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by Pat Williams, Forkland Community Center 

The 2019 Forkland Festival, on Oct. 11 and 12, promises to be a lot of fun for all ages, with a mix of old and new food, entertainment, contests, crafts, historical exhibits and more.

Forkland is known for its good country cooking, and there will be plenty of it at this year’s Festival. The Community Center will serve old favorites like Forkland burgers, chili dogs with homemade chili, ham & biscuits, homemade cakes (from the cake-baking contest), hand-dipped ice cream, and more. The Wishing Well Cafe will newly feature wood-fire-grilled pizzas made with fresh ingredients. And there will be an all new “Pig Roast meal,” just like the meal served at the annual FCC picnic, with pulled pork (roasted outdoors overnight), served with Forkland’s special recipe BBQ sauce on a bun, plus baked potatoes and freshly made slaw. On Saturday morning, you can enjoy a delicious all-you-can-eat pancake breakfast starting at 8 a.m. There will also be numerous food vendors serving all kinds of festival favorites, ranging from homemade fried apple pies to deep-fried Twinkies.

The Old Country Supper Theatre this year features a mix of old and new musical offerings. On Saturday evening, longtime local favorite Phillip Clarkson will entertain diners with his well-loved country tunes.

On Friday, diners will be entertained during the meal by newcomer Layla Spring. Layla, 17, is from Marion County, where she made local folks proud when she was a finalist on American Idol in 2018. She performed with popular country music duo Sugarland. Alongside Jennifer Nettles and Kristian Bush, Layla performed their hit single song entitled “Stuck Like Glue,” which earned her a huge ovation from the audience. During American Idol’s finale, Layla and her younger sister Dyxie were singing LeAnn Rimes’ song “Blue,” when LeAnn joined them as a surprise. Layla has thousands of fans (known as “Springers”) and is sure to be making a musical impact for a long time. After the delicious old-fashioned country meal and entertainment by these great vocalists, attendees will see the comedy “A Big Wish,” written and directed by Sandy Hogue and performed by local Forkland folks. 

Tickets are $16 each for the Supper Theatre and are available online at www.forklandcomctr.org or by calling Janie Drye at (270) 692-2732. Doors open at 6:30. And don’t miss the live music on the outside stage both Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

If you are a baker, you can enter the annual Cake Contest. Judging will be Friday at 10 a.m. The winning cakes are available by the slice both days at the Coffee Shack.

Run through the Forkland Knobs on Saturday at 8 a.m. to win prizes in several categories. Participants get a free t-shirt and pancake breakfast. For more information, contact John Ellis at (859) 319-9974 or jontilden@hotmail.com.

A new addition this year: the Old-Time Dress Contest for Kids will invite kids up to 14 to dress up like old-time Forklanders for a pageant-style contest behind the log cabin, Saturday at 3 p.m. For more information, call (270) 402-7243.

This year we are having a Cruise In, where any vehicle can be admitted with a donation. All vehicles will receive plaques. Donations will go to needy children for Christmas, through Angel Tree. So “cruise in” and show off your classic car, truck, or bike, noon to 6 p.m. For info, call 859-583-6193.

Enter up to four photos of Forkland scenery, activities, or people. Winning photos will appear in Forkland News (the Community Center’s e-mail newsletter) and will be displayed at next year’s Forkland Festival. You can bring your photos to the Festival by noon on Saturday, or mail them to FCC, Photos, 16479 Forkland Road, Gravel Switch, KY 40328.

Many kinds of handmade crafts (jewelry, pottery, weaving, painting, old-time toys, handmade clothing, soap, and more) are sold at the Forkland Festival, and some of the crafters will be demonstrating their crafts.

You can visit the 1790s log cabin, hosted by relatives of Abraham Lincoln, and explore your family history in both the Family History room and the Forkland Lincoln Museum. In addition to genealogical information, the Museum has many interesting old items from the area. The Old Farm Equipment Museum (in the back metal building) is full of many things that were used on local farms in the past—horse-drawn equipment, cross-cut saws, hand tools, tobacco implements, a hog-curing trough, and lots more. And if you are from Forkland or have relatives who went to school here, be sure to visit the School and Serviceman exhibit for memories of school days. There will also be a Forkland School Alumni Meet Up at 3 p.m. on Saturday at the “well” near the Wishing Well Cafe.

Enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride. Make your own art in the Art Room. Bid in the Silent Auction. Get your face painted or a Henna design on your body. Fish at the Fish Pond. Visit the Native American Tepee. Shop at the Gift Shop. And don’t forget the most important activity: visiting with friends, family, and friendly Forkland folks!

IF YOU GO 

The Forkland Festival will be on Friday, October 11, 9 a.m to 9 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 12, 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., at the Forkland Community Center in southwest Boyle County, 16479 Forkland Rd., Gravel Switch, KY 40328. Admission is $3 for adults (13 and over) and $1 for children (4 to 12; under 4, free). More information is at www.forklandcomctr.org.