By Christopher Harris
If you ’ re enjoying the last days of summer on the lake around Labor Day and see fireworks in the sky , don ’ t worry , you haven ’ t time traveled back to July 4 . It ’ s just Thunder over Burnside . The City of Burnside stumbled onto the idea of a Labor Day weekend event in 2020 by necessity , as COVID precautions resulted in the city not holding its annual Independence Day fireworks show . To try to still have festivities while waiting until a potentially safer date , Burnside pushed the event back to September instead .
It worked so well that they ’ ve stayed with the concept , separating their fireworks show from others in the county and letting “ Thunder ” serve as a sort of end-of-the-tourism-season bash in “ the only town on Lake Cumberland .”
This year , Burnside has swung for the fences in terms of musical entertainment , and hit a home run . The iconic country and rock band Exile will take the stage on Friday , September 2 , the first of two days full of fun in and around Burnside ’ s Cole Park .
A band with Kentucky roots , Exile has been active since 1963 , and had their biggest hit with “ Kiss You All Over ” in 1978 . Other well-known tunes include “ Woke Up in Love , “ I Don ’ t Want to Be a Memory ,” and “ I Can ’ t Get Close Enough .”
Exile entered the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame in 2013 , and toured with Dick Clark ’ s Caravan of Stars in their early days . The band , formerly known as The Exiles , formed in Richmond , but played often in Somerset in the 1960s , becoming well known to local fans of the popular music at the time .
Marlon Hargis , a Pulaski County High School alum , eventually became part of the band , and still plays keyboards for them . In 2014 , Exile played in Somerset and was given a ceremonial key to the city .
Burnside Mayor Robert Lawson is excited to have Exile coming to “ the only town on Lake
AT LEFT : Cole Park Fireworks in 2019 Photo by Chris Harris
F R I D A Y S A T U R D A Y
SEPTEMBER 2ND SEPTEMBER 3RD
Tickets VIP Weekend Pass - $ 65 Friday VIP - $ 50 l Friday General Admission - $ 25 Saturday VIP - $ 35 l Saturday Adult General Admission - $ 15 l Saturday Child General Admission - $ 10
Stay & Play Lake Cumberland Region - Summer # 2 2022 35