FLAT TOP, WV (WVNS) — For nearly one hundred years, the Lilly Family has held their reunion on Flat Top Mountain in Mercer County.
27th annual John Henry Days offers a fun and unique weekend to celebrate southern WV This year’s reunion promises to be just as welcoming and entertaining as those from years past.
The Lilly Family is so vast, they decided nearly one hundred years ago they needed their own campground to host their reunions.
Every reunion since has seen dozens to hundreds or even thousands of Lillys and their friends set up on the grounds.
Eddie Lilly is the vice president of the reunion and said he wants to get this event hopping like it was back in its heyday.
“In 2009, we were in the Guinness Book of World Records for most attended reunion in one day.” said Lilly. “The reunion started in 1929 and it’s still going on…I wanna see this place so packed it’s hard to move.”
An event this large takes a lot of hard work and does not happen overnight.
Lilly said they begin having meetings with the Board of Directors for the reunion in March and meet once a month until a week before the event.
Then, it is all hands on deck to help get things finished up.
“Our biggest thing is the grounds; making sure all the grounds are nicely cut and everything. We start in March. We start cutting the grass and weed eating. Any of the buildings that need to be maintained and anything that needs to be fixed- we fix it,” said Lilly.
Feeding and providing a bit of shade for all of those people takes effort – not to mention upkeep of the stage where live music will be playing for nearly the entire reunion.
Spook-filled week takes over Greenbrier County Scout Day Camp Gunner Lilly, a Lilly family grandson, looks forward to one thing every time he attends the reunion.
“I like to see my cousins,” Gunner exclaimed. However, things get a bit hazy when you ask him how many cousins he has.
“I have no clue,” Gunner replied.
The Lilly Family Reunion kicks off at 5 in the evening on Friday, July 12, 2024 with a $10 all you can eat country buffet.
The following Saturday and Sunday at the reunion are free to all who want to be an adopted Lilly for the weekend.
The Lilly Family Reunion Grounds are located at 314 Ellison Ridge Road in Flat Top, West Virginia.
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