Editor’s note: The original October 2019 version of this article was lost. The Lee Daily Register rebuilt it in October 2026 from the festival’s own 2019 announcement, preserved by the Internet Archive. For this year’s event, see our 2026 festival guide.
Downtown Pennington Gap will fill up on Saturday, Oct. 26, for the 71st annual Lee County Tobacco Festival. This year’s theme is “Lee County Built on Strong Traditions,” and the grand marshal is Edgar Paul Fannon, according to the festival’s announcement. The Friends of the Tobacco Festival are organizing the event.
The festival began as a thanksgiving for the tobacco harvest, the cash crop that once supported many Lee County families, the organizers say on their history page.
Before the big day
- Saturday, Oct. 12: The Tobacco Festival Beauty Pageant, hosted by the Pennington Gap Woman’s Club, starts at 6 p.m. at Lee Theatre. Age divisions run from infants through the Queen category, ages 16 to 22, whose winner is named Miss Lee County Tobacco Festival.
- Thursday, Oct. 24: Businesses must finish decorating their windows for the window contest, judged that evening. Prizes are $75, $50 and $25.
- Friday, Oct. 25: A free concert at Lee Theatre features Hones Outlaws from 6 to 7:30 p.m., followed by Jordan Allen and the Bellwethers at 8 p.m. Food vendors set up downtown that evening.
This year’s festival T-shirt was designed by Annie Hall of Pullin’ Ink. Shirts cost $10 for short sleeves and $15 for long sleeves and are sold at local businesses and banks. Youth sizes and sweatshirts must be special-ordered at Pullin’ Ink by Oct. 18.
Saturday, Oct. 26
- 7 a.m.: Pancake breakfast at Pennington Gap First United Methodist Church
- 8:30 a.m.: Fun run, followed at 9 a.m. by the 29th Steven Rowlett Memorial Road Race
- All day: Artisans and craft vendors along Main Street; a Tobacco Museum with a twisting and grading contest in the Community Center next to Lee Theatre
- 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.: Marsh Regional Blood Center bloodmobile at Jaxon’s store
- Noon: Hot chili pepper eating contest in front of the main stage, followed by a marshmallow eating contest for children
- During the day: Car show at Cumberland Auto on East Morgan Avenue, antique tractors in the lot across from Rooster’s Pub, and two bounce houses
- Main stage: Calvary Baptist Youth, Katie Houston and the Echoes, Town Branch Bluegrass and Sycamore Hollow
- 3 p.m.: The Tobacco Festival Parade
- 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.: Concert at Lee Theatre with Jordan and Kelly Bledsoe and friends, then Folk Soul Revival. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
Entering the parade
Parade line-up starts at 1 p.m. Floats that want to be judged must be in line by 2 p.m. Judges will score how well floats follow the theme in four categories, commercial, school, civic and church, with prizes of $75, $50 and $25 in each. Entry is free, except for political candidates, who pay $25.
