Reenactors playing members of the James Gang ride horses away after pretending to rob the Nimrod Long Banking Company of $14,000 during the annual Logan County Tobacco Festival on Saturday, October 12, 2019, on South Main Street in Russellville. 

Thousands of people are expected to gather in Russellville this weekend for the 64th annual Logan County Tobacco & Heritage Festival.

The festival was created to focus attention on Logan County’s chief crop and pay tribute to Russellville and its time as one of the largest tobacco markets in the world.

The Logan County Chamber of Commerce organizes the festival.

Executive Director Polly Steenbergen said the event has a huge economic impact on the city and county.

“In 2019, we estimated about 25,000 came to the festival that weekend,” Steenbergen said. “That helps our local restaurants, hotels and small businesses, which is a wonderful thing. We have more than 100 vendors in our flea market as well. The festival as a whole brings so much back, and we are excited to see its revitalization.”

All festivities were canceled last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but chamber of commerce board member Myla Porter said many outdoor events this week have been well attended.

“Even if you lived here and moved away, people come back here for this event,” Porter said. “It’s a big homecoming, and it’s a day where the town is shut down for this festival. Everyone comes to this, and it helps unite the community. It’s part of our heritage.”

Festival events began Sept. 23 with a beauty pageant. A bike ride, marathon and golf scramble were also held. “Museum Day” and “Black History Day” were new to the festival this year.

Porter said all museums in the county were open free to the public Monday, including the West Kentucky African-American Heritage Center and Museum.

One of the festival’s marquee attractions will be Saturday morning’s reenactment of the 1868 robbery of the Nimrod Long Banking Co. by the Jesse James gang.

Several actors will ride horses and dress in wild west attire while pretending to rob the bank of $14,000. The show is slated to start at 9:30 a.m. on Carrico Park Square.

Other attractions Saturday include a craft show, an open flea market, the festival’s community parade, horse and carriage rides, several food trucks, a kids play zone and a grand finale concert featuring the Jimmy Church Band.

Porter said the parade will start at 10:30 a.m. and is usually very well attended. It features “a little something for everyone” including area football teams, beauty queens and marching bands, Porter said.

– For more information on the festival and this week’s events, visit www. tobaccofest.org.

– Follow reporter John Reecer on Twitter @JReecerBGDN or visit bgdailynews.com.