09/20/2026
It had been three years since we had been back to Cumberland Gap for the White Lightning Trail Festival, so yesterday felt a little overdue. 😄
Unfortunately, Will and Shana weren't able to make this one, but Big Beard still had a great time with the parents! 😂
There was a little bit of rain off and on throughout the day, but it didn’t seem to bother much of anybody. The crowd stayed steady, the music kept going, and there was plenty to stop and look at everywhere you turned.
Moonshiner Josh Owens, Moonshiner Steve Barker, Hatch, Donnie & Teresa, and Reddog Towery all had booths set up, and we also ran into Moonshiner Red while we were there!
We spent some time hangin’ out with our friend Michael J. Bowen (AKA Michael J Bowen Photography), as well as our good buddies Kenny Taylor and Bill Foster - which probably surprises absolutely nobody if you've seen any of our latest posts. 😂
One of the coolest setups belonged to Donnie & Teresa of the Backwoods Moonshine Museum, who had a 1940 Ford dressed out like an old moonshine runner/bootlegger car parked right beside Steve Barker’s General Lee. Around the corner from Angelo’s, there were several more cool cars on display, too.
Speaking of Angelo's in the Gap - we ducked inside for a little break during the event and tried their 4 for $10 Moonshine Flight Board, which included King City Distillery’s Peach, Cinnamon, and Blackberry shines, along with their 101 Clear. We might have to make our way out to Kingsport, Tennessee, to pick up some more of that Blackberry! 😄
One thing we really liked seeing again was the full still setup running at the festival, showing people how a still works, just like back in 2023. They were using paste to seal the joints instead of modern unions or tri-clamps - that old-school method isn’t something you see nearly as often anymore, so it was pretty damn cool to watch it being used right there in the middle of the festival.
We also caught Josh Owens during one of the rare moments when the line around him had thinned out enough for Big Beard to get a picture with him, instead of just grabbing another picture from across the crowd. 😂
Unfortunately, we missed the Beard Contest this time around. It was at 11:30, and we just didn’t make it to Cumberland Gap early enough. Next year! 😄
Live music played throughout the day, there were plenty of food trucks and vendors packed into town, and the whole place had that kind of easygoing crowd where you could stop and talk to somebody for a while without feeling like you were in anybody’s way.
On the way out, Big Beard picked up a framed print of “The Rat” Tractor - because apparently we weren’t leaving empty-handed. 😂
Special thanks to Teresa L. Fuson, along with all of her friends and helpers, for continuing to put this event together and giving everybody a good, fun reason to keep coming back to Cumberland Gap.
..and if you’re ever in the area, be sure to stop by Teresa’s Trinkets and Treasures in downtown while you’re there!
Cumberland Gap is a beautiful little town, and it was good to finally make it back after so long. Great turnout, friendly crowd, plenty to see, and plenty of familiar faces. We had a damn good time, and we’re already lookin’ forward to next year! 🥳
