Old King Carnival

:: TheSouthern.com - Southern Illinois' Homepage ::.

WEST FRANKFORT - Gratitude, games and even a governor will greet visitors to the Old King Coal festival in West Frankfort. The festival, which runs Thursday, Sept. 17 to Sunday, Sept. 20, pays tribute to the coal mining industry and its workers - both past and present. "The coal industry has made Southern Illinois what it is today and we do this to honor all coal miners, especially the ones who lost their lives earning an honest day's pay 600-plus feet underground," OKC planning committee president Steve Sawalich said. "We are thankful for the ones who are now working and the future looks bright for the future coal miners to come with all the new mines opening. We are looking forward to a fun-filled 4 days and getting reacquainted with old friends. We feel we have the best free entertainment in Southern Illinois." The festival kicks off Sept. 17 with the opening of the carnival midway. Luehrs' Ideal Rides, voted by peers as one of the top 10 midways in the country, will be set up on East Poplar Street, one street north of Main Street through the run of the festival. The midway will open at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and at noon Saturday and Sunday. The coal miners memorial service as well as the crowning of the 2009 Old King Coal Ted Arview will take place at 5:30 p.m. at the coal miners memorial in downtown West Frankfort. The Blue Shadows band will perform on the main stage, also on Poplar Street, at 6 p.m. Friday highlights include main stage entertainment by Steve Gosney and the Redneck Ridge band with "American Idol" finalist Nathan Herron at 7 p.m. Saturday's activities open at 11 a.m. with the OKC parade and McDonald's Kiddie and Pet parade on Main Street. Gov. Pat Quinn will be this year's parade marshal, Sawalich said. New this year is the first ever coal miner reunion and sticker swap at 2 p.m. at the Wit and Wisdom Senior Center, Sawalich said. "Coal miner hard hats were covered with reflective stickers and were easy to see underground. Most every company that had to do anything with mining gave them away and coal miners started collecting and trading them," Sawalich said. A United Mine Workers representative will attend to offer information and answer questions about benefits. Saturday entertainment includes Sloan Gymnastics, Lew Jetton and Route 37 band, Ronnie McDowell and the Dallas Alice Band. The festival concludes Sunday with performances by Curt Innis and Marty Shadowens beginning at 1 p.m. and the OKC children's pageant at 1:30 p.m.