The leaves haven’t quite started to turn yet, but Fall Festival season is here, bringing with it beer, bourbon, BBQ, and so much more.
SEPTEMBER
Daniel Boone Pioneer Festival: Winchester, Aug 30 – Sep 1
The festival begins with a street dance on Friday evening and continues throughout the weekend with Arts and Crafts, Talent Contest, 5K Run, and a Walk with Friends from Aug 30 – Sep 1.
Roots and Heritage Festival: Lexington, Sep 6 – Sep 8
A colorful pageantry is combined with its high-quality offerings of cultural and educational programs. Fest is Sep 6 – Sep 8 with Friday beginning at 5 pm.
Kentucky State BBQ Festival: Danville, Sep 6 – Sep 8
Whether you spell it BBQ, Barbeque or Barbecue, it’s the taste of America. Spread the good word of BBQ — which is all about family, Americana, and feel good times. Sep 6 – Sep 8.
Lex Fest of Ales: Lexington, Sep 6
A fan-favorite, the Lexington Fest of Ales, is back at The Pavilion in downtown Lexington. Featuring over 35+ of your favorite local and regional craft breweries, tickets include 20 draught tastings, a commemorative tasting cup, live music, and more on Sep 6.
Festival of the Horse: Georgetown, Sep 6 – Sep 8
The Festival of the Horse has been a lively tradition in downtown Georgetown since the 1980s. This popular 3-day event is Sep 6 – Sep 8 and gives locals and visitors an opportunity to come together and commemorate horse heritage in the center of Horse Country.
Waveland Art Fair: Lexington, Sep 7 – Sep 8
Come browse, shop, and meet some of Kentucky’s top artists and their work. Enjoy the tour of Waveland’s main home, smokehouse, and ice house. Art fair is Sep 7 – Sep 8 with Saturday beginning at 10 am and Sunday at 11 am.
Fall Arts Festival: Frankfort, Sep 8
Focus of this fest is to provide you, your friends, and family with opportunities to make art or experience and watch demonstrations of exciting new processes and techniques. All workshops are led by experienced artists. All ages and abilities are encouraged, absolutely no experience is needed to participate, just be ready to have FUN. Fest is Sep 8 and begins at 11 am.
Scarefest: Lexington, Sep 12 – Sep 15
The 12th annual Scarefest descends upon the Lexington Convention Center on Sep 12 – 15 with plenty of genre stars ready to meet the public. Celebrities include Bruce Campbell, Lori Petty, Skeet Ulrich, Linda Blair, Lee Majors, Ted Raimi, and more.
Festival Latino de Lexington, Sep 13 – Sep 14
Celebrate Latin America art, culture, live music, and food at the Festival Latino de Lexington Sep 13 – Sep 14 downtown.
Cardome Fall Fest: Georgetown, Sep 13 – Sep 14
The 2019 Cardome Fall Fest features live bands, food and drinks, and fun at the Historic Cardome Centre property on US 25 in Georgetown, Kentucky.
Apple Festival: Georgetown, Sep 14 – Sep 15
Celebrate the leaves changing and autumn’s return during the Apple Festival at Evans Orchard and Cider Mill.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival: Bardstown, Sep 18 – Sep 22
Who will be the latest inductees into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame? This question and many others will be answered during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival Sep 18 – Sep 22 in Bardstown.
Spoonbread Festival: Berea, Sep 20 – Sep 22
Although named a “bread,” spoonbread is closer in consistency and taste to many savory puddings (like bread pudding). There will be a 1-mile fun walk, 5K run, antique tractor show, car show, cornhole tournament, and more family friend events Sep 20 – Sep 22.
Christ the King Oktoberfest: Lexington, Sep 20 – Sep 21
Now in its 20th year, Oktoberfest is in the heart of Chevy Chase, with beer tents, food, kids activities, gambling, and musical acts.
Midway Fall Festival: Sep 21 – Sep 22
This festival features talented arts and crafts vendors, sorghum and pottery demonstrations, and delicious food vendors on Sep 21 – Sep 22.
Pumpkin Festival: Paris, Sep 21
The Pumpkin Festival is an annual event around the Courthouse Square in Paris, Kentucky on Sep 21.
World Chicken Festival: London, Sep 26 – Sep 29
The World Chicken Festival is an annual event held in downtown London, KY on Sep 26 – Sep 29. It’s famous for the largest fried chicken skillet in the world.
Cave Run Storytelling Festival: Morehead, Sep 27 – Sep 28
Join America’s most beloved storytellers in a beautiful mountain lakeside setting surrounded by a vibrant palette of fall colors. These talented artists will take you away to other times and places through the art of storytelling. Stories are told in large tents on the shore of Cave Run Lake at Twin Knobs Recreation Area in the Daniel Boone National Forest, located eight miles west of Morehead, Kentucky on Sep 27 – Sep 28.
Jessamine Fall Festival: Nicholasville, Sep 28
The Jessamine Fall Festival is at the downtown courthouse in Nicholasville on Sep 28.
Versailles Fall Festival: Sep 28
Main Street will be closed to traffic, music will be provided, and multiple food vendors will be on hand and the public is invited on Sep 28. The “Fear the Beer” run will be held again this year along with other fun events.
HarvestFest: Harrodsburg, Sep 28 – Sep 29
Celebrate all things fall and kick off the harvest season with a down-home celebration for the entire family on Sep 28 – Sep 29. Take a hayride, paint a pumpkin, climb haystacks and play in the bouncy house. Live music, an outdoor bar and a variety of food trucks help complete your perfect September weekend.
OCTOBER
Apple Festival: Versailles, Oct 5 – Oct 6
Apple Festival in Versailles showcase two stages of entertainment with over 150 exhibitors. There are carnival rides, parade with signature military aircraft fly-over, Miss Apple Blossom scholarship pageant, cornhole tournament, 5K road run, apple baking contest, garden tractor pull, and more fun events on Oct 5 – Oct 6.
Hemp Harvest Festival: Winchester, Oct 5
For the first time, Winchester hosts a Hemp Harvest Festival to celebrate the return of hemp to Kentucky’s agricultural landscape on Oct 5. Festival will include historic demonstrations and exhibits at the Bluegrass Heritage Museum along with a panel discussion and presentation at the Leeds Theater.
Kentucky Arts Fest: Richmond, Oct 5
Come out and join Richmond for their signature event, the Kentucky Arts Fest on Oct 5. There will be artists from around Kentucky showing their beautiful work.
Wilmore Arts & Crafts Festival: Wilmore, Oct 5
More than 50 vendors with an array of juried art and handmade crafts at the Wilmore Arts and Crafts Festival on Oct 5. Explore downtown boutiques and shops with a variety of beautiful goods and products. Live music and food along with pony rides for kids by Asbury University Equine Center.
Celebration of Traditional Music: Berea, Oct 10 – Oct 13
The Celebration of Traditional Music is a family friendly event hosted by the Appalachian Center as an opportunity to learn and enjoy folk roots music Oct 10 – Oct 13. Genres include Old Time String Band Music, Blues, Traditional Gospel Singing, and Ballads.
Oktoberfest 2019: Harrodsburg, Oct 11 – Oct 13
Beer! Brats! Bands! Three days of music, art, food and… Beer from Oct 11 – Oct 13! That’s Oktoberfest Harrodsburg, one of Central Kentucky’s newest and fastest growing festival. Friday begins at 5 pm, Saturday at 10 am, and Sunday at noon.
Mary Queen Fall Festival: Lexington, Oct 11 – Oct 12
Enjoy adult and children’s games, raffles, food, live music, casino games, beer garden, bingo inflatables and more at the Mary Queen Fall Festival Oct 11 – Oct 12.
Kentucky Guild of Artists & Craftsmen Fall Fair: Berea, Oct 12 – Oct 13
The Kentucky Guild of Artists and Craftsmen Fall Fair is an annual tradition. Kentucky’s finest artists and crafts persons will impress you with the highest quality work in glass, ironwork, jewelry, pottery, wood, photography and 2D fine art on Oct 12 – Oct 13.
Bardstown Arts Crafts & Antiques Fair: Bardstown Oct 12 – Oct 13
Bardstown Arts Crafts & Antiques Fair will feature artists, craftsmen and antique booths in Bardstown, Kentucky. There is a little something for everyone; wearables, jewelry, pottery, floral, wood, antiques and more.
Mt. Sterling Court Days: Mt. Sterling, Oct 18 – Oct 21
Kentucky’s Oldest Festival brings hundreds of vendors selling a wide variety of items, along with a huge assortment of food options and live music for four days in Downtown Mt. Sterling. Open dawn until dusk, Friday – Monday October 18 through 21.
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This article also appears on page 4 and 5 of the September 2019 print edition of Ace Weekly.
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