The Great Blog Train has 7 Engineers
plus a "Destination Co-host"!!
If you link up that means your blog will be seen on 8 different blogs!!!
LuAnn from "Back Porchervations"
This month we will be travelling to Somerset, KENTUCKY!
Also, remember to visit the DINING CAR on one of the Engineer's blogs!
If you are interested in being a Co-host for the Great Blog Train then please click HERE and fill out the form (THANK YOU!!)
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The Great Blog Train's Great Giveaway!!!
1 Lucky winner will win the following:
- $10 Paypal Cash from Heidi
- 1 Monthly Ad Space from Angie ($15 value)
- 1 Bar of Handmade soap from Laura
- 1 Recipe ebook - "My Cookie Creation Countdown" by Angie Ouellette-Tower
(photo of Main Street taken in July 2013 by J. Bearden of South Carolina)
(photo of part of the business district surrounding Highway 27, from the Homefinder website - 2nd of 3 listed photos)
Location: Pulaski County (south central Kentucky), about halfway between Lexington, KY and Knoxville, TN
Known For: Somernites Cruise, Master Musicians Festival
Known For: Somernites Cruise, Master Musicians Festival
Population: 11,196 in 2010
Official "City" Website: www.cityofsomerset.com
Festivals/Events: Somernites Cruise, Master Musicians Festival
Festivals/Events: Somernites Cruise, Master Musicians Festival
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SOMERNITES CRUISE
Probably the thing Somerset is most noted for is the monthly "Somernites Cruise", which runs the 4th weekend of the month from April through October of each year. This is their 15th season. From SomernitesCruise.org:
Somernites has garnered national attention with coverage on various TV shows including My Classic Car and Horsepower TV.
'Officially' the cruise takes place on Saturday only - with the ability to look at the cars and talk with their owners downtown in the afternoon, and/or buy food and souvenirs, and when they take to Highway 27, the "business district" (my term), a 6-lane divided highway where they cruise up and down during the evening hours.
(both photos from the Somernites Cruise website, April 2015)
Downtown, the streets get blocked off to vehicular traffic early Saturday morning, and locals not attending the festivities will give a wide berth to the area. (It once took me about 30 minutes to go from one traffic light to the next when I forgot to go around. Ugh.)
The festivities have grown over the year, with "Friday Night Thunder" - think of a big block party taking place in the mall parking lot at the south end of town.
People line both sides of the road on Highway 27 to watch the cars cruise by on Saturday night, with a parade-like atmosphere. Some people even stake out preferred spots as early as the day before, setting up with lawn chairs and those canvas gazebo umbrellas.
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MASTER MUSICIANS FESTIVAL
From the MasterMusiciansFestival.Org website:
2015 is the 22nd year for the premier summer event in the Lake Cumberland region, (and will feature Dwight Yoakum*added). The 2014 festival featured The Counting Crows and 2013 featured Willie Nelson.
Past performers have included Mark O'Conner, "Pigmeat" Jarrett, Doc Watson, Nickel Creek, Richie Haven, JD Crowe, Punch Brothers, Robert Lockwood, Jean Ritchie, The Avett Brothers, Steve Earle, Old Crow Medicine Show and hundreds of other captivating acts.
The Master Musicians Festival was named the Southeast Tourism Society's "Festival of the Year" for 2013 and has been featured in numerous publications and web reviews.
They really do have an eclectic selection of musical artists. My brother, who lives in Utah and has a Masters in Music, has heard about it even (without me telling him), and has mentioned wanting to come see it one year. That, as much as anything else, tells me that this festival is a BIG DEAL.
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There are other area attractions, with Somerset being the main city of any size closest to these facilities:
LAKE CUMBERLAND/CUMBERLAND FALLS
Lake Cumberland is a Kentucky State Park and a big tourism draw for the area. Several businesses in town build houseboats, and not just the kind you would find at the "Hillbilly Yacht Club". There was talk of having some power boat races this year or next, but I can't find information about that online, so don't quote me on it.
Some of the resorts have special festivities around holidays (Independence Day, Halloween and Christmas), and activities for all ages of visitors and locals alike.
My favorite feature of the Lake Cumberland area is Cumberland Falls. There are some cabins, etc. in the park itself, but plenty of places to stay in Somerset and nearby towns. There are miles of hiking trails and places to picnic.
One of the biggest draws for the falls is the monthly 'moonbow', or a rainbow by the light of the full moon. This is one of the few moonbows in the world and the only one (reportedly) in this hemisphere.
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MILL SPRINGS BATTLEFIELD
A number of Civil War battles took place in the area. The most developed of these near Somerset is Mill Springs. There is a museum with tours and several re-enactments and other activities during the year. There is also a "Ghost Walk" (living history night presentation) in the fall.
From MillSprings.Net:
On January 19, 1862, the small town of Logan's Crossroads (now Nancy, Ky.) erupted in a blast of artillery and musket fire, as Confederate and Union forces clashed in the Battle of Mill Springs.
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I hope you have enjoyed your nickel tour of Somerset. If you visit and happen to run out of things to do there, give me a call. I can tell you all about Bee Lick or Monkey's Eyebrow or Dog Walk, Kentucky, too!
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Oh, wow! Somerset sounds lovely! Thank you for being our destination co-host this month! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
ReplyDeleteThat moonbow looks so amazing!! I never knew that such a thing existed - I love rainbows but I think that a moonbow must be gorgeous! Thank you so much for being such a wonderful Destination Cohost!
ReplyDeleteAngie