Summer Motion will be in its twenty-first year in 2009 from July 1 through July 5, and we anticipate as always, not only drawing crowds from the entire tri-state region, but from several states on the east coast.
The first part of our festival will begin the evening of July 1 at the main stage in Ashland’s Central Park with three evenings of inflatable rides, food court vendors, and nationally known entertainment. The festival continues in Central Park Saturday and Sunday with two days of family entertainment. On July 4th we also have our annual 10K race, a parade, patriotic show, and a spectacular fireworks display on July 4 on the riverfront; the largest fireworks show in the tri-state. On July 5th we will also pay tribute to our fallen Kentuckians in the War on Terrorism by hosting the Some Gave All motorcycle rally.
Other events include a beauty pageant, car and motorcycle shows, craft vendors, games for children, inflatable rides exhibits, train rides, science demonstrations, and the list goes on and on.
Since 1989, Summer Motion has presented some of the best country, rock, and Motown groups in the world at no cost to the attendees in an alcohol free environment. Those entertainers have included: Wynonna, Lorrie Morgan, Tanya Tucker, Merle Haggard, Diamond Rio, Patty Loveless, Sawyer Brown, Sammy Kershaw, Bryan White, John Berry, Shenandoah, Billy Ray Cyrus, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, Johnny Rivers, Jan and Dean, Mitch Ryder, Sha Na Na, The Rascals, ELO II, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Drifters, Four Tops, Temptations, Shirelles, Mary Wilson of the Supremes, Wilson Pickett, Chubby Checker, Martha and the Vandellas, the Spinners, Tracy Byrd, Paul Revere and the Raiders, Martina McBride, The Drifters, Charlie Daniels Band, Pam Tillis, The Box Tops, The Little River Band, the Association, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, America, Collin Raye, Chely Wright, Aaron Tippin, the Beach Boys, Herman’s Hermits, Phil Vassar, the Doobie Brothers, Kool & The Gang, Trace Adkins, The Lovin’ Spoonful, John Michael Montgomery, The Grass Roots, Grand Fund Railroad, Restless Heart, Joey Dee & The Starlighters, Lee Greenwood, Starship, Oak Ridge Boys, Little Big Town, Pure Prairie League, The Turtles, Cowboy Crush, Diamond Rio, Kansas, Marty Stuart, The Ventures, Tracy Lawrence, and Lady Antebellum.
We know of no other festival in Kentucky that presents this level of entertainment with no admission charges. The Southeast Tourism Society has named Summer Motion several times as one of the Top 20 Events of the Southeast.
July 1, 2 & 3-----5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m
July 4 &5th-----10:00 to 10:00
Fee: Free
Open to the Public: yes
