|
 Date: August 13th & 14th 2011
City: Sperryville, Virginia
Attendance: 5.000
Organization: Ben Jones & Alma Viator
More than 30 years after the show debuted on CBS, "The Dukes of Hazzard" is still as popular as ever. This August the Hazzard nation came together for a reunion. It was held in a field surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains in tiny Sperryville, Virginia and dubbed "Hazzard Homecoming".
There has not been a new episode in more than 25 years, But thanks to re-runs and DVDs, The Dukes of Hazzard is as popular as ever. “I've got seven seasons of the Dukes and I still watch them everyday,” Lee Vanover said.Fans came to the Hazzard Homecoming from around the world. The two day event featured everything from a marching band, bike stunts, live music and even wrestling.
The biggest attraction was the cast themselves, some waited in line for hours to see Bo, Daisy, Cletus, Enos, Cooter and Rosco. Ben "Cooter" Jones and his wife organized the event. He says the show stands the test of time simply because it makes people feel good.“The best action ever filmed on television! Slapstick comedy never gets old and you've got Daisy Duke walking by in her shorts, what's not to like?!” Ben Jones said.
“Great storylines, great cast and there's no sex and violence. Not all this swearing! It's just good fun for the little ones as well as the big old ones like us,” Emma Drury, fan from England, said. The stars say after all these years, they have a unique bond with their fans and they appreciate what the show has done for them. “In a career where I've done so many things, it makes me feel like I did something really good,” Catherin Bach said.
“It's got to be the longest lasting, most loved show ever on television. I mean they love us more than they love Lucy,” John Schneider said. They expect that love will last forever.
The spacious, hilly grounds off Highway 522, with the beautiful Blue Ridge mountains rising up in the distance, provided the perfect setting for Hazzard's fans to come "home" to this city where the very first Dukesfest occurred back in 2001. Everything from General Lees to Hazzard County sheriff's cars to Boss' big long white convertible to Cooter's tow trucks and more covered the landscape. Stella Parton, who guested on one episode of the original series, took to the stage in the afternoon, even doing a little "church" with "This Little Light of Mine." And Cooter's Garage Band performed later on.
Sunday's events also included a thank-you to wounded servicemen and women in nearby military hospitals.
Source: Hazard KY WYMT news
Photo's: Rusty Cash & Kenneth Wayne Mahan
|
