Cooters Last Stand proves Hazzard County is a ‘state of mind’
(LURAY, VIRGINIA) According to Ben Jones, who played “Cooter” the beloved mechanic on the ever popular television series “The Dukes of Hazzard”, there is going to be quite a shindig…
(LURAY, VIRGINIA) According to Ben Jones, who played “Cooter” the beloved mechanic on the ever popular television series “The Dukes of Hazzard”, there is going to be quite a shindig in “Hazzard County” on the weekend of July 29th and 30th. That’s when “Cooter’s Last Stand” takes place at Cooter’s in the Valley, near Luray, Virginia.
“Hazzard County is a state of mind,” says Jones, who at 75 is still going strong and still having fun with the continuing popularity of “The Dukes”. “Cooter’s Last Stand” may be one of the biggest things we have produced,” he says.
In 1999, Jones and his wife, Broadway publicist Alma Viator, opened the first “Cooter’s” venue in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. They also own and operate “Cooter’s” stores and museums in Gatlinburg, Tennessee and Nashville, Tennessee.
Our stores and festivals try to reflect the good times and old fashioned family values of “The Dukes,” says Viator. “We use Uncle Jesse’s rules, no drinkin’, no cussin’, and no fightin’. We have families coming from all over the United States and from a number of foreign countries. ‘The Dukes of Hazzard’ is a family favorite all over the planet.”
This year’s event will feature appearances by John Schneider (Bo), Tom Wopat (Luke), Catherine Bach (Daisy), Sonny Shroyer (Enos), Rick Hurst (Cletus), and Don Pedro Colley (Sheriff Little).
In addition, there will be a two-day music festival, car and bicycle stunts, a Civil War battle re-enactment, professional wrestling, and a Hazzard County car show featuring almost 200 General Lees, the 1969 Dodge Charger that was also a star of the show.
“We’ve been in America’s hearts for almost 40 years now,” says Jones. “We want our last festival to be a special ‘thank you’ to the world’s greatest fans.”
That’s not bad for a mid-season replacement show that the critic for the Los Angeles Times said “would not last past the first commercial break.”
Tickets are on sale now at https://cootersplace.com/. Event hours are:
Saturday – 9 am to 9:30 pm
Sunday – 9 am to 6 pm
Parking will be free in adjacent pastures, with shuttles to the field.
“Cooter’s Last Stand” will be held on the grounds of Cooter’s in the Valley, located at 4768 U.S. Highway 211 in Luray, Virginia.For more information visit the website https://cootersplace.com/ or call(540) 843-2515.
