LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Live music, free prizes and best of all, Ruth Hunt Candy. Ruth Tharpe Hunt began serving sweets to her bridge club in 1921. She then started a small candy business and now, she has made her lasting impact 103 years later.
Aug. 5, 2024, is now declared by Mayor Linda Gorton, Ruth Hunt Candy Day in Lexington.
Not only is this a celebration of Ruth Hunt, but also a way to give back to the community that has been so supportive for so long. In addition, it is also a way to shed light on other women-owned and operated businesses in Kentucky.
Everybody who stopped by today could enter a drawing to win prizes from these businesses. This is a way to share community and allow for the event to be a networking opportunity, as well as a celebration.
But of course, you can’t stop by Ruth Hunt Candy store without picking up some candy. Customers, new and old, came to grab some of their favorite sweets.
"I love those pulled cream taffies they got,” said Randall Hagan, a costumer. “I get a one-pound or a three-pound tub, and you just can't buy them quick enough."
And as delicious as the candy smells, the aroma of the grill outside nearly overtook the candy store, as employees were grilling hamburgers and hot dogs. Customers could stop by and pick up lunch, to fill their stomachs and also, the hearts of families. All of the proceeds from the lunch will be going to Pinky’s Promise, a local cancer charity based out of Mt. Sterling.
“One of our Ruth Hunt employees, Stacy White, started this in honor of her mother. All of the money goes to families who are dealing with the financial strain that cancer can put on a family,” said Rylee Stafford, the manager of Lexington Ruth Hunt Candy. "A hamburger or a hot dog today, all that money goes to help those families out.”
The two locations in Lexington and Mt. Sterling are open every day of the week.
