Old King Coal Festival celebrates 80th anniversary
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FRANKLIN COUNTY, ILLINOIS (WSIL) The Old King Coal Festival is returning to West Frankfort after having to be canceled last year due to COVID-19.
This year, will mark 80 years since the town first held the festival in 1941 as a way to pay respect to past and present coal miners, and what the industry did for the region.
Steve Sawalich, President of the Old King Coal festival, says although the country is starting to lean on other sources of energy, the reason for the celebration still stands today. At one time, there was eight coal mines in the city of West Frankfort and now there s none , explains Sawalich, who was once a coal minter himself. It s a dying breed unfortunately, but you re always going to have a need for that coal. Coal is what keeps the lights on.