Rocktoberfest

Annual rock-climbing festival held in Kentucky’s Red River Gorge. The festival is organized by the Red River Climbers’ Coalition (RRGCC) and serves as their largest annual fundraiser. RRGCC provides public climbing access at their three Recreational Preserves, totaling roughly 1,100 acres, in the Red River Gorge. The festival began in 2001 and had over 2,000 participants in 2025. In 2025, Rocktoberfest participant expenditures totaled $460K, supporting $116K in labor income for Red River Gorge region (which here includes Estill, Lee, Menifee, Powell, and Wolfe Counties) and Commonwealth residents.