“Mostly, it was my love for my county and its people and wanting to bring happiness to all — This was my dream.”
Helen Louise Lambert
1934-2014
The Septemberfest was originally know as The Potato Festival.
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Louise Lambert began her experience in planning festivals and events in the 1980’s, including several Ricky Skaggs Homecomings, a Louisa concert series spanning 6 years called “Saturday Nite Live,” and entertainment events in Louisa coinciding with National Holidays. Louise was able to garner support for these events in spite of the fact that neither the City Council of Louisa, nor Lawrence County Fiscal Court would typically financially support her efforts. Regardless, Louise struggled on using her own equipment, money, and by relying on the support of local businesses.
After the success of her planned Labor Day Events in 1986, Louise began wondering why Louisa did not have a dedicated yearly festival celebrating the town and its citizens. Louise was telling Rose Ann Burchett, a report for The Big Sandy News, about her dream of such a festival, and it was Rose who suggested the name The Potato Festival.
Louise took her dream to City Council and Fiscal Court in November of 1986, who with many jokes and laughter agreed to appoint Louise as Director of her festival for one year. A determined and resilient woman, Louise pushed through and got some funding from the unexcited local government and got her festival committee appointed.
The very first Potato Festival was held from September 16-18, 1987 and was an incredible success thanks to the work of Louise and many members and organizations in the community. The Grand Marshall of the festival was Melodie Walter, the WOWK Channel 13 TV Weathergirl, and the very first National Anthem Singer for the festival was Robin Adkins.
In November of 1987, Louise returned to the Lawrence County Fiscal Court and Louisa City Council and petitioned them to hold the festival again the following year with her serving as Director. The Fiscal Court and City Council determined, given the success, it was a good idea to fund the festival the following year, but would only approve making Louise the Director of the festival she started if she agreed to make a local male doctor the Chairman of the Board for the 1988 Potato Festival.
The second year of the Potato Festival was even more successful than the first, with vendors coming from five different states and visitors from as far away as California and Hawaii.
Unfortunately for Louise, the Lawrence Fiscal Court and Louisa City Council voted to do away with the position of Director for the 1989 Potato Festival. Unceremoniously removing the woman who started what is known today as “The Best Little Festival in Kentucky.” Louise with much heartbreak chose not to participate in the Lawrence County Potato Festival anymore.
In the words of Louise, “The Lawrence County Potato Festival was designed to bring a once a year fun, family get-together, community and county fundraiser, and make my county as famous and well known as possible. And we all was raised on ‘taters.’ It was as down to earth as we could ever be and a fine festival name… but mostly, it was my love for my county and its people and wanting to bring happiness to all — This was my dream!”
From Potato Festival to Septemberfest
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In December 1989 the Fiscal Court held their last official meeting of the year, wherein they approved their list of individuals as board members for the 1990 Potato Festival. Among those appointed was John Ryan, who served in scouting entertainers for the previous year’s festival, as co-chairperson of the coming year’s festival. After Louise Lambert chose not to return, John Ryan would become the sole chairperson of that year’s festival.
One week later the decision was made to rename the event from The Lawrence County Potato Festival to The Lawrence County Septemberfest. According to John Ryan this change was made because “We found it difficult to market a Potato Festival, when potatoes are not a major product of Lawrence County."
Sandra Osborne, the managing editor for The Big Sandy News at the time stated “the name wasn’t really representative of Lawrence County at all… granted the Lawrence County Septemberfest is a generic name, not specifically representative of the county… [the name] is general enough to be used in 1990 or 2000, regardless of the changes Lawrence County might experience.”
Chairperson John Ryan also added, “Septemberfest will be extremely marketable, and it will not be difficult to tie in with the new Yatesville Lake.”
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In each of the early years the Septemberfest grew bigger and bigger with the help of everyday citizens and leaders in the community who gave their time, effort, and energy to organizing, fundraising, and ironing out last-minute problems that are involved in a festival of growing size. Among those early volunteers were, Mike Armstrong, Jessie Salyer, Mark Kingston, Pam Stephens, Mike Sullivan, Kathy and Lafe Hinkle, Nelson and Barb Sparks, Trish Pack, amongst so many others.
As the festival grew, Rose Ann Burchett, who was responsible for the original name, would work tirelessly designing and perfecting the Septemberfest fliers.
New events were included as the festival grew, including tennis and fishing tournaments. An annual Walk/Run was established that originated as a 5-mile course, and added a shorter 2-mile loop a year later. For children, a Field Day was held at Lawrence County High School, with events from foot races to bicycle races and potato sack races.
The quality of the entertainment grew as well, as the appeal of playing to bigger crowds was more enticing to both established and up-and-coming musicians in the area. In 1990, the Septemberfest saw an incredible feat where the main headliner, Hank Williams Jr.’s band, The Bama Band, played 2 shows on Saturday, and incredibly, Friday night saw 2 shows as well, this time by an up-and-coming band with a strong local following that had recently opened for REO Speedwagon, Billy Ray and the Players.
Future Miss America wins Septemberfest Pageant
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In 1993, the future Miss America 2000 and first Miss Kentucky to win the coveted crown, competed in and won the Miss Septemberfest Pageant. As a prize she received a beautiful crown, trophy, sash, floral tribute, a $100 dollar savings bond, and $100 cash.
The theme for the Pageant that year was "A Country Southern Evening," and was hosted by Pat R. Hart, Ginger Copley, and Mary Ellen Reid. The pageant was sponsored by the local Free and Accepted Masons and members of the Order of the Eastern Star, who were so impressed by Miss French that they invited her to be the entertainment for their Christmas party that year.
Ever the professional, Heather Renee French returned to the Lawrence County Septemberfest in 1994 to relinquish her title and crown the 1994 winner, Angalia Merie Wilks.
KY Gov. Paul Patton is Grand Marshall of parade
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In 1993, Lt. Governor Paul Patton served the role as Grand Marshall of the 4th Annual Septemberfest Parade. A native of Fallsburg, KY in Lawrence County, he was honored to serve in that capacity. However, he vowed to return to Louisa and the Septemberfest to be Grand Marshall one day as Governor.
In 1996, Governor Paul Patton did in fact keep his promise when he returned to be Grand Marshall of that year's parade, at the invitation of Septemberfest Chairman Mike Sullivan. The parade that year was themed to "Celebrate the World of Children."
The 7th Annual Septemberfest was threatened by heavy rains from Hurricane Fran, but despite the forecast only sprinkles managed to dampen the parade route.
After the parade, Gov. Patton bestowed the honor of being a Kentucky Colonel upon that year's headline performer, Chely Wright.
10 Year anniversary and making amends
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[Coming Soon]
Louise returns as Grand Marshal of parade. Wants to hold potatoes. Wanted the first ever Mr. and Mrs. Sweet Potato to accompany her, but they couldn't make it.
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[Coming soon]
First year ever the festival has tax support. Thanks to new 3% motel tax the festival got $2,000 dollars. This apparently helped because a lot of the larger donors cut back the size of their donation this year.
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[Coming Soon]
Festival increased area. Moved Stage 1 block further down Main Cross St. Larger crowd according to Police Chief K. T. Adkins, but people said it didn't feel as crowded. Most likely due to the increase in land area of the festival. Food Vendors ran out of food because of large crowds. New City Park across from the Library/Corner of Jefferson and Main was used for the first time.
The Septemberfest 1997-2007
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[Coming Soon]
Little Big Town, Cletus T. , KY Head Hunters, etc.
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[Coming Soon]
The 25th Anniversary of the Septemberfest began with its annual Beauty Pageant, wherein reigning Miss Septemberfest Katherine Borders returned to crown the winners of that year's pageant, Leslie Robinson and Candice Montgomery.
30th Year Anniversary & Traditions Continue
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Louisa natives, Bud Thompson and Charles Cordle, were both 91 in 1997 and despite living in separate Ohio cities, made it a point to have a reunion every year at the Septemberfest. Normally, they would sit on the same bench, year after year, and catch up while visiting family, old friends, and enjoying their favorite Septemberfest foods: blooming onions and funnel cakes.
From the earliest days of the Potato Festival to the Septemberfest, the nonagenarians never missed a single festival. Even though Bud moved to Sandusky, Ohio to work for Ford Motors and Charles moved to Columbus, Ohio where he worked as a security guard at an airport, the Lawrence County Septemberfest was a point of pride that kept them connected to their hometown over their many years.
Attending the Septemberfest allowed them to bring a little bit of home back with them when they would leave.
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1987-
1988- Potatoes
1989-
1990- Earth Day
1991- Yatesville Lake: Fun For Everyone
1992- Kentucky Then and Now
1993- A Country Homecoming Celebration
1994- Celebrate Lawrence County History
1995- Education – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
1996- Celebrate the World of Children
1997- Happy Birthday Lawrence County – 175 Years
1998- Tribute to Our Veterans
1999- Journey Through the Twentieth Century
2000- Preserve the Past to Ensure the Future
2001- Celebrate Music
2002- Fabulous 50’s & Swinging 60’s
2003-
2004- Honoring Our Volunteer Firefighters
2005- Honoring Our Local Law Enforcement Officers
2006- Lawrence County Community Pride
2007-
2008- Bulldog Pride
2009- Lawrence County – Come Grow With Us
2010- A Country Homecoming
2011- Family, Friends and Fun
2012- Traditions of Excellence
2013- America: Yesterday, Today and Forever
2014-
2015- Heroes Among Us: Remembering 9-11
2016- Celebrating History, Igniting the Future
2017- 30 Years and Going Strong
2018- Piling Up the Memories
2019- Re-Discover Louisa
2020- No Festival - Cancelled Due to COVID-19
2021-
2022- US 23 Country Music Highway Homecoming
