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Hadley and Rich represent LWC at Mountain Laurel Festival

PINEVILLE, Ky. -- Adair County resident Samantha Jo Hadley of Columbia represented Lindsey Wilson College this weekend at the 2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival. She was one of 18 women who represented their Kentucky college or university May 21-24 at the 85-year-old festival. Hadley and 17 other representatives were members of the Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival queen’s court. Lindsay Tate Ratliff of Western Kentucky University was crowned Saturday the 2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival queen.

Hadley -- who is the daughter of LWC alumni Gerald and Tina Hadley -- was escorted by 2015 spring graduate Will Rich of Columbia, who is her fiance. Rich is also an LWC alumni legacy; his parents are and Bryan and Alma Rich.



The Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival is one of Kentucky’s oldest festivals, second to the Kentucky Derby. Founded in 1931, the festival has been held every year in Pineville -- except during the war years of 1942-47 -- a city of about 2,000 in Bell County.

The festival was started to honor 18th-century pioneer explorer Dr. Thomas Walker, an Englishman who led one of the first European expeditions through the Cumberland Gap.

The festival’s highlight is the queen’s coronation, held Saturday afternoon at Laurel Cove Amphitheater in Pine Mountain State Resort Park, the Kentucky’s oldest state park. Traditionally, Kentucky’s governor crowns the queen with a garland made from the region’s native mountain laurel, which is grown and cut in Pine Mountain State Park.


This story was posted on 2015-05-23 22:03:18
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Gov. Beshear with Hadley and Rich



2015-05-23 - Photo by Duane Bonifer, Lindsey Wilson College.
Lindsey Wilson College Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival representative Samantha Jo Hadley of Columbia is joined by Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and her escort, 2015 spring graduate Will Rich of Columbia, following Saturday afternoon’s queen coronation at Laurel Cove Amphitheater in Pine Mountain State Resort Park.

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LWC Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival representative with all candidates



2015-05-23 - Pineville, KY - Photo by Duane Bonifer, Lindsey Wilson College.
Lindsey Wilson College Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival representative Samantha Jo Hadley of Columbia, (seated to the left of the new Queen), the festival’s other queen candidates and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear surround 2015 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Queen Lindsay Tate Ratliff of Western Kentucky University at Laurel Cove Amphitheater in Pine Mountain State Resort Park. At far right is 2014 Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival Queen Hannah Elizabeth Isaacs of Somerset Community College.

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Hadley and Rich represent LWC at Pineville festival



2015-05-23 - Photo by Duane Bonifer, Lindsey Wilson College.
Lindsey Wilson College Kentucky Mountain Laurel Festival representative Samantha Jo Hadley of Columbia and her escort, 2015 spring graduate Will Rich of Columbia, pose for a picture following the festival’s parade through downtown Pineville, Ky.

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