Mary Breckinridge Festival

Hyden, Kentucky, although a small town, has a great history and heritage. This is the birthplace of midwifery and family nursing in America. Mary Breckinridge, the founder of the Frontier Nursing Service came to Leslie County in 1925 to realize her vision, to establish a healthcare system which provides quality healthcare services to the families of this rural, underserved area, an area with few roads and no physicians, where horseback was the only mode of travel.

For the care of the mother and child, she also created the concept of nurse-midwifery in the United States, right here in Hyden. Today, the Frontier School of Midwifery and Family Nursing is the largest and foremost midwifery educational facility in the United States.

The local population is very proud of this exceptional heritage and celebrates Mrs. Mary Breckinridge every year the first Saturday in October with a full day festival, starting with a parade with floats and special vehicles, continuing with multiple educational, cultural, and entertainment events. Not only do local residents enjoy the festival, but visitors from other counties and states travel to Hyden to participate in the events. The festival is always held on the first weekend in October.