Who’s speaking at the 146th Fancy Farm Picnic next month in Western Kentucky?
Speakers at this year’s Fancy Farm Picnic have been announced, including Rep. Andy Barr, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Rep. James Comer, organizers announced Monday morning.
The 146th St. Jerome Fancy Farm Picnic will be held on August 1 in Fancy Farm, Kentucky. While the barbecue picnic serves as fundraiser for the church, it is also known for its political speaking portion, where politicians take the stage to trade jokes with their opponents.
The annual event began in 1881, but it wasn’t until A.B. “Happy” Chandler ran for lieutenant governor in 1931 that the event got popularized statewide, when primaries took place in August. From then on, the event’s overall size and political prominence grew.
So far, Republicans Rep. Andy Barr, who is running for U.S. Senate, and Rep. James Comer, who is running for reelection for Kentucky’s 1st Congressional District, have confirmed they will be speaking.
On the Democratic side, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, who is also running a 2027 gubernatorial campaign, and John Drew Williams, who is running against Comer, will be speaking.
Others who have confirmed their attendance so far are:
- Republican Attorney General Russell Coleman
- Republican Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell
- State Sen. Jason Howell, R-Murray
- State Rep. Kim Holloway, R-Mayfield
Some invitations are still pending, including for Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, meaning their offices have not acknowledged the invitation.
While McConnell is a fan of the picnic, he is recovering at a rehabilitation center for minor falls throughout the year and a slight case of pneumonia.
Other invitations that are still pending for are:
- Gov. Andy Beshear
- Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker
- Republican Secretary of State Michael Adams
- Republican State Auditor Allison Ball
- Republican State Treasurer Mark Metcalf
Organizers announced in May that veteran WKYT broadcaster Dave Baker will be this year Fancy Farm’s emcee.
