Things to do in Bowling Green
Things to do in Bowling Green, newest first: events, festivals, parks and family days out, with dates, times and the organizer's own link.
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Harvest Festival fills downtown Bowling Green Saturday
The free Downtown BGKY Harvest Festival runs 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, with 300-plus vendors, 100-plus food trucks and an hourly pumpkin drop.
Plan your weekend
Things to do
Things to do in Bowling Green this month: October 2026
October in Bowling Green: the Scarecrow Trail to Oct. 25, pumpkin weekends, Nostalgia Fall Classic Oct. 16-18, Brewfest and Pride Oct. 24, bg26.2 Oct. 31.
Trails
Parks and trails in Bowling Green
Bowling Green's city parks: Kereiakes, Lampkin, Preston Miller, the Riverwalk, Hills Bark dog park, boat ramps and greenways. Hours and addresses. 270-393-3249.
Halloween
Trick-or-treat hours in Bowling Green 2026
Halloween is Saturday, Oct. 31. Bowling Green had not set 2026 trick-or-treat hours as of Oct. 12. Scarecrow Trail, Spirit of Riverview and Boo Bash dates.
Fall
Fall festivals and pumpkin patches in Bowling Green 2026
Jackson's Orchard Pumpkin Festival weekends run to Oct. 24-25; Lost River Cave's Scarecrow Trail to Oct. 25. Brewfest Oct. 24 and more fall events.
Christmas
Bowling Green Christmas parade and tree lighting 2026
The Jaycees Christmas Parade is 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, downtown. Fountain Square Park lights at 5:30 p.m. and the community tree at 6 p.m. Dec. 4.
Fourth of July
Bowling Green Fourth of July fireworks 2027
Bowling Green's Fourth of July: Thunderfest at Ephram White Park, Beech Bend and Hot Rods fireworks. City rules: fireworks noon to 11 p.m. July 4, 18 and up.
Halloween
Halloween events in Bowling Green 2026
Halloween 2026 in Bowling Green: Jaycees trunk-or-treat Oct. 17, Halloween at the Ballpark Oct. 22, Beech Bend and Skeleton's Lair haunts through Oct. 31.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving in Bowling Green 2026: turkey trot, meals, closings
Thanksgiving is Thursday, Nov. 26. The 40th Great Turkey 5K starts 8 a.m. at Kereiakes Park. Free meals, what is closed and trash pickup changes.
Black Friday
Black Friday and holiday shopping in Bowling Green 2026
Black Friday is Nov. 27 and Small Business Saturday Nov. 28. Greenwood Mall hours, holiday markets from GypsyMoon to Merry Market, and downtown parking.
Christmas lights
Holiday lights and Christmas events in Bowling Green 2026
Bowling Green's 2026 holiday lights: Fountain Square Park, Santa's Lookout train rides, the Reindeer Farm from Nov. 15, Santa visits and Christmas shows.
Valentine's Day
Valentine's Day in Bowling Green 2027: events, dinners and ideas
Valentine's Day 2027 is a Sunday. The Father Daughter Ball is Feb. 5-6, Orchestra Kentucky plays SKyPAC Feb. 13, plus the dinners venues held in 2026.
Easter
Easter in Bowling Green 2027: egg hunts, brunch and services
Easter 2027 is Sunday, March 28. Bowling Green's 2026 egg hunts ran from Preston Miller Park to the Ballpark; 2027 dates are added as organizers post them.
Mother's Day
Mother's Day in Bowling Green 2027: brunch, events and gift markets
Mother's Day 2027 is Sunday, May 9. Spring plants at Jackson's Orchard, the Victorian Tea and farm festival held in 2026, spring gift markets and brunch.
Memorial Day
Memorial Day in Bowling Green 2027: ceremonies, closings, trash
Memorial Day is Monday, May 31, 2027. Flags at Fairview Cemetery's Veterans Memorial Plaza, the city pool's opening weekend, closings and trash pickup.
Father's Day
Father's Day in Bowling Green 2027: car shows, drag races, brunch
Father's Day 2027 is Sunday, June 20. The NHRA Hot Rod Reunion filled Father's Day weekend at Beech Bend Raceway in 2026. Car meets, the Corvette Museum, golf.
Labor Day
Labor Day in Bowling Green 2027: events, closings, trash pickup
Labor Day 2027 is Monday, Sept. 6. The city pool's last day, the Corvette Museum's anniversary weekend, Beech Bend hours, closings and trash pickup changes.
Dogs
Dog-friendly Bowling Green: parks, trails, patios and leash rules
Hills Bark Park at H.P. Thomas Park is Bowling Green's off-leash dog park. City leash rules, dog-friendly trails at Lost River Cave and where to ask about patios.
Free
Free things to do in Bowling Green: museums, parks, music, movies
Free things to do in Bowling Green: Hardin Planetarium shows, free movies at The Capitol, Fountain Row Fridays, city parks and greenways, and WKU's white squirrels.
Marathon
bg26.2 marathon in Bowling Green: dates, course, parking
The bg26.2 marathon, half marathon and bg6000 start at 7 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026, at Bowling Green Ballpark. Prices, packet pickup, parking.
Duncan Hines Days
Duncan Hines Days in Bowling Green: dates, events, music fest
Duncan Hines Days is Bowling Green's free week of food, music and downtown events in early June. The 2026 edition ran May 31 to June 6; 2027 dates are not out yet.
Hot Rod Reunion
National Hot Rod Reunion at Beech Bend: dates, tickets, camping
The NHRA National Hot Rod Reunion fills Beech Bend Raceway on Father's Day weekend. 2026 ran June 18-20; 2027 dates are not announced yet.
