Drennon Days start Friday night

By Jonna Spelbring Priester, General Manager

For more than 20 years, residents have descended upon Drennon Creek for the annual Drennon Days. Started by Judy and Bo Hardin, and sponsored by Drennon Christian Church, the festival is meant to be a recreation of the community's earliest days.

"It was supposed to be a recreation of the early days of the pioneers, the smelting of saline and salt," Charles Adams, one of the event organizers, said.

This year, Adams said, the festival may not have reenactors from the Long Rifle Association. Adams said because he didn't have enough insurance to cover the black powder the reenactors would use, the reenactors may not come.

Even without the reenactors, Adams expects a full schedule of activity.

Friday night there will be a chili cook off from 5 to 6, after which will be karaoke. Later on that night, there will be camp fire tales, unless it rains.

Saturday, the festivities will start with a greased pig contest, where children ages nine and up will get one minute to catch the pig in a pen. After that, younger children will have the chance to catch a chicken.

Adams said there also will be bobbing for apples and a dunking booth, in which he hopes to have some special guests.

The activities don't end there - there should be plenty of music for everyone.

"Divided Highways will be there on Saturday afternoon, and the Kentucky Cloggers will be there," Adams said, noting there were various bands listed on the flier for the event.

Starting at 10 a.m. Saturday, there will be a trail ride sponsored by Sherry and Junie Hardin.

Drennon Days would be incomplete without food, and the church itself will sponsor a fish fry from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday. John Bergren will host a corn toss, and Bear Soule will cook beans to be served throughout the entire day.

Adams said the atmosphere, quaintness and serenity of the hills makes the event special.

"It's part of our heritage, and we should not forget our history," he said. "This gives your youth a starting point ... to be more involved and have a better understanding. For the older folks, (this is) where they can go back in time and be young at heart again.

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