Eager festivalgoers packed the grounds on the opening day of the 2025 Poke Sallet Festival (Photo by Joe Asher)

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The 70th Poke Sallet Festival came to a close on Saturday following three days of activities focusing on fun, food, music, and a little Poke Sallet. While the weather was not always cooperative with rain making occasional appearances, the festival weathered the storm without a hitch.

The festival officially kicked off on Thursday afternoon, with the opening ceremony featuring students from the Appalachian Challenge Academy and the Sunshine School.

Alongside the music, early festivalgoers were the first to sample the wide range of special festival foods available from the many booths lining the grounds, including deep fried Twinkies, deep fried Oreos, sushi, deep fried mushrooms, cheese sticks, fried pickle chips, all sorts of barbecue, nachos, stuffed potatoes, all kinds of sandwiches, and more. The food could be washed down with a wide selection of drinks. Those looking to satisfy their sweet tooth found an impressive variety of desserts available to round out their festival experience. And of course, a traditional poke sallet meal was available throughout the event at the Sport’s Café in downtown Harlan.

The music lineup for Thursday featured Christian music and included The 99, The Loyall Church of Christ Praise Team, Harlan Christian Church Praise Team, and was headlined by well-known Christian artist Jason Crabb. According to the Poke Sallet Festival’s social media accounts, Thursday may have seen the largest attendance for the first night of the event on record.

Friday’s entertainment was kicked off by Harlan County musician Dakota Saylor, who recently released his single “Letterbomb.”

The bulk of the afternoon’s live music was taken up with the Polk Idol All Stars: Battle of the Local Legends” competition, which featured winners of Polk Idol and the Voice of Polk contests which have taken place at the festival over the years. When the first round of competition was done, three finalists – Shiloh Turner, Wendy Clem, and Whitley Caldwell – remained standing for the final round of the competition on Saturday.

Following an energy-filled performance by local favorites The Kudzu Killers, Bryce Leatherwood took the stage as the headline act on Friday, giving the Polk crowd a taste of his classic country music style.

Saturday morning rolled around with rain falling in Harlan, but that didn’t stop the Run for the Hills 5K, as dozens of runners showed up to take part despite the weather. When the run was over, Luther Gross was the overall winner in the male category, and Julianne Miller brought home the win in the female category.

For those who prefer to ride rather than run, the Sue Ford Memorial Car Show lined the streets outside the Harlan County Courthouse. Classic and custom cars from throughout the history of motor vehicles were on display for all to view, including such classics as a 1957 Chevrolet, 1965 Ford Mustang, and a 1968 Chevrolet Camaro. Other vehicles on display included Corvettes, classic pickup trucks, and even a Volkswagen Beatle.

Animal lovers were treated to a pet show hosted by the Harlan County Friends of the Shelter. All sorts of different breeds showed off their looks and skills for the enjoyment of an appreciative crowd.

All through the festival, the carnival was in full swing just across from the Harlan Center, with enough rides to keep any kid – child or adult – excited for hours. A giant slide, merry go rounds, a Ferris wheel, and other classic carnival rides were in operation throughout the festival.

Sports fans were not left out, as Saturday’s festival featured a Meet and Greet with University of Kentucky Wildcat Ja’Mori Maclin, a standout player for the UK football team. Maclin signed autographs and posed for pictures with enthusiastic fans.

Saturday’s live entertainment ranged from acoustic folk, gospel and bluegrass to classic rock. Performances from Laci Deaton, Brooklyn Collins Burkhart, 2nd Shift, and the Troy Carlois Band rocked the crowd throughout the day. That evening, Shiloh Turner remained standing as the winner of the Polk Idol All Stars: Battle of the Local Legends competition.

The festival’s Saturday night headliner took the stage earlier than expected due to the stormy weather. LOVER: The Unofficial Eras Tour, hit the stage at 7:30 p.m. The performance paid tribute to international phenomenon Taylor Swift, providing a spot on, no holds barred rendition of Swift’s recent extremely successful Eras Tour. Swifties of all ages crowded around the stage to watch the impressive performance.

Many took to social media to post their excitement following the show.

“So much fun,” said Facebook user Leslie Bledsoe. “Loved watching all the kids living their best life.”

Several commenters talked about the high quality of the performance.

“We had such a wonderful time!” wrote Tiffany Mitchell. “She was so kind and truly an amazing performer.”

After all the festivities are done, the 70th installment of Harlan County’s Polk Sallet Festival goes into the books as a big success, retaining the festival’s title as Harlan County’s premier event of the year.