Rudy Fest would like to invite you to our 2024 Bluegrass Festival at our new location on top of Poppy Mountain in Morehead, Ky. Rudy Fest actually started 24 years ago as the Bob Cat Alley Bluegrass Festival as a way to raise money for new uniforms for the local Junior Football League. Rudy Burchett was actually the coach of these young men and although he didn’t have any kids that played he had two lifelong friends (Vic & Tom) who did and with Rudy’s love of Football & Bluegrass it was a perfect match. Rudy contacted several of his buddies who made up the Bob Cat Alley Bluegrass Boys, this was a group of 8 to 10 guys who met up every Sunday evening to listen to the “Bo-Man” on the local radio station WSIP out of Paintsville Ky. It didn’t take a lot of persuading from Rudy to get these Bluegrass lovers onboard and before you knew it the planning of the first Bob Cat Alley Bluegrass Festival was under way. Ernie Thacker & Route 23 along with Billie Renee & Cumberland Gap was the headliners of the one day event and along with several local bands & the “Bo-Man” agreeing to emcee the first festival was about to become a reality
The day of the first show mother nature showed up and decided she was going to test our will and dumped 3” of rain on us so we had to move the festival indoors and on that day in late May 2000 the 1st Bob Cat Alley Bluegrass show became a reality. We had about 80 people show up for that show and if some of the bands hadn’t donated their time we would have probably had the first and last show. The next year we changed the date to the 4th weekend in June (which it still remains today), changed the location, went to a 2 day event, and at the request of the “Bo-Man” changed the name to “Rudy Fest”. Rudy Fest 1 was a huge success and we were actually able to buy the uniforms for those kids that year and the decision was made to continue another year.
What has transpired since that first Rudy Fest has been far more than any of us could have ever imagined. We went from 80 people at our first show to our largest crowd of several thousand. We have people that have come from 42 of the 50 states and 6 foreign countries to our small town to witness one of the premiere Bluegrass Festivals in the country. We continue to have the top Bluegrass Bands Bluegrass Music has to offer walk on the Rudy Fest Stage year in & year out for our fans entertainment. This festival has become a big family reunion for all of us where we get to see folks once a year and talk about what has transpired over the past year. Although through the year’s mother nature has shown up several times and tested our resilience, in 2017 she made her mark and left us with only one choice and that was if we were going to continue to have a festival we were going to have to find a new HOME!!!
So we are inviting you to come & and join OUR FAMILY for the 24th Annual Rudy Fest Bluegrass Festival on the infamous Poppy Mountain and enjoy 5 days of Bluegrass Music with some of the top artists in the business. We will treat you so many ways you will have to like one of 'em and always remember.....
"What Happens At RUDY FEST
Stays At RUDY FEST!!!"
