OLIVE HILL, Ky. — Organizers have announced that the 10th Annual "It's Fall Y'all" Vendor & Craft Festival, which had been scheduled for October at the Olive Hill Depot, has been canceled and will not be rescheduled.
Festival founder and organizer Lisa Messer Conley made the announcement in a series of public statements, saying the decision came despite her original plans for this to be the festival's final year due to ongoing physical and medical issues. She said recent circumstances ultimately led her to end the event altogether.
According to Conley, one of the primary issues involved a proposed vendor permit requirement that would have required vendors to pay an additional fee beyond their booth rental. She said she chose not to pass those costs on to vendors, many of whom are local artisans, churches, nonprofit organizations, school groups, and community organizations that use the festival as a fundraising opportunity.
"I have never made a penny off of this festival," Conley wrote, adding that she has personally invested thousands of dollars over the years to help make the event successful.
The annual festival was created to provide affordable opportunities for local artisans, musicians, nonprofits, churches, and school organizations while drawing visitors into downtown Olive Hill. Organizers intentionally did not allow food trucks, saying the goal was to give local fundraising groups the opportunity to sell food during the event.
In a follow-up statement, Conley emphasized that the cancellation was her decision and said she did not intend for her original announcement to become political or divisive. She explained that discussions over vendor permit fees had been ongoing for more than a year and that she ultimately decided to cancel the festival rather than require vendors to pay additional costs.
She also noted that the festival operated with minimal electrical usage, left the grounds clean each year, and brought thousands of visitors into Olive Hill, providing what she believes was a significant benefit to local businesses and the community.
Conley highlighted her family's years of volunteer service to Olive Hill, including work with the Olive Hill Welcome Center museum, Trail Town initiatives, and other community improvement projects. She said she is now stepping away and asked the public to respect her decision and allow her some peace.
Despite the cancellation, Conley expressed hope for Olive Hill's future, saying she prays the city can resolve the issues before another major festival is lost and encouraged more community members to become involved through volunteer service.
The Morehead Minute contacted the City of Olive Hill prior to publication seeking comment regarding the vendor permit concerns raised by Conley, whether city officials attempted to resolve the issue, and the city's position on the matter. As of publication, no response had been received.
Conley also announced that all vendor fees will be refunded. Vendors who paid through Venmo or Cash App will receive refunds through those platforms, while those who paid in person may pick up their refunds at the Olive Hill Depot.
The cancellation marks the end of what would have been the festival's 10th annual celebration, an event that has become a popular fall tradition for many residents and visitors over the past decade.
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