About

Owensboro is Kentucky’s fourth-largest city, nestled on a scenic bend of the Ohio River in western Kentucky.

Owensboro is the culinary and cultural hub of western Kentucky, with a wide variety of wonderfully delicious, locally owned restaurants and a thriving arts community. No trip to Owensboro is complete without enjoying Owensboro’s signature hickory-smoked barbecue mutton and flavorful burgoo, sampling some of Kentucky’s finest bourbons, and exploring our ties to the roots of bluegrass music.

Take in a Broadway show or an Owensboro Symphony Orchestra concert at RiverPark Center. Explore the renowned collections at the Owensboro Museum of Fine Art and Owensboro Museum of Science and History, or Enjoy nature’s beauty at the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden

Owensboro hosts more than 20 annual festivals, including the world-famous International Bar-B-Q Festival, ROMP bluegrass music festival, and the Western Kentucky Botanical Garden Daylily Festival. Along with our fun festivals, there are unique attractions and special events in Owensboro nearly every week of the year.

As the Bluegrass Capital of the world, Owensboro is home to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and Museum, the world’s only facility dedicated to the history and preservation of the history of the genre that originated in western Kentucky. 

Music lovers enjoy several free entertainment options throughout the summer. Most weeks from May through September bring free live music to downtown Owensboro on a variety of riverfront stages. Every Thursday is Downtown Date Night in downtown Owensboro with live music from 6-10 p.m. The Friday After 5 free concert series offers live music on multiple outdoor stages along the riverfront from 5-10 p.m. And on Saturday nights from 7-9 p.m. Live on the Banks brings more free live music to the Smothers Park Overlook.

Owensboro was designated as the Sports Illustrated 50th Anniversary Sportstown for the state of Kentucky for its sports and recreation options. Owensboro offers outstanding facilities and complexes capable of hosting youth and adult tournaments for baseball, softball, soccer, tennis, hockey and more, and individual options include ice skating, disc golf, hiking and trail biking. In short, Owensboro is one of the best places in Kentucky and the U.S. to participate in or watch sporting activities.

Centrally located among numerous midwestern cities, Owensboro’s hospitality, attractions, world-class convention center and extraordinary riverfront make it a winning choice for conventions and meetings of any kind.

We invite you to visit Owensboro and explore everything we have to offer. Please feel free to contact us to experience our famous hospitality.