bookstore offers a 20% discount on all children's books and gifts.

Casey County Apple Festival: Downtown Liberty, ends Saturday; features the world's largest apple pie, professional wrestling, a parade, local and regional bands and musicians, and food vendors. Contests for people of all ages include a Big Wheel race, spelling bee, and greased pig and hula hoop contests. Fireworks conclude the festival on Saturday night. More information at www.Caseycountyapplefestival.org.

World Chicken Festival: Downtown London, through Sunday; features the world's largest stainless steel skillet and fried chicken. Local, regional, and Nashville recording artists can keep you tapping your toes or singing along all weekend; Sunday features four gospel groups ending with the Talleys. Highlights include a Colonel Sanders Look-Alike Contest (sorry, that was Thursday) parade (10 a.m. Saturday), a Struttin,’ Cluckin’ and Crowin’ Contest (11:30 a.m. Saturday), midway attractions, and vendors of arts, crafts and food vendors. More information at www.Chickenfestival.com.

Morgan County Sorghum Festival: Downtown West Liberty; features sorghum-making demonstrations (all weekend), arts, crafts, and food vendors galore, a parade (Saturday at 1 p.m.) and lots of local musical talent. Visit www.morgancountysorghumfestival.com for more information.

Marion County Country Ham Days: Downtown Lebanon, through Sunday; features a country ham breakfast (Saturday and Sunday until 11 a.m.), Pigasus Parade (Saturday), hot air balloon events (Saturday evening and Sunday morning), gospel sing (Sunday), a cornhole tournament, bale tossing and hog calling contests for adults; Junior Farmer and Little Miss Ham Days pageant are among events for children. Also, Pokey Pig 5k run, vendors of arts, crafts, and food. Info at www.Hamdays.com.

Cave Run Storytelling Festival: Twin Knobs Campground, Morehead, through Saturday night. Perhaps Kentucky's most distinctive festival. Devoted to the art of telling a good story well. Professional storytellers entertain all weekend; ghost stories Saturday night. Arts and crafts and food vendors; camping available. Admission ranges from $5 to $90. See www.caverunstoryfest.org

Anderson County Burgoo Festival: A family-friendly event, through 4 p.m. Sunday, with activities ranging from miniature golf (Friday and Saturday) to bingo (Saturday) to a pedal tractor pull (Sunday). Pancake breakfast and a 5K run (both Saturday morning) and Fastest Kid in Anderson County (1 p.m. Saturday). Features include a Ghost Walk (sorry, that was Friday night), Burgoo Cook Off (Saturday 11 a.m to 2 p.m.) and a haunted house (Saturday night). And, of course, there are arts, crafts, and food booths. Details www.kentuckyburgoo.com/docs/burgoo-Program2019.pdf.

Wayne County Heritage Festival: Saturday at the Mill Springs Park overlooking Lake Cumberland, near Monticello. Historic gristmill and heritage skills demonstrations; artists and music. Free parking and admission. www.Waynecountykentuckyhistoricalsociety.org.

HarvestFest: Saturday and Sunday at Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill, near Harrodsburg. Free with paid admission to Shaker Village. Heritage skill demonstrations include: apple cider pressing and milling sorghum. Hayrides, lives music, and food trucks also available. https://shakervillageky.org/event-calendar/

October festivals

Tired of traditional fall festivals? Here are some more unusual fall events.

Hemp Harvest Festival: Oct. 5, downtown Winchester; the inaugural festival to celebrate the hemp harvest in Clark County with farm tours and demonstrations, food, vendors and live music. See www.tourwinchester.com/event/hemp-harvest-festival/.

Hoptober Fest: Oct 5, 3-6 p.m. at Appalachian Wireless Arena, Pikeville. Craft beers festival. General admission is $10 to $50. www.Hoptoberfestky.com.

Battle of Perryville Commemoration: Oct. 5-6, Perryville Battlefield. Reenactment of Civil War battle. General admission: $7-10. www.Perryvillebattlefield.org.

Secretariat Festival: Oct. 12-13 at Keeneland to celebrate the unveiling of a larger-than-life bronze statue of Triple Crown winner Secretariat at the roundabout of Old Frankfort Pike and Alexandria Drive. Tours of the track's backside as well as Claiborne Farm and Lane's End Farm. Guest speakers, food and merchandise available. Jockeys and trainers attending to sign autographs and meet fans are expected to include Ron Turcotte, Chris McCarron, Mike Manganello and Jean Cruguet. See www.secretariat.com/fan-club/secretariat-festival/.

Foothills Festival: Oct. 18-19 in Albany, down US 127 almost all the way to Tennessee. This year's edition will be the 40th. The Kentucky Headhunters will perform at 7 p.m. CT Friday; Exile entertained last year.

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