After many hours of serious thought and discussion, several members of the Honey Festival Committee have tried to work out the best outcome for the 2019 Breathitt County Honey Festival.
We have come to realize that the support that is necessary to have a successful Festival is no longer something the current Committee Members can count on. We have always had the support of the Breathitt County Community, Sheriffs Department, City Police, County Judge, Magistrates and Mayor, even though some City Council Members were critical of the location of the Music, the Committee still felt that they wanted the Festival to continue. That is no longer the case.
When we met with our current Mayor on May 21st we were given a list of changes that must be made for the 2019 Honey Festival. The Committee would no longer be allowed to use certain areas of town, i.e. the City Hall parking lot for Music, Broadway Street for Food and Commercial/Craft Booths, and the Craft Tent must be made much shorter.
We had explored the possibility of moving the Festival out of town in years past. Douthitt Park had been suggested, but Electrical Service Issues, Parking, Safety to visitors, and lack of adequate space for Food, Craft and Commercial Booths were deemed insurmountable problems with our very limited budget.
Because of these issues, most current Committee Members have resigned as of Friday June 7, 2019.
Should anyone else wish to take over the Festival, as it is a totally volunteer organization, and to try to keep the Festival going, we will gladly supply a list of exhibitors, food vendors and any other information needed. This would be the 42nd year for the Festival and we are heartbroken that this has occurred.
Clara Gabbard
Chairman of Festival
Patricia Caudill
Arts & Craft Chair
Shaina Naillieux
Web Design and Publicity
