Believe it or not, it’s already time to start planning for the 2023 annual Trigg County Country Ham Festival.
Its committee met for the first time this year Wednesday afternoon in Cadiz City Hall, with several things already carved in stone.
Among them:
— The date is set for October 12-15.
— Two forms of entertainment: the West Cadiz Park carnival and the Two Sisters Petting Zoo.
— Friday night’s musical entertainment will be Rewind playing from 7-9:30 or 10-ish PM. The Saturday afternoon timeslot of 1-3 PM belongs to Caleb Lake, and Ciera MacKenzie will reprise her talents at an undetermined time.
— Ambush Sound Company will be charged with sound, lighting and a stage for musical guests.
— And online applications will be made available to prospective vendors, perhaps by April, in order to streamline the process of booking booths in downtown Cadiz.
On Main Director Janelle Nichols also opened the floor for discussions around the farmer’s market space, Justice Center parking lot and Court Street — three locations that generate a ton of traffic during the festival, but often leave vendors and visitors flustered with a lack of parking or prime real estate.
Beth Sumner, Trigg County’s Chamber Director, specifically clarified that the “Put A Roof On It” Leadership Project — which has twice been delayed by structural deficiency — will either be well under way or completed by October. There is full intent for a structural engineer to complete a redesign, and the grant remains intact.
So, if “everything goes as planned,” there will be a roof over the farmer’s market — and that’s a popular spot for food vendors typically located between the Renaissance Stage and the Church Annex. Sumner said the new roof will be too low for most, if not all, food vendors who often deep-fry mushroom, blooming onions and funnel cakes in this spot.
A desire to make some general overall improvements to the festival is looming, too, either this year or as soon as possible.
County Treasurer Lucy Oliver Kyler said there continues to be an outcry for a “Trigg-centric” area of the festival — be it place for talent, vendors, or both.
Public Works Director Craig Oakley said vendor parking and handicapped parking were massive issues in 2022, noting it was the “number one” question his workers fielded through those days.
And there also doesn’t seem to be a catch-all solution for the public transportation and shuttling that’s truly needed for family convenience and elderly support. PACS busses won’t be available until next year at the earliest, and may never be again. Trigg County Schools didn’t get involved last year, and that avenue also seems unlikely in future years due to cost.
Nichols also noted that several local and regional acts have inquired about to play at the Renaissance Stage throughout the weekend, including Haleigh Martin, Lily Grace, Ryan Gilchrist, Melanie Davis, 3rd Time Around, Marty Brown and Julia Watkins.
For the Saturday night old IGA lot, Lightnin Rod & The Thunderbolts, The Sweat Beats, the Loretta Lynn Tribute Show, The Highwaymen Live, Legacy and Live Wire have reached out to Cadiz authorities.
The committee next meets noon, May 10 at Cadiz City Hall.
