Marion County County Ham Days takes place in downtown Lebanon, offering craft vendors, entertainment, a carnival and food. It’s a larger festival and requires a bit of exploration. Be sure to get the breakfast with country ham.
2023 DATE: September 22-24, 2023
Location: Downtown Lebanon
Website: https://marioncountykychamber.com/ham-days/
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This post documents my experience on September 24, 2022.
It was early morning in Lebanon, Kentucky…
…and people were already filling the streets…
…to celebrate Marion County Country Ham Days.
Many beelined straight to the breakfast tent for a plate of country ham, eggs, apple and biscuit…
…stopping at the nearby Penn Country Ham table…
…to nab a country ham for home…
…while some food vendors elsewhere also had some morning offerings…
…and even more would be opening shortly after.
Booths lined the streets along several blocks…
…so that festival goers could shop among the Arts n Crafts…
…among items that included decorative wreaths…
…scented soy candles (Allen Town)…
…propane tank Jack-o-lanterns…
…and all sorts of handmade dolls and wooden toys (McKellep Farm).
Near there, one block was called Civic Row section since booths were hosted by community religious organizations…
…groups that helped homeless women and families (House of Hope/kynect)…
…and responded to domestic emergencies and disasters (National Guard).
On the other side of the grounds, festival goers could enter the Market Place…
…and shop among gloves, gadgets…
…and everything from purses to fine crystals (Pyrite Illusions)…
…before continuing on to the carnival…
…where they could take advantage of rides…
…games…
…and even more grub.
And there was still more to see around downtown Lebanon…
…from antique steam engines…
…and antique tractors…
…to a kids’ inflatable area…
…and a central entertainment stage.
You could even get up close and meet this beauty…
…who became the Kentucky Grand Champion Bull at this year’s Kentucky State Fair.