‘Country folks can survive’: Black Gold Festival showcases resiliency following 2022 flood

HAZARD, Ky. (WYMT) - Just a little more than one year following the devastating July 2022 flood, the 42nd annual Black Gold Festival is underway in Hazard.

While the festival was not canceled last year, it is back in full swing with a new slogan designed to showcase the resiliency of those who have fought hard to get back on their feet and those who have continued to rebuild in the last 14 months.

”I mean, people have gone through COVID. They’ve gone through floods and a lot of devastation. So, we kinda wanted to encourage everyone, and we took a take on Hank Williams ‘Country Boys Can Survive’ and we did ‘Country Folks Can Survive,’ Terry Feltner, the longtime Black Gold Festival committee chair, said.

The festival committee is selling t-shirts and stickers with that theme.

While the festival has introduced new vendors there are some that have watched the business grow with each festival.

“We’ve got about 50 flavors now and we have about eight or nine different flavors of fresh squeezed lemonade,” said Got Donut’s owner, Daris Anderson.

The three-day event, which started on Thursday, will run through Saturday with all kinds of food, fun, and entertainment.

The Hazard Middle School cheerleaders are hosting pie-a-professional, giving people a chance to pie some big names from around Hazard including Mayor Happy Mobelini.

The coach of the cheer team, Mary Osborne, said that they are using the money raised to compete in cheerleading competitions as far as Florida.

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