User:HandThatFeeds/Hillbilly Days

Hillbilly Days is an annual festival that takes place in Pikeville, Kentucky.

History
Hillbilly days was "the brainchild of “Dirty Ear” Howard Stratton and “Shady” Grady Kinney." Begun in 1977, the festival was envisioned as a celebration of Appalachian life and an opportunity for the Shriners Hospitals for Children to raise money for the Lexington Shriners’ Hospital and Cincinnati Burn Center for Children. The festival has grown to become a major fund-raiser in eastern Kentucky, with sponsors such as Coca-Cola donating to charity as part of the ceremonies, as well as becoming a stumping-ground for local politicians. More than 100,000 people were in attendance for the 2007 festival.