BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The countdown is on to Martin County’s biggest festival of the year and organizers say the 2025 Harvest Festival is shaping up to be the most exciting yet. With two full days of live music headlined by country hitmaker CJ Solar, plus a jam-packed carnival with more rides than ever before, a vendor market and parade, the Sept. 12–13 event on Court Street promises something for everyone.
Kiwanis Club president Melissa Phelps announced the schedule Thursday, unveiling the theme “Fall for Martin County” during the club’s lunch meeting at Giovanni’s.
“We’re looking good,” she told members, noting that the carnival lineup is the largest to date. It will feature a Grand Carousel that can accommodate folks of all sizes, Tubs of Fun, Reckless, bumper cars, paddle boats and swings. The bounce house and the ever-popular mechanical bull will also return.
Phelps said the club hopes to begin selling chances on this year’s Kiwanis quilt as early as this week.
She also confirmed that the Harvest Fest Treasure Hunt will return Aug. 20, expanding from three to four weeks. Clues will appear on the front page of the Mountain Citizen each week, with $50 prizes for the first three weeks and $100 for the final week.
“People have been hot and heavy searching for those clues,” said Phelps.
The Miss Harvest Festival 2025 Pageant by Eastern Elite Pageantry will take place at noon Sept. 6 at the Collier Center.
The 4-H Pet Show will be back Friday, Sept. 12, followed by the JAG speech contest, which Phelps said “has grown every year.”
That same day, the Martin County Health Department will host a Health Pavilion in the Business Center parking lot.
Live entertainment takes place on the stage on Court Street. According to Phelps, the festival is working to fill some early spots.
At 5 p.m. Sept. 12, Jack Ward & The Postmen perform live, followed by Geneva Turner — the “Rock ’n Roll Princess of Hazard” — at 6 p.m.
“She sings like AC/DC,” Phelps said of Turner. “I listened to her and she’s good. She is a performer; she works the stage.”
The Thomas Jude Band from Williamson takes over at 7:30 p.m., and Eddie Jenkins & The 606 Sound will close the night at 9:30 p.m.
Saturday morning kicks off with the Cruise-In Car Show and the return of the Petting Zoo & Pony Rides.
The parade is set for 2 p.m. with the lineup at 1 p.m. at the public pool. Rex Endicott, chief of Martin County REACT & Rescue, will serve as Grand Marshal.
Jackie’s Gymnastics will perform after the parade, with local talent slots to follow.
FTC Wrestling returns for the third year in a row at 6 p.m. Saturday, with live music starting at the same time from Hope Lafferty, then Savanna Young and Wesley Young.
At 8 p.m., rising country artist Devin Moore of Louisa will take the stage. Known for heartfelt storytelling, Moore opened for Colt Ford in April at the Paramount Arts Center in Ashland.
At 9 p.m., CJ Solar, one of country music’s most dynamic rising stars, will take the stage, blending Delta-blues soul, Southern rock swagger and sharp country storytelling.
A two-time ASCAP award-winner and co-writer of No. 1 hits like “Up Down” (Morgan Wallen feat. Florida Georgia Line) and “Some Girls” (Jameson Rodgers), Solar has also penned songs for Jason Aldean, Justin Moore and Jerrod Niemann.
He has over 10 million streams as an artist just on Spotify and was named Music Row Magazine’s Independent Artist of the Year in 2019. He goes off the rails as a songwriter with over 600 million streams just on Spotify.
With a catalog that swings from hard-charging anthems to heartfelt ballads, Solar’s live shows have lit up stages alongside legends like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Hank Williams Jr., Chris Janson and Gary Allan.
He released his latest single, “10,000 Lighters,” in May and “Sky Falls Down” in April.
“We cannot wait for fans to experience his energy here in Martin County,” said Phelps.
Vendors have until Aug. 29 to secure their spots. Applications for information booths and craft or retail vendors are available on the Martin County Harvest Fest Facebook page. Food vendors should call 298-2807. (See the related story.)