Perhaps the greatest draw for Pike County, Kentucky is the legendary sites of the Hatfield McCoy Feud. These sites, which include the Hog Trail Cabin (known as the “Preacher Anse” Cabin), the McCoy Homeplace and Well, the Hatfield Cemeteries, Dils Cemetery (resting place of the McCoys), and an assortment of other sites all carry with them not only incredible history, but also great responsibility.
Recently, Pike County Tourism CVB, along with volunteers, prepared these sites for Memorial Day weekend. This was no small task, which involved not only financial investment, but also labor; weed eating, mowing, cleaning, raking, pressure washing staircases, and placing wreathes. Given the financial hardship bought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, such an investment has taken its toll on our budget, and we are looking for ways to keep these precious sites beautiful going forward.
This would be a perfect time for you to get involved, especially if you are a descendant of the Hatfields and/or McCoys. Pike County Tourism has always cherished our relationship with the Hatfields and McCoys, some of which have dedicated time and money to boosting tourism in our region, and keeping the feud story alive for many to experience and learn from.
How Can You Help?
In Pike County Tourism CVB’s over 27 years of service to these sites, we have never asked for help. However, given the circumstances, we are in need of help to maintain these wonderful sites.
Roseanna’s Baby’s Grave
There are three ways in which you can get involved:
Make an online donation: Click below to make a secure donation online with PayPal. A PayPal account is not required. This donation will be used to offset spending for Hatfield McCoy Feud Sites’ upkeep.
Volunteer Your Time: Not all donations need be monetary. Contact us by phone (606) 432-5063, or by email if you would like to arrange a time to volunteer at one of our historic sites. We would love to work with you.
Mail in a donation: Feel free to mail a check of any amount, made out to Pike County Tourism CVB, P.O. Box 1497, Pikeville, KY, 41501.
The 2020 Hatfield McCoy Historic Sites Cleanup
Thank you to all of our supporters for volunteering time and resources to this project.
Pikeville Hillbilly Days is one of Kentucky’s most attended festivals, being one of the state’s first festivals of the (mostly) warm months of the year. Hillbilly Days is known for its outlandish character, wide assortment of vendor booths, and charm that has endured for over 40 years. Most importantly, Hillbilly Days is also a fundraiser for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Lexington, Kentucky, a hospital that serves disabled children in the Eastern Kentucky region, among many other areas.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has shut down pretty much all festivals in the state of Kentucky for the foreseeable future, it still doesn’t hurt to reminisce on the Hillbilly Days festivals of yesteryear. Let’s take a look at some photos from previous Hillbilly Days festivals.
Pikeville Hillbilly Days Gallery
Buy Hillbilly Days Merch & Support the Children’s Hospital
Despite being cancelled, Hillbilly Days 2020 merchandise is still available. Purchase collectables for the Hillbilly Days that never was by contacting Robert Adkins at 606-899-9030, or message him on facebook. Hillbilly Days Shirts are $12.00, button pins (white) are $1.00, patches, lapel pins and knives are $5.00 each. Shirts available in adult small thru 3x and youth and infant onesies. Don’t allow COVID-19 to prevent you from showing your support for the Shriners Hospital for Children.
More Hillbilly Days Resources
Wanting to keep track of the updates concerning Hillbilly Days? Follow our Pikeville Hillbilly Days facebook page, or visit www.HillbillyDays.com for updates. As of this writing, Hillbilly Days 2020 has been cancelled, and has yet to be rescheduled. However, it doesn’t hurt to check back from time to time to see if things have changed. You never know.
We continue our photo blog series “Beautiful Pike County, KY” with a sampling of photographer Jeffery Justice’s excellent camera work. Justice has dedicated his career to supporting economic growth in Eastern Kentucky, serving as a business and innovation champion at SOAR Innovation, a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting innovation-driven small businesses and entrepreneurs in Appalachia Kentucky.
Justice has also worked in the area of tourism in Eastern Kentucky by capturing some of the many amazing events Pikeville-Pike County has hosted over the years. Justice has a knack for capturing the human experience in his photography, with a visual impact that tells a story all its own. Be sure to check out his gallery below, and reach out to him if you are looking for photography commissions.
Jeffery Justice Gallery
Jeffery Justice
Feel free to reach out to Justice for commission requests.
Subjects: Nature, Architecture, Culture, Tourism E-mail:Click here Phone: 859-779-8282
Hillbilly Days 2020 has been officially cancelled. This is due to precautions concerning COVID-19. That beings said, the City of Pikeville has expressed that they will attempt to reschedule the event for Fall. If they do so, we will be notifying you via email, as well as posting the notification on our websites TourPikeCounty.com and HillbillyDays.com.
Pike County Tourism CVB executive director Tony K. Tackett would like to reassure everyone that, although many upcoming events have been cancelled, event organizers will do all that they can to reschedule these events. This is just a precaution that is being made to ensure that our visitors, and community remain healthy, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
If you wish to keep track of all event cancellations and postponements for Pike County, Kentucky, check out our blog post:
Hillbilly Days is scheduled for April 16, 17 and 18, 2020 in downtown Pikeville, Kentucky. This year’s festival will include all of the fun things that Hillbilly Days has become famous for, such as a carnival, food and craft vendors, goofy hillbilly outfits and cars, as well as three stages of live entertainment. However, this year, Hillbilly Days will be featuring an assortment of new and unique attractions, such as the Dino Roar! Tour, Abby the Spoon Lady & the Tater Boys, an Arm Wrestling Tournament with special guest Travis Bagent, and a Hank Williams Jr. concert at the Appalachian Wireless Arena! Click above to download the Hillbilly Days 2020 brochure, or request a hard copy from us. Events are subject to change, and new events are typically added as the festival approaches.
Hillbilly Days 2020 has been officially cancelled. This is due to precautions concerning COVID-19. That beings said, the City of Pikeville has expressed that they will attempt to reschedule the event for Fall. If they do so, we will be notifying you via email, as well as posting the notification on our websites TourPikeCounty.com and HillbillyDays.com.
Pike County Tourism CVB executive director Tony K. Tackett would like to reassure everyone that, although many upcoming events have been cancelled, event organizers will do all that they can to reschedule these events. This is just a precaution that is being made to ensure that our visitors, and community remain healthy, and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
If you wish to keep track of all event cancellations and postponements for Pike County, Kentucky, check out our blog post:
Hillbilly Days is one of Kentucky’s most popular and well attended festivals, hosting over 100,000 visitors over the course of 3 days in April. This year’s Hillbilly Days festival will feature all of the goofy characters, food and treat vendors, live concerts and carnival rides that has made the event such a hit with visitors over the past 44 years. However, this year, Hillbilly Days will be offering a lot of new attractions as well. Let’s take a look.
Dino Roar! Tour
The Dino Roar tour brings dinosaurs to life for an exciting, informative, and downright roaring-good time! This educational show teaches kids fun facts about dinosaurs, with interactive dinosaur experiences, as well as a fossil showcase featuring real and replica fossils.
This is a great, family friendly attraction for Hillbilly Days 2020, with shows scheduled for all 3 days of the event. Check out the flyer for showtimes.
Abby the Spoon Lady & the Tater Boys
Youtube sensation Abby the Spoon Lady will be performing alongside the Tater Boys at the Appalachian Center for the Arts, Thursday, April 16 @ 7:00 p.m. Known for her unique and amazing talents as a percussionist (playing spoons), her brand of folk/bluegrass captured the ears and hearts of millions on youtube. This very special performance compliments Hillbilly Days perfectly, as Hillbilly Days features a host of bluegrass, gospel and folk musicians each year on the Pikeville City Park Stage. Taking place at the Appalachian Center for the Arts, this will be an intimate stage performance in the heart of Hillbilly Days on Second Street in Downtown Pikeville. Check out the Appalachian Center for the Arts website for ticket information.
Hillbilly Days Arm Wrestling Tournament
Presented by Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery, this will be the second year that Hillbilly Days will feature an Arm Wrestling Tournament. Festival organizers wanted to add more unique and interesting events to the festival, experiences that visitors can engage in. This event will feature three classes of competition, from Pros to Amateurs, and a Ladies division. World Arm Wrestling Champion Travis Bagent will be returning as well, making this a truly unique event to attend, even if you decide not to compete. This event will be located under the Big Top Tourism Tent on 101 Division Street. Click here to download the flyer.
Nick Jamerson & Friends
Eastern Kentucky native Nick Jamerson and his friends will be performing their blend of americana country at the Appalachian Center for the Arts Friday, April 17, 2020. Jamerson is known for his stint as one half of the popular duo Sundy Best, whose 2014 album Bring Up the Sun reached #11 on the Billboard Top Country Albums Chart. Showcasing his unique voice and instrumental prowess, you will love his flavor of true-to-life music that harkens back to the legendary sounds that made country a staple in American music.
Hank Williams Jr.
Hank Williams Jr. and Hillbilly Days were made for each other. The legendary Hank Williams Jr. will be headlining for the Appalachian Wireless Arena’s Hillbilly Days concert for 2020, Saturday April 18. An American country and southern rock legend, Hank Willaims Jr. is known for such hits as “If the South Woulda Won”, “There’s a Tear in my Beer” and “All My Rowdy Friends Are Coming Over Tonight”, just to name a few. Ticket prices for this event will be $89.50, $69.50 and $39.50, and can be purchased at the Community Trust Box Office, or online at Ticketmaster.com.
Secure Your Hillbilly Days Lodging
With Hillbilly Days coming soon, you may wish to secure lodging as soon as possible. Pikeville-Pike County has a wide assortment of quality hotel and motels that are conveniently located near the festival. Take a look, and feel free to reach out to the hotels to check on availability.
To learn more about what Hillbilly Days has to offer, and keep up-to-date on all things hillbilly, visit hillbillydays.com. Hillbilly Days is “The Festival with a Heart”, and serves as a fundraiser for the Shriners Hospital for Children in Lexington, Kentucky. Shriners Hospital of Lexington serves children from all across Kentucky who have skeletal disabilities or injuries such as burns, spinal cord injuries, cleft lip and palate, and other complex health care needs. Please consider supporting the Shriners Hospital for Children by purchasing a shirt, cap, or button from the hillbillies who will be located on Huffman Avenue during the event.
