Kentucky may be best known for bluegrass, but our country music traditions are just as deeply rooted. With a heavy footing in Appalachian folk music styles, country music originated in the rural South and West in the early 20th century. As broadcast radio popularized the new genre, shows like Kentucky’s Renfro Valley Barn Dance (premiered Oct. 9, 1937) gained immediate popularity and exposed country music to a nationwide audience.

Country Music Highway (U.S. 23)

The stretch of U.S. 23 from Ashland south to the Virginia border has produced more hit country stars per capita than any place in the world. Musicians who hail from this area of Kentucky include: Loretta Lynn, The Judds, Chris Stapleton, Billy Ray Cyrus, Dwight Yoakam, Patty Loveless, Ricky Skaggs, Crystal Gayle, Tom T. Hall and Keith Whitley. 


There are many places to stop and visit or take in a live performance on the Country Music Highway. Tour Loretta Lynn’s Homeplace in Van Lear. The Country Music Highway Museum in Paintsville displays memorabilia from more than 14 artists and hosts live bluegrass on Thursday nights. Mountain Arts Center in Prestonsburg hosts the Kentucky Opry, and many national country acts take the stage at Paramount Art Center in Ashland throughout the year. Explore the Country Music Highway  .
renfro valley barn venue

Country Music Festivals & Venues

Outside of Eastern Kentucky, there are several more places that country music fans should visit. Renfro Valley has been called Kentucky’s Country Music Capital, and is home to both the legendary Renfro Valley Entertainment Center and the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame & Museum, whose country inductees range from Merle Travis to John Conlee to Skeeter Davis. Kentucky also plays host to numerous festivals focused on  music, including ROMP Fest, Spirit in the Bluegrass Music Fest, Poppy Mountain Music Festival and Manchester Music Festival.

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Fall Fun on the Farm

State Wide

Kids love an adventure, and exploring a corn maze and picking a pumpkin on a Kentucky farm are among the most fun fall adventures for the young — and young at heart.

 

Kentucky Corn Mazes

 

You can find mazes open to the public on several farms throughout the Bluegrass State. Corn mazes appear in many different designs. Some mazes tell stories or portray a particular theme. For example, Devine's Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch in Harrodsburg regularly features a design portraying Triple Crown-winning horses, including American Pharaoh and Justify. This year, the maze is celebrating all things fall with its corn, jack-o-lantern and scarecrow design. In Mayfield, navigate your way through the state's largest corn maze at A-maize-ing Farms. This year's design pays tribute to the 50th anniversary of the Hollywood classic "Jaws." At Trunnell's Farm Market in Utica, the corn maze is designed like their brand-new mascot, Hattie the Highland cow. 

 



 

Most mazes have a path that goes all around the whole pattern, either to end in the middle or to come back out again. Since the corn is taller than you are, getting lost amid the loops and dead ends in a large corn field can make for big fun.

 

Kentucky U-Picks

 

Families will also enjoy autumn outings to harvest pumpkins, apples and other fall produce on U-pick farms around Kentucky. Places like Sleepy Hollow Farm Pumpkin Patch in Campbellsville, Bi-Water Farm in Georgetown, Shady Lane Farm in Shepherdsville and Heavenly Haven Farm & Zip Line in Columbia offer families a chance to get out in the fresh air on weekend afternoons. Kids will long treasure memories of picking their own Halloween pumpkin on a trip to a Kentucky farm. Savoring a freshly picked apple on a crisp fall day in Kentucky is another experience not to be missed.

 

Hayrides, petting zoos, play areas and other activities geared toward kids are also found at many Kentucky agritourism attractions.

 

Visit the Kentucky Tourism family page for more family trip ideas. With a few clicks of the mouse, you can find a farm featuring a maze or U-pick opportunities wherever you’re traveling in the Bluegrass State. Use this directory to confirm location, days and hours of operation, and attractions offered before making your foray into fun fall adventure.

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