ESTILL COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — After a four year process, Irvine and Ravenna have achieved their "Kentucky Trail Town" status, and a local group is holding an event this weekend for visitors to see why.
"Great land out here and we're trying to get people back active. You know we're wanting to do ball fields. You know, kind of bring this thing back, it's kind of been, let go the last few years. Not pointing fingers or nothing, but it's just been economic hard times and now we've got groups and volunteers back interested in it," said former Estill County Judge Executive Kevin Williams.
It's a mission for the people, by the people, and volunteers have been working tirelessly on a project to put Irvine and Ravenna on the map.
"We work really hard to put things like this on because we hate hearing there's nothing to do here. Which isn't true at all. There's a lot to do. You just have to find sort of what you're looking for," said Jessica Stevens, the Estill County Director of Tourism and a member of the Estill Action Group. "We already have tourists that come in this area. We're close to Red River Gorge, we have a lot of agate and mushroom hunting. We have the river, we have the second most mileage of the Kentucky River out of all the counties in Kentucky."
The stretch of the Kentucky River is part of the trail that's made Irvine and Ravenna the "Twin City Trail Town."
This weekend, the festivities will start on the river for Estill County's "Weekend on the Water."
"We're having everything start at the Kentucky River Recreation Park this year. Basically from the put-in, kayakers will go one way and tubers will go another," said Stevens.
The Estill Action Group invites everyone to come out for "Weekend on the Water," this Saturday. There will be food, games, and water activities. The festivities start at 10:45 a.m. at the Kentucky River Recreation Park.
"We want people to come out and explore Estill County. You know, come out, shop at our stores, try our amazing local restaurants, get out and play outside and see what we've got going on!" Stevens told LEX 18's Claire Kopsky.
