Owensboro will become the world’s sports stage this July as Visit Owensboro is proud to unveil the first annual Bluegrass Clash Sports Summit. The Sports Summit will feature two weekends full of 11 athletic events taking place on July 10-12 and July 17-19. An estimated total of over 4,300 athletes are expected to be in town alongside their families between the two weeks, with Owensboro continuing to excel as a sports tourism destination. Visit Owensboro is excited to announce the lineup of sporting events that will be in the Owensboro-Daviess County area across the two weekends. From world championships to regional action, there is something for everyone. Whether you’re a polished veteran or a weekend warrior, both young and old can take part in the action. The events for the two weekends are as follows:
- USSSA Baseball Banana Extravaganza (July 10-12): A youth baseball tournament with an exciting theme and a fun twist. Hosted by 3Up3Down Baseball @ Jack C. Fisher Park
- Owensboro Open Tennis Tournament (July 10-12): An open-format tennis tournament for various age groups. Hosted by Brescia Tennis @ Merchant Centre Courts & William H “Bill” Thompson Courts
- Bourbon and Bowling (July 11-12): A weekend of bowling featuring a high school-aged event as well as an adult tournament that is part of the Tri-State Tour. Hosted by Diamond Lanes South
- Bluegrass Clash Open Disc Golf Tournament (July 11-12): A professional and amateur PDGA-sanctioned competition. Hosted by Strong Side Disc Golf @ Panther Creek Park & Yellow Creek Park
- Rudy Rumble Trail Run (July 11): 6.2-mile (10 K) trail race with a youth run to begin the day. Hosted @ Rudy Mines
- Battle on the Bluegrass Taekwondo Competition (July 11): Hosted by Master Jones Martial Arts
- Bluegrass Mountain Cup Race (July 12): Mountain biking trail race. Hosted @ Rudy Mines
- The Forge Challenge (July 18): Run and strength race build for everyday athletes. Hosted by Edge Body Boot Camp at the Owensboro Sportscenter
- Dust Bowl Basketball Tournament (July 18-26): The historic community interactive basketball tournament featuring hoops, music, food, and vendors. Hosted @ Kendall Perkins Park
- ACO Cornhole World Championships (July 16-25): American Cornhole Organization’s World Championships. Hosted @ the Owensboro Convention Center
- USSSA Adult Slowpitch Softball Tournament (July 18-19): Hosted by USSSA Softball @ Jack C. Fisher Park
Visit Owensboro has worked in collaboration with the City of Owensboro, Owensboro Parks and Recreation, Oak View Group, Daviess County, and Daviess County Parks and Recreation to bring this wide variety of events to local facilities. Friday After 5 and The Eric Group have rolled out an exciting lineup of live music for the two weekends. July 11 will feature a free concert by Sushi Roll, a nationally touring party band known for its high-energy performances, in McConnell Plaza. The following weekend, the 5th Annual Downtown Summer Jam returns July 18 with Paradise Kitty, an all-female Guns N’ Roses tribute act. Both concerts will run from 7-10 p.m. Both events are free to the public, and a limited number of VIP reserved tables are also available for the Downtown Summer Jam, which are now available for purchase. Heath Eric, CEO of The Eric Group, said both acts were selected to create unique downtown entertainment experiences while helping support tourism and local businesses. Athletes, families, and community members are encouraged to take in the riverfront entertainment and activities throughout the weekends as Holes to Go Owensboro Mini Golf, Maui’s Indoor Theme Park, River City Pickleball Club, and Lucky’s Cornhole will be working with Visit Owensboro to provide activities alongside a lineup of excellent food and beverage options.
“We are very excited for the first edition of the Bluegrass Clash as a true celebration of the sports destination that Owensboro is,” Lucas Daunhauer of Visit Owensboro said, “Our community partners do a phenomenal job driving sports tourism in our city and county, and we hope these two weekends are a reflection and celebration of that. Hosting 11 sporting events across two weekends is no small task, and we can’t thank our local facilities enough. Athletes are encouraged to check out all the competition hosts’ pages and get involved. There is something for every athlete!”
