By Timothy T. Tater, Editor and Chief Spud
The Sweet Potato
(HEIGHTS, Ky.) — In what can only be described as the most ambitious celebration of fried dough in American history, the community of Heights, Kentucky, is gearing up for their inaugural “Donut Days” festival, scheduled for June 5-7, 2026. The event promises to honor their town’s most famous claim to fame: being the birthplace of Krispy Kreme founder Vernon Rudolph.
A Parade Like No Other
The festivities will kick off with what organizers are calling “The Great Glaze Parade,” featuring floats designed to look like giant donuts rolling down U.S. Highway 68. The community marching band “The Heights Hole-Notes” will perform original compositions including “Ode to Jelly-Filled Dreams” and a jazz arrangement of “Donut Stop Believin’.”
The parade’s grand marshal will be 87-year-old Mildred Crullers, whose great-uncle allegedly once sold Vernon Rudolph a bag of flour. “It’s basically like I’m donut royalty,” Crullers explained while adjusting her tiara made entirely of donut holes.
Liquid Innovation Meets Pastry Tradition
Perhaps no event captures the spirit of Heights’ creative ambition quite like the Donut-Flavored Beer Contest. Local brewers have been experimenting with flavors ranging from “Maple Bacon Ale” to the controversial “Chocolate Frosted IPA with Sprinkles.”
Early favorite “Old Fashioned Lager” comes from Heights’ own Hole-in-the-Wall Brewery, whose head brewer, Chuck Yeaster, spent six months perfecting the recipe. “The trick is getting the glazed coating to create just the right amount of head,” Yeaster explained, apparently without irony. “Too much foam and it’s just beer. Too little and you lose that authentic donut shop experience.”
Strength, Wrestling, and Rubber Ball Glory
The festival’s athletic competitions promise to be equally memorable. The strongman contest will feature traditional events like keg lifting, but with a Heights twist: contestants must consume a dozen donuts between each feat of strength. Local favorite “Big Jim” Henderson, who once ate 47 glazed donuts in a single sitting, is considered the odds-on favorite.
Wrestling matches will be held in an inflatable ring shaped like a giant pink donut, with competitors sporting names like “The Boston Cream Crusher” and “Glazed Lightning.” The wrestling federation, calling itself “Dough E(ntertainment),” has already begun selling championship belts made of actual belt buckles welded to donut-shaped metal plates.
But perhaps the most intriguing competition is the Hi-Bounce Ball Championship, where contestants compete in what can only be described as extreme hopscotch meets basketball. The winner receives a cash prize.
The Bottom Line
As Heights prepares for what may be the most deliciously absurd three days in Kentucky history, one thing is clear: this small town is betting big on their sweet spot in American culinary history. Whether Donut Days becomes an annual tradition or a cautionary tale about what happens when civic pride meets sugar rushes remains to be seen.
For more information about this glorious celebration of all things round and fried, residents are encouraged to visit donutdaysdotcom.com, where you can find detailed schedules, competitor registration forms, and what organizers promise will be “the most comprehensive collection of donut puns ever assembled on a single website.”
The Heights Donut Days festival runs June 5-7, 2026. Advanced ticket sales begin January 1, 2026, with early bird specials including a free dozen donuts with every three-day pass purchased.