Saturday's Fancy Farm picnic kicks off general election season

The 128th annual Fancy Farm picnic is scheduled for this Saturday, and legions of Kentucky's politicians and political junkies are headed to western Kentucky for the event's uniquely participatory political forum. With November's general election looming, some politicians have been hyping their speeches at the event for months, but the news that U.S. Senators Mitch McConnell (R-Louisville) and Jim Bunning (R-Southgate) may not be attending could put a damper on the potentially rowdy affair.

The Fancy Farm picnic - located in Fancy Farm, Kentucky - began as a bar-b-que and barn dance that has since morphed into one of the state's most important political traditions. Candidates for office in western Kentucky and those running statewide are expected to attend and speak before an audience of thousands notorious for rowdy heckling and theatrical behavior.

Legend has it that any politician not braving the crowd at the event will not be elected.

The political speechmaking at Fancy Farm is a throwback to the days before massive television advertising campaigns and highly-orchestrated public events, when speaking before an audience was a give-and-take.

As videos from recent years can attest, speeches at Fancy Farm are frequently interrupted with incessant shouts, chants, and booing from the crowd more reminiscent of question time at British parliament then standard American politics. Candidates themselves frequently get into the act as well, tailoring their remarks with a more aggressive tone.

Held in typically sweltering August heat, things at Fancy Farm sometimes escalate beyond the give-and-take into the realm of the truly bizarre. In 2004, while seeking re-election against now-Lt. Governor Daniel Mongiardo (D-Hazard), Sen. Bunning complained that he and his wife were roughed up by Mongiardo supporters dressed in doctors scrubs - which Bunning then referred to as "little green doctors" in an interview. This incident lead Bunning to decry that the atmosphere at Fancy Farm was "out of control" and that he would never attend again, though he has since said he was planning to return this year.

In 2000, McConnell volunteers dressed as Buddhist monks to mock then-presidential candidate Al Gore. Several years later, Democrats brought the "Job Terminator" to Fancy Farm - a man wearing a giant head resembling then-gubernatorial candidate Ernie Fletcher with Schwarzenegger-esque sunglasses that hurled "pink slips" into the crowd in an effort to highlight job losses under Republicans.

This year, Fancy Farm is expected to be as rowdy as ever. With McConnell up for re-election against businessman Bruce Lunsford (D-Louisville), many politicos - and, likely, many attendees - have been chomping at the bit to make their opinions known either in favor of the four-term incumbent Senator or against him.

At this year's state Republican convention, Bunning promised he had something up his sleeve for Lunsford, but has since left reporters guessing as to what that may be.

Meanwhile, 1st Congressional District candidate Heather Ryan (D-Paducah) has been hyping her Fancy Farm speech with a series of internet videos in which it becomes clear she expects to pull no punches when targeting McConnell and her opponent, U.S. Rep. Ed Whitfield (R-Hopkinsville).

All the highest-profile statewide politicians were initially expected to be at this year's event, but events in the U.S. Senate in recent days may mean Bunning and McConnell will be in Washington, D.C. and not rural western Kentucky. An energy bill before the Senate may require a special Saturday session that could keep both Senators on Capitol Hill for a vote.

McConnell's office says he intends on being at Fancy Farm, but the Senate schedule remains pending. Bunning, meanwhile, told reporters on Tuesday that there was a "fifty-fifty" chance the Saturday session would not occur and he could attend the event.

Aside from those two, other prominent politicians are set to be at Fancy Farm. Lunsford, Mongiardo, Whitfield, and Ryan are expected to be joined by Governor Steve Beshear (D-Lexington), state Auditor Crit Luallen (D-Frankfort), Secretary of State Trey Grayson (R-Richwood), Treasurer Todd Hollenbach, Attorney General Jack Conway (D-Louisville), 1st state Senate district candidate Carroll Hubbard (D-Lowes) and his opponent, state Sen. Kenneth Winters (R-Murray), state Reps. Fred Nesler (D-Mayfield) and Steven Rudy (R-W. Paducah), and Rudy's opponent,Mike Lawrence.

The master of ceremonies for the speaking will be state House floor leader Rocky Adkins (D-Sandy Hook).

With visitors from all over the state set to descend on Fancy Farm and hotels in nearby Paducah, the activities could not be restrained to just one event. Many Democrats will spend Fancy Farm eve - or, Friday night - at the Marshall County Bean Dinner at the Kentucky Dam Village Convention Center in Gilbertsville while Republicans will rally at the Kenlake State Resort Park in Hardin.

Each party will also have a traditional pre-picnic breakfast on Saturday morning, with the Graves County/Mayfield Democratic breakfast at Mayfield High School and the Graves County Republican breakfast at Graves County High School. Both events start at 8am CT and feature a program of speakers.

The KET public affairs program "Comment on Kentucky" will also be broadcast live from Fancy Farm at 7pm CT on Friday night.

Political speaking begins on Saturday from St. Jerome Parish in Fancy Farm at 2pm CT.

Check back with PolitickerKY.com on Friday and Saturday for full coverage from Fancy Farm.

Video: Ernie Fletcher solicits cheers and jeers during his 2007 Fancy Farm speech, featuring guest appearances by a witch as well as "Moses" and "Easy-money Steve."