WAVE 3 TV Louisville, KY | KKK Not Entirely Welcome At Fairdale Fair

KKK Not Entirely Welcome At Fairdale Fair

By Janelle MacDonald

(FAIRDALE, Ky.) -- When the Fairdale Fair kicks off at the end of September, it could have some uninvited and some say unwanted guests. The Ku Klux Klan says it has plans to march in the fair's parade on Saturday, September 23rd. WAVE 3's Janelle MacDonald investigates.

The KKK sees the Fairdale parade as an opportunity.

During a phone conversation, a spokesman told me it would take them days, even months, to spread their message as far as they could with one appearance September 23rd.

But Fair Board Chairwoman Jean Elzy says the parade is more than just a forum for the KKK. "The parade is a community event. It's a private event. It's a positive activity for us, for the fair."

Elzy says that means Klansmen aren't welcome.

"We just don't want anyone that doesn't care about the well-being of our community to destroy a community activity that has gone on for 75 years," Elzy said.

Elzy told us the Klan -- as well as a few Nazi groups -- submitted three applications to be in the fair parade. All applications were denied.

However, in an email to WAVE 3, a Klan member who does not give his name says the board unknowingly accepted a fourth application -- submitted under a Fairdale resident's name.

The emailer says he will not be attending because of his job in state government, but names Dale Yates as the leader of the group marching in the parade.

Elzy says if Yates or any other KKK members do show up, they won't be a part of the parade because their application would have been submitted under false pretenses. "We'll be there when they line up for the parade, and we'll just go down the lineup, you know, and we do have security there."

Elzy told me the Klan threatened to show up for last year's parade after its application was denied, but that never happened.

I talked to Metro Police Officer Danny Butler, who works in the Intelligence Division. He says that sounds about right for the Klan. Butler says they talked about two rallies last month at Iroquois Park and Jefferson Memorial Forest and then no one showed up.

He doesn't expect anyone to show up for the fair parade either. However, he says metro police will be prepared with extra officers, just in case.

Online Reporter: Janelle MacDonald

Online Producer: Michael Dever