Our Story
Celebrating its 27th and final year in 2024, the Stringbean Memorial Bluegrass Festival honored Jackson County native and beloved Grand Ole Opry star David ‘Stringbean’ Akemon.
His unique stage attire, traditional claw hammer banjo style, and entertaining stage banter endeared him to fans around the world. ’The Kentucky Wonder’ was best known for his musical comedic performances on the hallowed stage of the Grand Ole Opry beginning in the 1940’s and on the television series “Hee Haw” until his tragic death in 1973.
With a rich history and beautiful locale at Stringbean Memorial Park, the festival has hosted the biggest stars in Bluegrass including the legendary Ralph Stanley who headlined the inaugural event in 1996. Other celebrated Bluegrass royalty brought in by festival founder Phillip Akemon include the Queen of Bluegrass Rhonda Vincent, Grammy Award=winner Ricky Skaggs, Hall of Famers Del McCoury and Doyle Lawson, and multi-award winning supergroup Blue Highway.
The festival was hosted at Stringbean Memorial Park each Summer in June, always during the week of Stringbean's birth date of June 17. The event was hosted annually every year from 1996-2024, except in 2020 when the festival was not held due to the pandemic.
The Akemon family always looked forward to welcoming friends old and new to Stringbean Park!
David 'Stringbean' Akemon
~~~~
About our Location:
Stringbean Memorial Park was nestled on 25 lush green acres near the Daniel Boone National Forest in Jackson County, Kentucky. The park was @ 30 minutes off I-75 Exit 41, about 1 1/2 hours southeast of Lexington. and 2 hours north of Knoxville.
~~~~
