Paducah Summer Festival: July 23-26

The 43rd Annual Paducah Summer Festival (PSF) starts Thursday, July 23 and parties through the weekend with a much-needed fresh boost, beginning with a change of venue: It’s now on the lawn of the Carson Center!

“We wanted a different look and feel,” says PSF entertainment and operations chair Chuck Tate. “The Carson Center lawn gives us more space, better acoustics and the ability have everything on one location instead of being split because of the flood wall. And we’ve added some exciting new attractions.”

And those new attractions are HOT!:

• The 20/30 Group’s Kickball and Corn Hole Tournaments on the East and West Lawns.
• Budweiser Beer on the Bricks right in front of the Carson Center Box Office.
• Vendors in the parking lot behind Finkels, and on 2nd Street, closed to traffic.
• Williams Family Terrace for sponsors, complete with tables of 10 overlooking the stage and lawn, a cash bar in the Ingram Room, priority parking, indoor restrooms and hosted hors d’oeuvres.   
• 1940s-style USO Dance, in partnership with Legacy Personal Care Home
• Summer Festival After Hours right after the fireworks, with DJ Urban Kobbb and Tony Foo Yong providing the beats.
• Festival Finale Bike Ride with Bikeworld

Here’s the latest band run-down — the stage will be in front of the locomotive on Water Street. Check back as the schedule may change.

Thursday, July 23

Jennifer Fox and the Pillow Fighters, 6:30 p.m.

Caitlin Crosby, 7:45 p.m.
Caitlin is an actress, singer and songwriter. And she has a new CD out!

Friday, July 24

The Union Suit, 6:30 p.m.

USO Dance, 7-10 p.m.
Held at the Legacy Care Center
4747 Alben Barkley Dr. (across from WKCTC)
Live musical entertainment by David Estes. Free, with refreshments sold to benefit the Alzheimer’s Association. Dress in 1940s style!

The Elmwood Band, 7:45 p.m.

Saturday, July 25

Kidz Day Passport to the World, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Held on the National Quilt Museum lawn

John Tate, Noon

The 20/30 Group Kickball Invitational, Noon
East and West Carson Center lawns.

• Noon-12:30 p.m. McMurry & Livingston vs Denton & Keuler
• 12:45-1:15 p.m. Paducah Renaissance Alliance vs Paducah CVB
• 1:30-2 p.m. 20/30 Group vs Paducah Fire Department
• 2:15-2:45 p.m. Regions Bank vs Paducah Bank
• 3-3:30 p.m. Bristol Broadcasting vs WPSD
• 3:45-4:15 p.m. 20/30 Group vs 40/50 Group

A.T.O.M. (A Theory of Music), 1:30 p.m.

Buffalo Theory, 3 p.m.

Colgate Country Showdown, 5 p.m.

And Darren Warren at 8:45 p.m.

FIREWORKS, 9:45ish p.m.
Don’t miss the beautiful fireworks show when the sun goes down!

Summer Festival After Hours
Don’t miss DJ Urban Kobbb and Tony Foo Yong in their own Battle of the Deejays, in the beer garden!

Sunday, July 26

Festival Finale Ride, 2-4 p.m.
Family Bike Ride with Bikeworld

Congratulations to the Committee!
The Paducah Summer Festival Committee includes front: Jimi Gwinn of JS Gwinn Fine Jewelry and Chuck Tate of the Carson Center; middle: Katie Meiners of Wealth Trust Associates, Chris Rosa of Triangle Enterprises, Teresa Jeffrey of Triangle Enterprises, Brittney Toon, Tiffany Simmons of Don Thomas Attorney at Law, Zach Stevens of UDS; and back: Jessica Byassee of The National Quilt Museum, Chase Venable of BB&T, Ben Brazzell of Wealth Trust Associates, Trace Stevens of Paducah Parks and Alex Metzger of isurfpaducah.com. Not pictured:  Seth Allgood of Regions Bank, Laurie Blount of Paducah Parks, Richard Walter of the Country Club of Paducah and Pat Earles.