Hand-made chairs for sale at Mt.Sterling Court Days, October 18, 1999. Photo: Joyce Miller for the Kentucky Folklife Program

County Court Days Festival (Mt. Sterling)

Held in Mount Sterling the third weekend in October each year, the Court Days Festival reflects a nineteenth-century tradition that formed a cornerstone of the social life of the time. Once a day of political speech-making, business transactions, and athletic contests, it survives as a general day of trading, buying, and selling items of every description. Though some might think Court Day would be a casualty of strip malls and mega-markets, Mt. Sterling's annual event has actually grown in size and duration. In 1999, it drew more than 600 vendors from around the region, and the population of Mt. Sterling ballooned from its normal 5,000 to an estimated 200,000 during the festival.

Originally submitted by: Ernie Fletcher, Representative (6th District).

More Local Legacies... Additional Kentucky Local Legacies Local Legacies for all U.S. States

The Local Legacies project provides a "snapshot" of American Culture as it was expressed in spring of 2000. Consequently, it is not being updated with new or revised information with the exception of "Related Website" links.

Learn More About It... Related Web Site