Kentucky Steam welcomes long-running and returning event to its campus
6/25/21
RAVENNA, Kentucky — Vendor space is now available for the upcoming Ravenna Railroad Days Festival, which, for the first time ever, is being hosted by Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation.
The 2021 Ravenna Railroad Festival will be held Saturday, Sept. 11 at Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation’s campus on the former CSX Transportation rail yard property off Kirkland Avenue in Irvine. Kentucky Steam President Chris Campbell says the new cooperation between the organization and the experienced festival managers with the City of Ravenna is yet another step forward for both Kentucky Steam and the railroad festival.
“It’s always a pleasure to work in conjunction with the people in the twin communities of Ravenna and Irvine,” Campbell said. “The City of Ravenna had done such an amazing job in the past with organizing and holding the festival, and we’re looking forward to seeing it held on our campus for, hopefully, years to come.”
Vendor space for this year’s railroad festival is available for booking now. Those interested in space for both standard booths, as well as food beverage may visit www.railroadfestival.com for applications, vendor information, and guidelines. Booth size and pricing varies, with rates available for review on the applications.
This year’s event marks the return of the Ravenna Railroad Festival after the festival was canceled in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The 2021 railroad festival will also act as a showcase of Kentucky Steam’s “The Yard,” a burgeoning tourism development in Estill County at the site of the former CSX rail yard dividing Ravenna and Irvine. “The Yard” will act as a fully-immersive historical/educational experience where visitors will not only learn the varying aspects of the operation of historical railroad equipment including steam locomotives, but they will also be greeted by an events venue, a brewery and restaurant, and much more.
Campbell says it is fitting that the Ravenna Railroad Festival, organized years ago to honor the droves of railroad employees from in and around Estill County, would eventually find a home at the very location of the former home terminal of so many of those railroaders.
“The fact that the railroad festival has landed on the Kentucky Steam campus, and that this campus is where numerous railroaders worked so hard to keep the lifeblood of this nation moving for more than a century is not lost on us,” Campbell said. “It’s very exciting that this year’s event will be the first-ever opportunity for festival-goers to literally walk in the footsteps of the railroaders who helped establish these wonderful communities of Ravenna and Irvine. We at Kentucky Steam couldn’t be more proud to partner with the City of Ravenna and to host this year’s festival.”
Sponsorship opportunities for the 2021 Ravenna Railroad Festival are also available. Information regarding sponsorship and vendor information may be obtained by emailing festival@kentuckysteam.org, by calling 1-833-597-8326 ext. 819, or visiting the festival website at www.railroadfestival.com
Further information about Kentucky Steam Heritage Corporation, including membership opportunities, may be found by visiting www.kentuckysteam.org.