The crowds started showing up before the festival even opened at Poke Sallet Festival 2024 (File Photo)

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The 70th installment of Harlan County’s premier yearly event, the Poke Sallet Festival, is set to take off Thursday, June, 5, through Saturday, June 7, bringing a cornucopia of festive activities to Harlan County including live music, food, crafts, a carnival, a car show, and more.

Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley provided some information about what folks can expect at this year’s event during a recent interview.

“The Poke Sallet Festival is a tradition here,” Mosley said. “People know what to expect, you’re going to have the opportunity to hear some great entertainment from a music perspective, see some great crafts on display inside the Harlan Center that talented people have put a lot of time and effort into, eat some really good food, and enjoy a lot of different activities from concerts to carnival rides.”

The festivities will begin earlier in the week days before the festival officially opens.

“The unofficial start is really Tuesday, June 3, which is the Miss Harlan County Pageant,” Mosley said. “That will feature high school seniors who are graduating that are competing for the title of Miss Harlan County to win scholarship money.”

 The Miss Harlan County Pageant will take place at Harlan High School in downtown Harlan at 6:30 p.m. on June 3. Doors open at 6 p.m.

The next day, Wednesday, June 4, 4H Kid’s Day takes over Huff Park from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. This year’s Kid’s Day is the first headed up by Extension Agent Josh Turner, who is taking over after the retirement of longtime Kid’s Day host Raymond Cox.

Following Kid’s Day, a Poke preview will take place with the carnival opening for the evening.

“The carnival will open on Wednesday at 5 p.m.,” Mosley said.

The official kickoff of the Poke Sallet Festival takes place on Thursday, June 5, at 5 p.m.

“Vendors will open at 4:30 p.m.” Mosley said.

The live entertainment for Thursday will center around contemporary Christian music on the main stage.

“Jason Crabb is headlining,” Mosley said. “He’s a well-known contemporary Christian artist; his family is very well known in the southern gospel arena. In fact, I learned this after the show was announced, I didn’t even realize it, but apparently his dad was a pastor at Totz at one time when Jason was an infant or toddler. So, he actually lived in Harlan County at one point in time.”

Crabb has won multiple music industry awards.

“We’re looking forward to having him headline on Thursday night,” Mosley said. “The evening is sponsored by the Loyall Church of Christ and the Harlan Christian Church.”

On Friday, the festival gets into full swing with music and vendors all day, and the first part of the Poke Sallet All Stars vocal competition.

“We’re doing something different this year with Poke Sallet Idol,” Mosley said. “We’re calling it Poke Sallet All Stars. We opened it up to everybody who has won Poke Sallet Idol or the Voice of Poke competitions over the last two decades.

At least 9 former winners have signed up for this year’s competition.

“It’s a really cool opportunity for those folks to take the stage again,” Mosley said.

Mosley said the 3 top finalists will compete for top honors on Saturday.

“Headlining Friday is Bryce Leatherwood,” Mosley said. “He won The Voice, season 22. His debut album just released on May 16.”

Leatherwood performed on The Voice and other television programs as recently as earlier this month.

“His single that’s out right now and is climbing the charts is ‘Hung up on You,’” Mosley said.

Leatherwood’s album also features the songs ‘Shenandoah and ‘Where the Bar Is.’

“He’s got a date at the Grand Ole’ Opry House, he’s even performing at CMA Fest the weekend of Poke Sallet,” Mosley said. “He’s an up-and-coming young musician. He’s got a classic country voice. I think people will really like him.”

Leatherwood takes the main stage on Friday, June 6, at 9 p.m.

Saturday will see a variety of activities for festivalgoers to enjoy, including a pet show, the Sue Ford Memorial Car Show, and as always, a traditional poke sallet meal prepared by the folks at the Sports Café in downtown Harlan.

“They have the meal on Saturday that is just phenomenal,” Mosley said. “I didn’t like Poke Sallet until a few years ago, I’ve gotten where I’ll eat some all weekend because the meal they make is so good. If you’ve never tried poke sallet, you need to try theirs at Sport’s Café.”

For classic car buffs, the streets will be lined with all makes and models of vehicles for viewing.

“The car show will be on First Street,” Mosley said. “We may even have to expand that footprint this year because participation has increased the last few years, we’re trying to plan to have more space for the car show, we may use some of Second Street.”

Registration for the car show is at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 6.

Harlan County Friends of the Shelter is sponsoring this year’s Pet Show.

Registration for the Pet Show is Saturday, June 6, at 10 a.m., with the contest beginning at 11:15 a.m.

After a full day of music on Saturday featuring acts such as the Kudzu Killers, Laci Deaton and Brooklyn Collins Burkhart, Second Shift, The Troy Carlois Band, the Poke Sallet All Stars finale, a full schedule of gospel acts on the Gospel Stage, and others, the festival will be capped off by a tribute to Taylor Swift’s “Eras” tour, as LOVER: The Unofficial Eras Tour takes over the main stage at 9 p.m. to the delight of all Swifties.

“There are a lot of young kids out there that are big Taylor Swift fans that would never get the opportunity to see the Eras tour,” Mosley said. “I think there will be quite a crowd for that.”

For more information and a full list of acts and attractions throughout the festival, go to https://www.pokesalletfestival.com or the Poke Sallet Festival Facebook page.