Welcome to the Top 10 Events in Kentucky
Explore the selection of the top 10 annual events and festivals, fairs and celebrations (listed in calendar priority) in Kentucky including events in Louisville, Paducah and Covington.The Kentucky Derby and Derby Festival
May
Louisville, Kentucky
The Kentucky Derby Festival is Kentucky's largest annual event and one of the nation’s finest celebrations. Each year, more than 1.5 million people enjoy the 70 special events of this annual civic celebration including concerts, races and just plain fun.
Beginning with Derby Festival Opening Ceremonies: Thunder Over Louisville, and continuing through the two weeks before the Kentucky Derby, the Derby Festival brings Metro Louisville to life. All of the Festival’s 70 events are held within the Metro Louisville area, most of them downtown.
For more information visit: www.kdf.org
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE KENTUCKY DERBY AND DERBY FESTIVALAmerican Quilter’s Society National Quilt Show
April
Paducah, Kentucky
Paducah is a mecca for quilters and quilt enthusiasts during the American Quilter's Society Annual Quilt Show & Contest each April.
In addition to the juried exhibit of the finest workmanship and most creative quilts in the world, the festival features a merchant mall, workshops and special events throughout the community.
With extended hours during the AQS Quilt Show week, internationally recognized Museum of the American Quilter's Society highlights the vigorous international rebirth of quilt making that began in the 1970s.
For more information visit: www.americanquilter.com/shows_contests
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE AMERICAN QUILTER'S SOCIETY NATIONAL QUILT SHOWHillbilly Days
Mid April
Pikeville, Kentucky
For more than 30 years Shriners from all over North America have descended on Pikeville to dress up as hillbillies, join the parade and raise money for crippled children.
Hillbilly Days, made possible because of the efforts of the Shriners, the Pike County Chamber of Commerce, Pike County Government, City of Pikeville and local volunteers, transforms downtown Pikeville into one of the most unique festivals in the country.
For more information visit: www.hillbillydays.com/
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT HILLBILLY DAYSInternational Bar-B-Q Festival
May
Owensboro, Kentucky
In mid-May each year, Owensboro comes to life with the wonderful smells and sounds of the International Bar-B-Q Festival. Smoke from hickory-stoked fires, and the mouthwatering smells of barbecued chicken and lamb compete to please the senses.
Events include a golf scramble, beer plaza, live entertainment, pie eating contest, cooking team balloon toss, and even a sock hop.
For more information visit: www.bbqfest.com/
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL BAR-B-Q FESTIVALGreat American Brass Band Festival
Mid June
Danville, Kentucky
Hosted by Danville's hometown band - the Advocate Brass Band - Kentucky's free, nonprofit brass band extravaganza is held every year in June.
Festival highlights include continuous music beginning Friday evening with more than a dozen brass bands, parade, decorator picnic, a fireworks extravaganza and concludes with the annual Great American Balloon Race at the Danville-Boyle County Airport.
For more information visit: www.gabbf.org/
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE GREAT AMERICAN BRASS BAND FESTIVALMainStrasse Village Oktoberfest
September
Covington, Kentucky
MainStrasse Village Oktoberfest, awarded the "2011 Southeast Tourism Society Top 20 Festival for September 2011" award and the "Kentucky Tourism's Top Ten 2010 Fall Festivals" award, attracts 125,000 attendees including families and travelers from throughout the Midwest to join with local crowds in enjoying this festival.
A great mix of German and international foods, music and arts and crafts this popular festival takes place in historic MainStrasse Village, Covington, Kentucky.
MainStrasse Village is a designated national historic district that is the home of Old World charm and New World fun with a unique variety of shops, restaurants, pubs and entertainment.
For more information visit: www.mainstrasse.org/
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE MAINSTRASSE VILLAGE OKTOBERFEST
Kentucky Bourbon Festival
September
Bardstown, Kentucky
Selected as one of Southeast Tourism Society’s Top 20 Events for the month of September 2008, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival celebrates one of the world's finest spirits in the Bourbon Capital of the World.
The Kentucky Bourbon Festival is a five day festival of smooth Bourbon, delicious food, and great entertainment. Events include live entertainment, black tie galas, flower festival, historical tours of the streets of historical Bardstown, demonstrations, golf tournament, horseshoe pitch and more.
For more information visit: www.kybourbonfestival.com/
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE KENTUCKY BOURBON FESTIVALWorld Chicken Festival
End of September
London, Kentucky
Kentucky is home to the first Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, established by Colonel Sanders in the 1940s. His nephew, Lee Cummings, also began his career, in 1952, in Kentucky.
The World Chicken Festival pays tribute to this heritage. Voted as one of the Kentucky Tourism Council's "Top Ten" Events and the Southeast Tourism Society "Top 20" Events, the annual World Chicken Festival has also been voted "Best Festival In State" by Kentucky Monthly Magazine.
More than 250,000 people attend the four-day event each year. Attractions include cooking contests, live entertainment, sports competitions, parades and a car show.
For more information visit: www.chickenfestival.com
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE KENTUCKY WORLD CHICKEN FESTIVALJerusalem Ridge Festival
September / October
Rosine, Kentucky
An annual festival where fans and musicians gather to play and listen to traditional bluegrass music, and to honor and remember Bill Monroe who made it all possible.
The festival, running for four full days, is held on Jerusalem Ridge, just outside Rosine, Kentucky, where Bill, Charlie and Birch Monroe grew up and learned the roots of what was to eventually evolve into what we know as "bluegrass" music.
For more information visit:
www.jerusalemridgefestival.org/about_jerusalem_ridge
St James Court Art Show
end September / beginning October
Louisville, Kentucky
The St James Court Art Show is a juried fine arts and fine crafts show.
Always held on the first full weekend of October, it hosts an impressive 750 artists from North America, and takes place in the heart of historic Old Louisville among the country's largest collection of Victorian homes.
The fair has for over five decades provided the neighborhood, city and state with a rich cultural and artistic legacy. It has also been ranked as #1 in the nation by Sunshine Artist Magazine, and is consistently voted as one of the top festival destinations in the US.
For more information visit: www.stjamescourtartshow.com/
OR ... TAKE A LOOK AT THE TOP EVENTS USA FEATURE PROFILE ABOUT THE ST JAMES COURT ART SHOW
