Pineville, KY

f you take a short drive outside of the Crater City, you’ll find a town surrounded by walls. When Joanie B. and I first drove through, we were slightly alarmed by the large gates and barrier walls that seemed to block this town in. But, no need to freak out! Those gates and flood walls were built in 1989 to protect the city of Pineville from treacherous flood waters. Nearly thirty years after their establishment, in 2020 Pineville had to use them for the first time. They sealed off the city so homes and businesses were protected from the severe damages of flood waters. Pretty swift thinking on the part of 80s Pineville officials. Today Pineville is the county seat for Bell County, and the original courthouse stands resolute in the middle of town with all of the shops, restaurants, and local businesses forming a circle around courthouse square. The director of Pineville’s Main Street, Jacob, showed us around town, but that wasn’t the first time we’d met Jacob... A few days earlier Jacob took us, and the lovely Guardians of the Gap member, Ms. Linda, on what was supposed to be a short hike to Chained Rock. Everyone said it was simple, only a few hills and some stairs, but with handrails to help with safety. So, we start this hike with expectations of some easy-breezy-beautiful Covergirl stuff, but we’re met right away with a long flight of downward stairs. The handrails followed the downhill slope, but quickly disappeared. We traded the level steps for some that were slightly uneven and we traded those for dirt, mud and rocks. Ms. Linda and Jacob were both shocked. They didn’t remember the hike being quite this difficult, but it was all good. We weren’t

dangling off the edge of cliffs or rockclimbing, so we could handle it. A few minutes down the trail, still walking down into what felt like an endless cavern, the ground became a bit more treacherous. There were large rocks we needed to climb. We laughed and carried on. Then we came to the final stretch. A wall of rocks with a teeny, weeny (not polka dot bikini) path leading around the wall. Jacob hopped up on the rocks and started forward. Ms. Linda, Joanie B. and I weighed our options. We couldn’t turn back. We were in way too deep for that. I contemplated how long it would take to send out an SOS for a helicopter rescue, but the rest of the crew trekked on. I followed with only a few shrieks... One foot in front of the other, leaning as close to the rock wall as possible, we made our way to the edge of the cliff. We found Chained Rock, took our obligatory photo with said rock, and made our way back toward civilization. Remember how I said we went DOWNstairs and DOWNhill? Well, that meant it was all UPhill from here. You’re probably like, come on, Jenni. Buck up! An uphill hike isn’t that hard. You’re right. But I’m generally the ‘let’s grab a coffee’ or ‘that boutique looks cute’ sort of traveler. Not the ‘hey, wanna go climb some rocks’ kind. The uphill climb wasn’t easy, and every step reminded me that it’s been ten years since my last Zumba class. But just when I thought my legs were going to fall off, I saw that first set of stairs we’d come down. This time, it was our last. I kicked my tired butt into high gear and made it to the top of those stairs. Victory. Sweet, sweaty victory. Today I’m ready to do it again.

Let’s fast-forward back to the day where Jacob was briskly walking us around town instead of dragging us up a mountain... Downtown Pineville has some pretty spectacular stops. The most popular restaurant is Sauced, and they’re said to have the best craft pizza in the area. There’s also a delicious Irish pub with the most amazing baked mac and cheese! It’s right next to the Bell Theater. It’s a 1939 Art Deco style 300 seat theater. In the past it has served as a movie theater, music venue, and a performing arts theater. It has been newly renovated and is now primarily used as a movie theater, but it’s still a great spot for live music. The star of downtown for us was Grit and Grace Boutique. They have the cutest clothes, accessories, and local gifts like Pineville t-shirts and pillows. The contents of the store are ever-changing, so if you see something you like, you need to grab it when you can. Pineville is most famously known for its annual Mountain Laurel Festival held in May. Colleges from Kentucky select one representative to participate, and the festival is held over Memorial Day weekend. Each May, since 1931, girls come from all over the state for the pageant, and during the coronation ceremony each of them performs the infamous 15-second curtsey to the current state governor, who later crowns the queen. The festivities go far beyond the pageant and the beautiful dresses. Vendors set up for the festival, and there is always a big music headliner. In the past they’ve had people like Wynonna Judd, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina. This year, in 2021, the festival’s opening act was Maddie & Tae. It was their first concert back since the pandemic, and it was a fully sold-out show. Most of the festivities are held in the Laurel Cove amphitheater, which is a picturesque spot, tucked away from the hustle and bustle of downtown. In May, the mountain laurel is blooming, and everything looks and feels brand new. Although Pineville’s population is just a little more than 1800, the town brings in thousands of tourists every year between the Mountain Laurel Festival and the Laurel Cove Music Festival. It’s a great place to visit when you come to the Blue Grass State.