Well everything has to start somewhere doesn't it? Dukesfest is no different of course. In the late 1990's original fans that had grown up on the show were reaching the age where the idea of organizing conventions, building General Lee's and campaigning to get the show back on the air all seemed feasible and affordable.
Dukesfest technically started from the first official DOH fan club convention in Keysville,VA in 1998 organized by The Official Dukes of Hazzard Fan Club and the Dodge Charger Registry. Byron Cherry and Jerry Rushing attended the event. A follow-up convention was held in 1999 in Covington,GA where Ben Jones, Sonny Shroyer and Don Pedro Colley (Sheriff Little) were guests. There was no convention in the year 2000. Photo by Tim Duke.
In 2001, hardcore Dukes of Hazzard fans, in cooperation with Ben Jones, put on Dukesfest 2001 at his store in Sperryville, Virginia. The tradition grew from there - and first featured the outrageous stunts by Tom Sarmento and his crew in 2003. That year two police cars were flipped by original Dukes stuntmen and would mark the last year for Dukesfest in Virginia. Corey Eubanks, a popular stuntman from the show was the first to suggest that actually jumping a General Lee would be a great draw for the event. He would later jump the General at three Dukesfest's - starting in 2004. The best of our research indicates that Wayne Wooten, founder of the Dodge Charger Registry, actually coined the term "Dukesfest" when assisting with early Dukesfest-like conventions. 2001 Photos below by Cousin Don.
Thanks to Ben Jones and his wife Alma Viator, Dukesfest moved to its first big venue in 2004 and was held at the Bristol Motor Speedway in Bristol, Tennessee. Attendence to the event was incredible - and at that time "Dukes" was still not playing on the air in the United States. This was the first year for involvement by The Confederate General Lee Fan Club and the General Lee's attending were organized by Wayne Wooten of the Dodge Charger Registry. Having started it at another event in early 2004, the CGLFC were the first to organize and offer the public the chance to "Ride in a General Lee" around the Bristol Track. The first Friday night dinner with the stars was held at a local Golden Corral and has been a tradition since. Warner Brothers sent a crew to Dukesfest this year and covered the event in Season Two of the television DVD series. Corey Eubanks made an incredible leap in the General Lee and Russell Solburg is probably still sore from his huge turn-over that year. 2004 jump photo by Nick. Montage by Steve Stanley.
2005 saw an expanded Dukesfest as the show went back on the air with CMT - running it weeknights at 6pm and 10pm respectively. Warner Brothers began working on a new movie with an all new cast and released it in August 2005. It seemed "Dukes" was everywhere and Dukes of Hazzard t-shirts could be found at Wal-Mart for the first time since the 1980s. Merchandising began to expand and two different sizes of remote control General Lees debuted that year. CMT became more involved in the Dukesfest event and even searched for a "Vice-President of the Dukes of Hazzard Institute" to be announced at Dukesfest. A relatively unknown Dukes fan was chosen for the $100,000 a year position - and as best we can figure was never heard from again. The show went very well that year - and fans got the opportunity to see some fantastic musical acts including Shooter Jennings. Photos by Cousin Don.
Dukesfest rolled into Nashville, Tennessee for the 2006 event and filled the fairgrounds beyond capacity. With the show drawing ratings on CMT like it was in Prime Time - seems everyone wanted to be a part of "The Dukes of Hazzard" that weekend. For the first time the cast had an indoor signing area, Corey Eubanks performed a record jump that flew, flew and flew (it landed the next weekend after Dukesfest we hear) and Tom Wopat made his first Dukesfest appearence ever. Photos by Cousin Don
In early June 2007, Dukesfest remained in Nashville. The lovely people at the track were organized and professional and Dukesfest expanded to include a tribute to Waylon Jennings (even displaying his General Lee). John Schneider screened "Collier and Co". (see website) and offered it at the event for the first time ever on DVD. Wrestling and Cale Yarborough joined in the fun and James Best (Rosco P.Coltrane) publically displayed and sold his "Impressions of Hazzard" art collection for the first time. To wrap things up Ben Jones officially passed the torch to John Schneider onstage and things came full circle for Dukesfest! Join us for our next show in 2008! Buy Tickets!
