Big Weekend!

Pumpkins, BBQ, Zombies, Classic Mustangs, Symphony! This weekend in Owensboro is packed with events to enjoy.

On Friday and Saturday, head to the Sportscenter for the Owensboro Pumpkinfest. This great family-friendly festival features the Pumpkin Princess Pageant, live entertainment, rides, food vendors, and this year the 5K Zombie Run on Saturday night at 10 p.m. Sponsored by WBKR, this promises to be a fun way to spend the weekend!

Diamond Lake Resort brings Grillin & Chillin BBQ Cookoff back for 2012! This competition, sanctioned by the Kansas City BBQ Society, is the Kentucky State Championship. Over 48 of the best cooking teams from several states will compete for over $10,000 in prize money.

Saturday at Champion Ford on Southtown Boulevard, check out the classic cars for the annual Mustang Round Up. The car show is open to all years & models of Ford Mustangs and includes Shriner Clowns, Domino's Pizza, door prizes, a silent auction, food & beverages. The show runs from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday evening is the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra's Opening Night for their 2012/2013 season. "The Magic of Mystique" features The Ahn Trio performing "Gypsy Fiddler" as well as other musical selections. The concert takes place in RiverPark Center's Cannon Hall at 7:30 p.m.

Get your Buffalo Dinner tickets by calling our office. Generously sponsored by Champion Ford, the dinner is at the Pioneer Village at Yellow Creek Park on Friday, September 14 from 6-9 p.m. It includes pit-roasted buffalo, corn on the cob, and roasted rosemary potatoes, plus soft drinks and iced tea. Randy Lanham will be providing live music. This is gonna be fun, folks! Call us at 270-926-1100. Only a limited amount of tickets will be sold!

Smothers Park Grand Re-Opening This Week!

Join the party downtown as the Owensboro Parks Department and the City of Owensboro re-opens the beautiful new riverfront Smothers Park!

The park will contain an iconic fountain, Lazy Dayz (an outdoor children's museum & playground), a spray park, and the new home of the Col. Charles Shelton Freedom Memorial.

Festivities begin on Thursday, August 23, with the rededication of the Shelton Memorial at 7 p.m.

On Friday, live entertainment by Mudd River Union on the River Overlook is provided from 5-10 p.m. At 5:30 p.m., the Playground and Spraypark will be officially opened. At 6 p.m., the Launching of the Fountains takes place. The entertainment continues with Friday After 5 at RiverPark Center from 6-10 p.m.

Saturday morning, from 8-11 a.m., visit the Owensboro Regional Airport to get a close-up view of aircraft and talk with the pilots who will be performing at the Owensboro Air Show, beginning at 1 p.m. over the Ohio River.

It's a great weekend to be downtown to help us celebrate the long-awaited re-opening of our Riverfront!

Pinta and Nina Docked at English Park

The Ohio Riverfront will come alive with history and the promise of the future in Owensboro in August! Two great events will coincide to make the downtown exciting.

From Friday, August 17 through Sunday, August 26, replicas of Columbus’ ships, the Pinta and Nina will be docked at English Park. These hand-built replicas will be available daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for self-guided tours. Cost is $8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $6 for students aged 5-16. Teachers or organizations can schedule 30-minute guided tours for groups by calling 787-672-2152.

On August 23-25, the City of Owensboro will celebrate the Grand Re-Opening of Smothers Park downtown on the riverfront.  Events take place all three days, including the rededication of the Col. Charles Shelton Freedom Memorial on Thursday at 7 p.m. On Friday beginning at 5 p.m. with live entertainment on the River Overlook, the Playground and Spraypark will open at 5:30, the Fountain will be launched at 6 p.m. Continue enjoying the downtown excitement at Friday After Five that evening with the Louisville Crashers on the BB&T Plaza, Woodabenz, and a Street Fair celebrating the Grand Reopening.

On Saturday, August 25, the festivities end in spectacular fashion with the Owensboro Air Show, featuring vintage aircraft and amazing aerobatic maneuvers over the Ohio River beginning at 1 p.m. Prior to the air show, people can met the pilots and view the aircraft at the Owensboro Regional Airport from 8-11 a.m.