Published: June 13, 2008 09:52 am      

Summer Fest kicks off

Cars, kids and cornhole highlight event

By Brad Hicks / Staff Writer

The 2008 Summer Fest took place in downtown Barbourville Thursday night, and the event truly had something for everyone.

Courthouse square was surrounded by not only classic cars, but booths offering attendees the chance to do everything from learn more about local organization to play cornhole and from a “Guitar Hero” competition to checking out pets for adoption. Folks even had the chance to put a local elected official in the dunk tank.

There was live music at every turn, as well as concessions.

Even with the other festivities taking place, it was the prospect of free oil and gas that lured Assistant Knox County Attorney Chip Smith to the “Are You Smarter than a 5th Grader?” booth.

His first time up, he was out after the third question. The second go-round, he breezed through the questions until he got to the subject of English.

“This is the one that shot me down last time,” he said.

The question was “What is the right side of a ship known as?”

Student Zachary Deaton had the answer, though, and bailed Smith out with the correct response — starboard.

“How’d you know that?” Smith asked Deaton

“My sister’s in the coast guard,” Deaton said.

After this, Smith again eased through questions, reaching the $300,000 plateau. Those making it to $1 million would win the free fuel and oil change.

Social studies was up next and the question was “What group in Washington, D.C. makes the laws?”

Though the question was about law, it would hardly be a shoe-in for the attorney.

A check of student Chandler Smith’s answer confirmed what Chip Smith believed, and, after some deliberation, he gave his final answer.

“Legislators,” he said.

Congress was the correct answer.

“Legislators, Congress ... I want a judge’s opinion on that,” he said.

Although he was close, Smith was unable to prove himself smarter than a fifth-grader, but he took things in stride.

“It was better this time,” he said. “The first time, I got knocked out after the third question.”