Saturday, August 8, 2015

Kentucky Tourism to set up at state fair

The Kentucky State Fair opens Aug. 20, and the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet will be well represented during the 11-day event in Louisville.

Several cabinet agencies will have booths at the fair and will be prepared to offer information and answer questions from visitors. They include the Department of Travel and Tourism, the Department of Parks, the Office of Adventure Tourism, the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources and the Kentucky Historical Society.

“We invite Kentuckians and our out-of-state guests to join us at this year’s state fair to celebrate all things Kentucky,” Tourism, Arts and Heritage Secretary Bob Stewart said. ”The Kentucky State Fair is one of the Commonwealth’s finest traditions and a perfect showcase for Kentucky food, travel and culture.”

Here are more details about the state fair plans for Tourism, Arts and Heritage agencies:
  • The Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources will have a booth in South Wing B right on Main Street, where visitors can purchase licenses and permits and get the latest fishing and hunting reports from experts in the field.  Bring the kids to shoot on the Crosman air rifle range, test your skills on the laser-shot hunting simulator, or take a chance and spin The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Prize Wheel.
  • The Kentucky Historical Society will have the Historymobile at the Fair. If you had been living in the Civil War era, what would you have done?
  • The HistoryMobile – a traveling exhibit inside a semi trailer – uses comic book-style graphics, authentic artifacts and hands-on activities to share the stories of real Kentuckians who faced tough choices during this time. The Museums-to-Go will introduce you to Kentucky’s famous Clay family, and the Learning Team will be there Aug. 20, 21 and 28 to lead hands-on activities that reveal the contents of a Kentucky legislator’s saddlebag and explore the making of pioneer clothing. Look for us throughout the fair from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in South Wing B.
  • The Department of Travel and Tourism will have its booth in the South Wing next to the Pride of the Counties exhibit area. Free road maps, visitor guides and other travel information will be available.
  • The Kentucky State Parks and the office of Adventure Tourism will share the space with the Department of Travel and Tourism in the South Wing. The state parks will have drawings for free overnight stays at a resort park, a round of golf for two, free tickets to the Waveland State Historic Site Art Fair and free kayak use for a day at Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park. There will also be coupons for discounts at historic sites and museums, weekday camping at state park campgrounds in September and for lodging.  Kentucky's certified Trail Towns – London, Stearns, Olive Hill, Morehead, Livingston, and Dawson Springs – will be offering exciting adventure package trips into the natural areas they serve. 
For more information about the Kentucky State Fair, visit KyStateFair.org.