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Miley Cyrus may never have showed up in person to the Foothills Fall Festival on Saturday, but she was certainly there in spirit.

Cyrus -- the superstar daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus who's best known as the teen and tween sensation Hannah Montana -- was a no-show during her daddy's early evening set at Theater in the Park in downtown Maryville, but fans of the Cyrus family duo held out hope that she might show up.

"I really hope she's here," said 15-year-old Erica Malone, a student of Maryville Middle School who pushed as close as possible to the stage when Cyrus (the elder) started his performance. "If she comes out on stage, I'm probably going to pee my pants."

As the sun started to sink on Saturday's portion of the ninth annual Foothills Fall Festival, Blount County -- or at least Theater in the Park, where thousands packed the field and hills surrounding the amphitheater itself -- experienced something akin to Beatlemania. Only this time, it was Miley-mania, and to a lesser extent, the Billy Ray-mania.

Despite the former's absence on the program, despite assurances to the press from her dad's publicist that Miley wouldn't be accompanying him to Maryville, despite the noticeable lack of security and superstar pomp-and-circumstance backstage, Hannah Montana fans were out in full force, crossing their fingers that their hero might just pop in for an impromptu duet.

Alexis and Savannah Pruitt, 10-year-old twins from Newport, waited in Hannah Montana T-shirts for Billy Ray to take the stage. Although they've attended the festival in previous years, Cyrus was the clincher for their attendance this time. And while they're fans of his music, they were convinced his daughter would be on hand to steal the show.

"I think she'll come out," Savannah Pruitt said, her face a brightly colored paint job from time spent in Children's Adventure Land. "I think she's backstage, or on the tour bus, waiting to come out and sing with her daddy."

Unfortunately, Cyrus arrived by limo, having flown into McGhee Tyson for the show, and was headed back out in the same manner, according to a representative with his label Lyric Street Records who was in attendance. And while an incognito teenager wasn't spotted sneaking around backstage, Cyrus certainly promoted his daughter's career from the stage as much as his own -- he told about how he wrote "Ready, Set, Don't Go" -- recorded as a duet with Miley -- about her, and he mentioned that the new Hannah Montana film would be in theaters on April 10.

Of course, Hannah Montana devotees weren't the only fans in attendance on Saturday, and the ones who were weren't limited to the teenage set. Jessica Rickman of Knoxville watches the "Hannah Montana" TV show with her 2-year-old daughter -- and enjoys it. She used to make fun of her best friend for watching, she said, but once she tuned in herself, she became addicted.

"It's a funny show, and I've been a Billy Ray Cyrus fan since I was little," she said. "I used to have an 'Achy Breaky Heart' T-shirt."

Cyrus first gained fame for the runaway country smash in 1992. The album featuring it, "Some Gave All," would go on to sell almost 10 million copies, and while the single experienced something of a backlash for its country-pop effervescence, many at Saturday's Foothills Fall Festival still have fond memories of the song.

"'Achy Breaky Heart' and 'Romeo' -- those are classics," said 24-year-old Heather Howard of Seymour, in attendance with Jefferson County resident Jessica Childers. "We used to sing 'Achy Breaky Heart' in our elementary school chorus. We always thought he was hot back then, and he's still got some moves -- we've been watching him do some pelvic thrusts up there. He's still got some moves, and his hair is gorgeous. He looks good for an older man."

The hair -- dirty blond, shoulder length and slick with sweat in the Saturday afternoon heat -- was a hit for a lot of the ladies (and girls). Malone, who came with classmates Ashley Sparks, 13, and Megan MacKenzie, 14, described it as "pretty much amazing," and when Cyrus mentioned Maryville by name, she squealed.

"He just said the name of our town!" she said.

"My heart is beating so fast," added Sparks.

Ten-year-old Emily Lovegrove of Montvale Elementary was up front with her mother, Sheri Lovegrove, and 5-year-old friend Kera James. The younger ones hoped for glimpse of the mythical starlet, while mom was reliving her youth.

"I remember in high school, I was in the flag corps, and the band had a routine to 'Achy Breaky Heart,'" said Lovegrove, a 1993 graduate of Heritage High. When pressed, she sheepishly admitted to being a Hannah Montana fan as well.

"It's comical," she said. "The banter is funny, and I recognize the sarcasm between parent and daughter in our own conversations. It's just a good show."

While the children crossed their fingers that Miley might make an appearance, the adults -- and even some of the children -- were happy just to enjoy another day of top-notch entertainment in Maryville. Carol Burlison of Maryville, attending with her 5-year-old daughter Madison, a student at Eagleton Elementary, was there for Billy Ray, and the bond she and her daughter share over the Cyrus family made the festival even more special.

"I think it's exciting that so many younger fans like him now," she said. "The good stay good."

Krista Nolan, who turns 9 today, even got her birthday wish fulfilled -- she stood at the front of the meet-and-greet line to pose for a picture with Billy Ray, and whether Miley was in attendance or not, it didn't matter, she said.

"I'm a fan of both, but he's on the 'Hannah Montana' TV show, and he writes all of the songs," she said. "I really like his music, and when I found out he wrote all the songs, I liked him even more. He's a good songwriter and a good singer, and without him, there would be no Hannah Montana or Miley Cyrus."