By JORDAN THOMAS HALL
While the 37th Annual Knott County Gingerbread Festival officially gets underway on Thursday, September 6, events are beginning this weekend. For the first time the Gingerbread committee will be hosting a tailgating party at the KCC parking lot on Friday, August 31 from 5-7 before the Gingerbread Bowl. All civic groups, businesses, schools, and private individuals are welcomed to participate in the event. The game will pit Knott Central and neighboring rival Perry Central against one another.
The 2nd Annual Gingerbread Cruise In will be held Saturday, September 1 at the Holly Hills Shopping Center from 2-4. “Cruising the Hills” will be a great showcase for seeing the classic cars while listening to 50s music. The Mall Restaurant will be having a 50s theme while featuring a special of cheeseburger or hamburger with fries and a 50s float drink.
The Gingerbread Festival will run from Thursday, September 6 to Saturday, September 8. “My Old Kentucky Home” will be the festival theme honoring the Sparkman family. There will be new additions to the crowd favorite food booths, crafts, commercial booths, carnival games, parade and music. A K-12 art competition is open to all Knott County students in any medium or style. Deadline to submit is Thursday, September 6 at 5:00. Awards will be given to each age group with winners unveiled at the Appalachian Artisan Center on Saturday during the festival.
New to the food scene this year will be kettle corn, pork rinds, beef jerky, and gourmet coffee. New additions to commercial booths include local boutique shops. A mechanical bull is being brought to the festival and a Thomas the Tank train is planned to transport kids and adults between town and the carnival. A fodder shock display is being set up in the grass median at the light in town in addition to ones along Main Street decorated by schools. A large gingerbread man is expected to be put up for the festival.
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