06/02/2026
As we reflect on the 2026 Red River Gorge Bigfoot Fest, we're simply overwhelmed.
This year, we doubled our vendors. We doubled our food trucks. We tripled our parking opportunities. And somehow... all of you quadrupled our expectations.
To say we are in awe of our city, our county, and the surrounding communities would be an understatement.
This isn't a typical tourism post, but we're making it anyway because events like this don't happen because of one organization, one committee, or one person. They happen because an entire community decides to come together and do something special.
We want to recognize just a few of the countless people who poured their hearts into this event:
Charlie Raymond, Shelby Greve, Vicky Brown, Mike Briggs, Rhonda Logan, Jodie Mark Brandenburg, Eric Broom, Evan Kinser, Jim & Melissa Dodge, Miranda Fallen, Chase Fallen, Sarah Johnson, Angela Hughes, Brandon Farmer, and Crystal Morton.
Our excellent lineup of guest speakers selected by Charlie. Mireya Mayor, Adam Davies, Russell Acord, Turtleman & Swampman, Lyle Blackburn, & Ken Gerhard.
The Powell County Detention Center work crew, who helped us for months leading up to the event. (And a special congratulations to two of those gentlemen who check out this week for the very last time. We wish them nothing but success in their next chapter.)
The Masons, 606 Productions, Jon Gaddis, Powell County Schools, Emmanuel Baptist Church, Wells Funeral Home, Sterling Heallth Care, Stanton First Church of God, Kentucky River Foothills Development Council, Inc., The Drive-In Diner, Powell County Lions Club, PCMS Football, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Junior Class, Bass Team, City of Stanton, Stanton Police Department, Stanton Fire Department, Stanton City Park, Powell and Wolfe County Search & Rescue, Stanton First Church of God, local property owners who opened their yards and fields for parking, business owners, volunteers, sponsors, vendors, and every person who stepped up when help was needed.
The truth is, we're panicking a little because we know we're forgetting someone. That's the problem when an event becomes this big, it takes an army, and we had one!
Without official attendance numbers yet, we can confidently say this: Stanton welcomed more than double its population in festival attendees.
We thought we had everything figured out. We planned. We prepared. We expanded. And even then, there were quirks and challenges we'll continue working on to improve. That's part of growth.
But wow.
One of the most rewarding things to witness was the impact on our local youth organizations. The Bass Team, Girls Soccer, Boys Soccer, Junior Class, and other groups worked tirelessly managing parking, shuttles, and logistics. Early estimates suggest some of these groups raised more in a single day than they could through years of traditional fundraising.
That's not just a successful festival. That's community investment.
Thank you to every visitor who attended, every volunteer who showed up, every business that stayed open late, every sponsor who believed in us, every resident who showed patience, and every person who helped make Stanton shine.
The Red River Gorge Bigfoot Fest may last one day, but the impact of this event will be felt throughout our community for a long time.
From the bottom of our sore feet and grateful hearts...
Thank you.
