Summer Salute has quickly become Hopkinsville’s largest event in just two short years. An estimated 35,000 people attended in 2017 in conjunction with the community’s Solar Eclipse celebration. The festival is now positioned as a staple event in Hopkinsville and the region for years to come. Food and merchant vendors, live entertainment, rides and a variety of attractions make this event a true gem of the south. The 2018 edition of Summer Salute settles into a two-day format over Friday and Saturday with musical entertainment throughout both days. Saturday night headliner is country supergroup Sawyer Brown. Friday night’s top billing act is the legendary Jimmy Church Band.
The 2017 event rose to fame as Hopkinsville was the center of significant attention on August 21, 2017 as the Point of Greatest Eclipse for the Total Solar Eclipse. The reach of that impact however, was unknown until the eyes of the world focused on our community. With over 116,000 visitors from 47 states and 25 countries, the Hopkinsville Parks and Recreation team worked with over 50 community, state and national agencies to ensure a structured and safe environment was created to accommodate the unknown number of guests that we anticipated.
In 2018, event organizers will seek to capture the same momentum and excitement that was felt in 2017 and celebrate the deep culture and arts of this charming southern town in the heart of the Bluegrass. This free festival is heavily rooted in music of all genres, with 12 acts performing in 2017. The musical connections grow in 2018 with local and regional music over multiple stages.
