WHEN IS PRESTON COURT DAYS 2019?

When Is Preston Court Day in KY?
2019

Court Days in Preston, KY, are also known to locals as Trade Days.  The outdoor festival is the largest in Kentucky. The attractions include flea market type booths, yard sales, gun swapping, dog and animal trades, food booths and carnival rides.

The event runs a total of four (official) days and always ends on the third Monday in October.  But a full seven days if you count when the locals begin to set up.

UPDATE: 2019

The unofficial start date for some locals and vendors will be 
Monday, October 14th. 
(When locals start shopping the booths that have already been set up.)

With the official start date being Thursday the 17th. 

The last day of the event this year is October 21st, which is the third Monday of October. 

And remember, it always ends on the third Monday in October.

Where is Preston, KY?
Preston is one of the towns that make up the county known as Bath. It is only about three miles south west of Owingsville, right off I-64 interstate, exit 121. It was founded in 1881 as Preston Station as being part of the Big Sandy Railroad. Preston is also home to one of the oldest, still in business, country stores, Blevins Grocery. And the little country store sits right in the center of all the action.
"If you stop in, be sure to grab you a bologna sandwich," all the locals say.
(Update: Blevins Grocery is now sadly closed.)

If you need driving directions to Preston, KY please click here: Preston Map

Each year the number of trading booths continue to grow.  People travel from all over the country to buy, sell, trade and browse. You have a humongous selection of merchandise to choose from. Everything from new items like as t-shirts, shoes, purses, housewares, etc. to those one of a kind antiques you may be searching for to finish off a collection. Whatever that may be. It also has a large number of animal booths. Dogs and guns are the main attraction due to the fact of many hunters in the area. And that the Mt. Sterling Court days banned the sale or trade of animals around 1970.

The food booths are incredible.  Preston Court Days has the best home cooked foods around. Whether it is country ham, brown beans, cornbread, chili dogs or yummy cheeseburgers, you can find it all. And you will love it.
  
I recommend the Blooming Onions! 
The original ones, not the cheaper versions out there. 

But my sister swears the Amish home made fried apple pies are to die for!

And the chili dogs along with an ice cold Ale-8.

And my husband loves the Philly Cheese Steak with all the peppers and such:

 Preston Court Days is a great way to ring in fall. So come on out and join in all the fun.

If you need driving directions to Preston, KY please click here: Preston Map

Or here, for those of you who've written asking for a specific address to input into GPS systems:


Blevins Grocery (which is center of the court day)
6825 Preston Road
Owingsville, KY 40360 
(update: This store has now closed)

or 

The Wander In store 
is right at the Owingsville end of Court Day (so you'll get to park at the beginning) of court day and here is the address for that. They have ICE COLD ALE-8's!
79 Blevins Valley Rd, Owingsville, KY 40360

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*VENDORS:*
For vendor information, you may try this FB link.
Note: Sorry, I am no help otherwise for booth rentals.

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Bit o' History
Preston Court Days originally stemmed off from the Mt. Sterling Court Days in the 1970's with the help from James "Coon" Conyers.

Way back in 1794, the Mt. Sterling Court days got it's name because once a year the Circuit Judge made a visit to town to try criminals.  And people from the area  would meet up  to sell their items and crops or to do some trading of goods. Back then Mt. Sterling allowed the sale and trade of dogs and many other animals.  But dogs were always the main attraction.  Hunters from all over came to buy, sell and trade for dogs. Hence the nickname of the event, Trade Days. 

Then sometime in the 1970's, the Mt. Sterling Court Days banned the sale of animals, especially dogs. I'm not sure why but many people were outraged, including James "Coon" Conyers.  He had been running the largest dog trade days in KY, so he decided that he would start one up in Preston. 

  

And wow did it take off!

Nowadays, coon hunters, shoppers, sightseers, antique hunters and everyday locals can't wait for this yearly event to roll in!

The tiny town of Preston is made up of only about 500 people.  But when Court Days roll in, the visitor count will easily exceed ten to fifteen thousand.  And each year that number continues to grow!

See ya'll there either buying, selling or trading.

Leave a comment and let us all know what your favorite Court Day Food is!

Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/2008/10/18/559612_court-days-rolls-around-in-preston.html?rh=1#storylink=cpy