The Daniel Boone Festival takes place every October in Barbourville, Kentucky. It's one of the major annual celebrations for the state and especially Knox County. The festival is dedicated to Daniel Boone, a pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman who was famous for his exploration of Kentucky in 1775-1800. The Daniel Boone Festival includes a costumed parade, a carnival, lots of commercial vendors with food and crafts, and lots of entertainment for all ages. The festival is visited by 100,000 people every year.
The Daniel Boone Festival was initiated in 1948 by Union College professor Karl Bleyl. It was meant to honour the travels of Daniel Boone in the Appalachians and the Cumberland Gap and the European-American settlement of southeastern Kentucky. There are lots of educational displays for children providing information about Cherokee Indians, and the Cane Treaty, the first treaty in American history to be drawn up in the interest of the native tribes. The ceremony of signing of the Cane Treaty is being reenacted during the festival every year.
The festival features The Daniel Boone Festival Art Show in city hall, Gospel Singing, the Primitive Camp, the Crafts Village, the Pioneer Village, the Family Night Big Wheel Race, Cherokee entertainment, the Friendship Dance, and much more. There will be lots of free live music, dances, and entertainment.
