An annual festival in Carter County continues this weekend for the 55th year. Fraley Fest features a variety of on-stage performances as well as the opportunity for musicians to participate in both organized and unorganized jam sessions.
Festival director Barb Kuhns said the celebration at Carter Caves has always featured local music that founders Annadeene and JP Fraley wanted to keep alive.
“The purpose is to preserve and share traditional, mostly old-time music, music of the region. Especially music that the Fraley’s played and liked,” said Kuhns.
Stage concerts are scheduled for Friday and Saturday at the camp’s amphitheater. Kuhns said most of the artists perform short 10-minute sets. That includes musicians from MSU’s Kentucky Center for Traditional Music.
Kuhns said KCTM’s Old Time Music Band’s presence in years past has inspired long-time Fraley Fest attendees.
“It helps the people that come to the festival - which I admit, are sometimes in a little bit older category - they’re excited to see young people playing and young people playing well,” said Kunhs.
In addition to all the music, there is a square dance hosted inside one of Carter Caves’ larger caverns on Saturday at 3 p.m.
Kuhns said the festival offers both organized and unorganized parking lot jam sessions throughout the weekend, as well as “gatherings”, or workshops, that each feature a different instrument or form of storytelling for attendees to spectate and/or participate in. Performances begin at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday at Carter Caves.