The 78th Daniel Boone Festival will fill downtown Barbourville with a week of pageantry, pioneer traditions, food, music and community celebration Oct. 4-10, culminating with a packed Saturday featuring the annual parade and a full day of entertainment.
This year’s festival, themed “Red, White, and Boone,” begins Sunday, Oct. 4, and builds toward several of its signature events, including the 2026 Royalty Coronation on Monday evening, headline concerts Thursday and Friday, and Saturday’s parade and closing concert.
The first event of the week is the Daniel Boone Festival Baby Pageant, an annual event sponsored by Knox County Middle School Cheerleaders, will be hosted at Knox County Middle School’s gymnasium beginning at 1:30 p.m., Sunday, Oct. 4. Admission cost for students is $1, with adult tickets at $5.
One of the first event highlights of festival week will be the 2026 Royalty Coronation at 7 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at the Knox County Middle School gym on North Main Street. Admission is $5, while children 5 and younger are admitted free. The coronation is sponsored by the GFWC Barbourville Jr. Woman’s Study Club.
Monday will also feature the opening of the Daniel Boone Trading Post from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and registration for the Art, Photography and Quilt competition from 5-7 p.m. at One Way, 300 Court Square. Registration for the competition will continue from 5-7 p.m. Tuesday.
Window displays open Tuesday and remains part of the festival throughout the week, with awards displayed beginning Wednesday. The Daniel Boone Trading Post will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
The festival carnival begins Tuesday, operating from 6-11 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday and from 2-11 p.m. Thursday. It returns from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday. Pre-sale carnival tickets will be available at Barbourville City School beginning Sept. 28 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. until sold out. Tickets are $5 per strip of five, with adult rides requiring three tickets and children’s rides requiring two.
Wednesday serves as a transition into the festival’s busiest days. The information booth in front of the courthouse will be available Wednesday through Saturday. Craft Village setup will take place from 5-8 p.m. in the city parking lot at High and Liberty streets, while Pioneer Village food booth setup begins at 6 p.m.
Thursday brings first major concert
Festival activity expands significantly Thursday, Oct. 8. The Primitive Camp on North Main Street will be open all day. Pioneer Village food booths will operate from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Craft Village at High and Liberty streets will be open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Homemade churned butter demonstrations will be held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., while Baker Farm will demonstrate molasses making from noon to 7 p.m. on Knox Street. The Art, Photography and Quilt awards display will be open from noon to 7 p.m.
Family Night activities will begin at 4 p.m. with Cupcake Wars check-in, followed by judging at 4:30 p.m. Registration for the Big Wheel Race, limited to children 8 and younger, begins at 5 p.m., with the race starting at 5:30 p.m. Chicken and dumplings check-in also begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by judging at 6 p.m.
Bingo will also be held from 5-10 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday at the Barbourville Fire Department, sponsored by Barbourville City School.
Thursday’s Concert Stage will feature Rye Davis at 6:30 p.m., followed by Thompson Square at 8:30 p.m.
Music, feast fill Friday schedule
Friday, Oct. 9, will feature another full day of traditional activities and entertainment. The Primitive Camp and apple butter sales will continue throughout the day on North Main Street. Craft Village will operate from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., while Pioneer Village food booths will be open from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
The Art, Photography and Quilt awards display will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Baker Farm’s molasses-making demonstration will continue from noon to 7 p.m.
Entertainment on the Boone Stage begins at 2 p.m. with Native Americans, followed by His Anointed at 3:30 p.m., Four Shots In at 4:30 p.m., Kevin Wilson at 6:30 p.m. and another Native American appearance at 8 p.m.
The Cupcake Wars final is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
The traditional Daniel Boone Festival Feast will also take place Friday at Knox County Middle School. Doors open at 5 p.m. The event includes food, the signing of the Cane Treaty, Native American entertainment, the Friendship Dance and other activities. Barbourville ARH is hosting the feast. Tickets for the feast are $15.
Friday night’s Concert Stage lineup features Pistol Whip at 6:30 p.m. and country music artist Mark Wills at 8:30 p.m.
A basket-weaving demonstration will also be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Indian Village before the feast at 5 p.m.
A baby feeding and changing station at First Baptist Church on North Main Street will be available from noon to 8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
Saturday is festival’s biggest day
Saturday, Oct. 10, will serve as the final and busiest day of the 78th Daniel Boone Festival, combining traditional competitions, demonstrations, food, live entertainment and the centerpiece Daniel Boone Festival Parade.
The day begins early with a pancake breakfast from 6:30-10:30 a.m. at Jesse D. Lay Elementary School. The breakfast costs $5 at the door and is sponsored by the Barbourville Fire Department.
Registration for the Boone’s Challenge Daniel Boone 2-Mile Run begins at 7 a.m., with the challenge beginning at 8 a.m. at the Union Commonwealth University Student Center.
The Antique Car Show at Barbourville Recreational Park is open to vehicles 20 years old or older. Registration begins at 9 a.m., with judging from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. An entry fee is required. The show is sponsored by Tim and Betty Jackson.
Registration for the Long Rifle Shoot begins at 9 a.m., with shooting beginning at 10 a.m. at the Knox County Middle School football field at 319 Sycamore St. The entry fee is $10, and the event is sponsored by Aisin Automotive Casting.
Pioneer Village food booths will be open from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m., Craft Village from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the Art, Photography and Quilt awards display from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A county fair-style food show will also be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., sponsored by Barbourville Tourism.
Activities around the Boone Stage will include chicken and dumpling cooking beginning at 10:30 a.m.; Native American entertainment at 11 a.m.; an apple pie contest and registration for the best-dressed boy and girl contests at 11:30 a.m.; chicken and dumpling judging at noon; and the Pine Mountain Dancers at 1:20 p.m.
Parade takes center stage
The Daniel Boone Festival Parade will begin at 2 p.m. Saturday, one of the traditional highlights of the weeklong celebration.
Parade lineup begins at 11 a.m. for floats. Horses and antique cars participating in the parade will line up beginning at 1:45 p.m. Antique cars in the parade are limited to car show entries.
Entertainment resumes on the Boone Stage after the parade with the Bargo Brothers at 3:15 p.m., Donna Marler at 4 p.m., Dave Seratt at 5 p.m. and Native Americans at 7 p.m.
The week will close musically with Neon 90’s Country Rewind taking the Concert Stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, providing the final major concert of the 78th festival.
Festival bus service will operate from 4-10 p.m. Thursday and Friday and from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 4-10 p.m. Saturday, with stops at several locations around Barbourville. A special bus stop will serve the feast from 5-7:30 p.m. Friday.
Additional festival information and updates are available through the Daniel Boone Festival website, Facebook page and festival app.
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