The 49th Coon Dog Day will be held in downtown Saluda Saturday, July 7.
What began as a fundraiser chicken supper for the local coon club has evolved into Saluda’s iconic homegrown festival. Approximately 10,000-15,000 people will roam the streets, perusing the handcrafted wares and the edible treats from 75 vendors and enjoying the activities of the day while listening to live local entertainment from the main stage.
Coon Dog Day will kick off at 8 a.m. with the Coon Dog Day 5K – a 3.1-mile, USTAF-certified tour of Saluda’s downtown and residential streets. Race details and online registration can be found online at go-greenevents.com/CoonDogDay5K and updates and sponsors can be found on the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CoonDogDay5K.
Live entertainment will begin at 8:30 a.m. and continue all day until the street dance concludes around 11 p.m.
The famous Coon Dog Day parade will begin at 11 a.m. and usually lasts for more than an hour. The master of ceremonies will be Hop Foster, and the grand marshal will be Saluda City Clerk Doris Marion. Marion, who has been city clerk for 24 years, recently announced she will retire later this year.

Royal Coon Dog Court
Following closely behind the grand marshal will be the Royal Coon Dog Court, which will include a Coon Dog King and Queen, Prince and Princess, Junior Prince and Princess, and Baby Prince and Princess.
Entertainment
Bands that will perform include the following:
Green River Boys – Local good ol’ boys featuring gospel bluegrass music.
Flaco & Ze Clownettes – A group of kids and adults with an interactive family performance.
McGuire’s Pipe Band – All the way from Pensacola, Fla., this Irish pipe band returns to Saluda.
Jack Roper and the Weatherman Band – The popular local celebrity from channel 7 entertains the crowd with his musical talents.
Eric Congdon – Local artist with a talent for blues and Americana music.
The Folsom Prison Gang – A fan favorite returns again this year with music from the Johnny Cash era.
Unspoken Tradition – Young performers who take bluegrass to a new level.
Southern Connections Cloggers – This local clogging group will give a demonstration on how to clog and square dance your way into the street dance.
Lonesome Road Band – Larry and the boys will lead the traditional Saluda Street Dance, with square dances called by local Archie Hardy.
– article submitted by Monica Pace