Mountain Heritage Festival in full swing, officials pleased with turnout

WHITESBURG, Ky. (WYMT) - Letcher County’s biggest festival of the year is in full swing.

Carnival rides, live music, food, and craft boot are all offered this year. Officials with the 39th annual Mountain Heritage Festival committee are pleased with the turnout so far, despite last year’s being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mountain Heritage Committee Chairperson Lee Adams said the committee has worked hard to keep the event safe and fun for those participating.

“We have handwashing stations, we have extra hand sanitizer out, we’re just trying to make it as safe as possible with a global pandemic going on,” she said.

Adams said the festival is a time for unity and celebrates the county’s heritage.

“We come together to welcome people back home and welcome people here to downtown Whitesburg for Letcher County,” she said. “Just to enjoy each other’s company and have a wonderful time.”

This leaves officials to try to create a safe environment for the community.

“We rely on the guidance of the CDC and our health department,” Mayor of Whitesburg Tiffany Craft said. “It felt this year, to be at the will of people. If they want to come out, it’s their choice, if they want to stay at home, it’s their choice.”

Adams said they are thankful for everyone who helped out with this year’s festival.

“For like our Shriners, and our boys’ basketball, and we have Jenkins Boys’ Basketball, LCC Basketball, and we have the girl’s dance team, and different things like that,” she said.

Festival committee officials said the revenue generated goes right back into the area.

“Nonprofits, all of our food booths are, everyone around Letcher County, and then underneath the tent it’s all of our arts and crafts and local for-profit businesses,” Festival Committee Member Katie Caudill said.

Craft said they have seen a great turnout so far despite the pandemic.

“With all of our volunteers and workforce, it has been great but right now, from what I’m seeing, if this had been two years ago when this was pre-pandemic, you would see a lot more people,” she said.

However, Craft said with case numbers increasing, they are worried for the future of festivals.

“We want to continue to keep it as safe as possible for everyone here but moving forward we just have to keep watching those numbers to see if they continue to go up and then we’ll start making some decisions on events in the future,” she said.

Friday’s portion of the festival kicks off at 10 a.m.

The event began Tuesday and ends Saturday.

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