If you’re planning on coming into Berea, KY this weekend for the 30th Annual Spoonbread Festival, here’s your game plan! I’m walking you through where everything is happening, what time it starts & a few insider tricks you’ll want to know before you park.
The festival is centered around Memorial Park and the West Jefferson area, but it’s not all happening in one single spot — different events pull you to different parts of downtown.
Friday, September 18
• Festival hours: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM, Memorial Park
• Carnival: 3:00 PM – 9:00 PM
• Petting zoo: 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM, right behind the Folk Center (it closes an hour before the festival does — plan accordingly)
• Live music: starts 3:30 PM, runs through 9:00 PM
• Balloon Glow: 8:00 PM – 10:00 PM
If you’re bringing the kids, Friday’s an easy one — plenty of time to get here after school or work, hit the rides, and stay for the balloons to light up the Berea sky.
Friday’s Entertainment Lineup:
| Time | Act | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| 3:30 – 5:00 PM | Branded Blue | Country, Classic Rock (Lexington, KY) |
| 5:30 – 7:00 PM | The Ranahans | Western Swing |
| 7:30 – 9:00 PM | Kelly Caldwell & Kashmere | Best of the 80s, Top Hits, Yacht Rock, Country |
Saturday, September 19
• Festival & carnival hours: 9:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Petting zoo: 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Live music: starts 1:30 PM, runs through 9:00 PM
• Parade: starts 2:00 PM at Berea Community School
• Spoonbread eating contest: 3:00 PM, right after the parade
The parade route: Berea Community School → Ellipse Street → West Jefferson → right on North Broadway → through Old Town → left on Chestnut Street → back toward Ellipse Street → returning to Berea Community School.
One thing worth knowing: the Spoonbread parade does not pass in front of Boone Tavern the way the Christmas parade does. If you’re used to watching from that spot, double-check the route before you come.
If you’re coming specifically for the parade, plan to be parked and in your spot before 2:00 PM — Saturday afternoon gets busy fast, and once the parade wraps you’ve got the eating contest right behind it at 3:00 in front of the Russell Acton Folk Center on West Jefferson Street. Give yourself the whole afternoon; expect a lot of people moving around Berea.
Saturday’s Entertainment Lineup:
| Time | Act | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| 1:30 – 3:00 PM | Call to Post | Faith, Grit, Southern Rock |
| 3:30 – 5:00 PM | Bobby James | Multi-Genre Cover Band |
| 5:30 – 7:00 PM | Jared Shoemaker with Marshull | Rock n Roll, Country, Soul & Blues |
| 7:30 – 9:00 PM | Chase Stetson | Country, Rock |
Sunday, September 20
• Festival hours: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• 5K & walk: 8:00 AM, starts and finishes at the Russell Acton Folk Center
• Car show: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM
• Carnival: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM
• Live music: starts 12:30 PM, runs through 5:00 PM
Car show entry: $15 pre-registration, $20 day-of. Located at 450 N. Broadway.
All weekend long, keep an eye out for street performers scattered around the festival area while you’re shopping, eating, or moving between events.
Sunday’s Entertainment Lineup:
| Time | Act | Genre |
|---|---|---|
| 12:30 – 1:00 PM | Timberline Road | Bluegrass |
| 2:00 – 3:00 PM | Grassy Creek Band | Traditional Bluegrass |
| 3:30 – 5:00 PM | David Parmley | Bluegrass |
A Few Insider Tips
- Parking: Park at Berea Community and walk through the city park (it opens up right behind the Folk Center), or catch the free golf cart shuttle on the same route.
- Don’t skip the actual spoonbread. If you’ve never had it, this is your chance — my personal go-to is a little butter and a whole lot of honey.
- Stay a while. You’ve already made the trip in — take some time to explore Old Town, the local shops, restaurants, and arts and crafts scene while you’re here. The festival’s a great excuse to see the rest of Berea.
The Weekend at a Glance
Three days of food, crafts, music, carnival rides, a petting zoo, street performers, the balloon glow, the parade, the eating contest, a 5K, and a car show — whether you’re coming for one event or camping out all weekend, that’s your 2026 Spoonbread Festival game plan.
Tell me in the comments — what are you most excited about this year?
And if you want to know what’s happening around Berea beyond festival weekend, make sure you check out my Madison County Community Calendar!