Bowling Green’s 200th Birthday – the Big Bicentennial! We are so excited about the Bicentennial and are constantly updating and adding to the event schedule so keep checking back!
*Time Capsule*
We will be creating a time capsule to be opened in the future with many things from this event and things in history from 2023!
*Attendance Banner*
There will be an attendance banner with room for 3000 signatures during all of the weeks activities to save for the time capsule. Be sure to write your name on this piece of history!
*Parking & Lodging*
We will have people movers running throughout the day of events on Saturday. We will soon have a list of lodging opportunities for our out-of-towners!
*Keepsakes*
We will have the opportunity for people to purchase memorial keepsakes of this big event before and during and we will have that information here on our website when available!
Tuesday –June 27, 2023
6:30pm-8:30pm: Princess & Queen Contest. It will be held at the Bowling Green Highschool Auditorium. Roaring 20’s theme in honor of the 1923 Centennial. To enter, pick up a card at city hall, BG middle school, BG high school, or Farmers Insurance in BG.
Wednesday, -June 28, 2023
6:00pm-9:00pm: Ministerial Alliance Church Night. Church service on the east side of the court house. Sponsored and operated by the Ministerial alliance and their member churches.
- Kids Games
- Baked Goods Competition
Thursday- June 29, 2023
- 5:00pm-9:00pm: Art Show inside the courthouse. For children through professional and adults, those that attend public or private or home school in the Bowling Green School District and Alums and Adult Bowling Green current residents.
- 6:00pm-7:30pm: Dog Show on the east side of courthouse.
- 7:30pm-8:30pm: Brothers of the Brush Beard Display and Competition. Location to be on the east side of courthouse.
Friday night- June 30, 2023
6:30pm-8:30pm: Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social & Choir/Band Concert on the east side of courthouse.
Saturday – July 1, 2023
- 7:00am: 5K Fun Run/Walk
- 8:00am: Set up vendor booths and parade line up at high school.
- 9:00am: Parade Begins
- 10:00am: Opening Ceremony on the South court house lawn. Jim Arico, Mayor MC. This is going to be a non-political event that celebrates the Basye family and all of us as we celebrate the Bicentennial today.
- National Anthem by the Bowling Green BObcat Band
- Gun Salute by the local VFW members
- Hamilton Family Buglers (bugle calls and taps)
- Raise of a 24 star US Flag by the DAR and County Commissioners
- 3 speakers representing the Basye Family.
- 10:00am: Horseshoe Tournament, 16 teams begins- Johnson House Yard Champ Clark drive south behind the square.
- 10:00am -5:00pm: Giant Quilt Show – Hosted in the Fellowship Hall -2nd Baptist
- 10:00am -5:00pm: Bounce House opens, various kids games, competitions and craft booths. Cooling center at the Masonic Lodge opens.
- 10:30am-9:45am: Concessions and food trucks open
- 1:00pm: Around the square will be various demonstrations, including a poultry care demonstration, possible acoustic string instrument display, black smith demonstrations and all morning an FFA small farm animal petting zoo.
- 3:00pm-4:00pm: Demonstration from the Howard Street Dance Studio
- 4:00pm-5:00pm: Black powder demonstration celebrating the types of firearms that John Basye and the citizens would have used back then.
- 10:00am-4:00pm: Antique car show display (1973 sesquicentennial year vehicles and older vehicles). On the square onto Church street. Sponsored by Boland Chevrolet. Antique tractor and equipment display on the Community State Bank Parking Lot. Other miscellaneous displays around the square.
- 1:00pm-4:00pm: Bowling Green’s three most historic sites will be open for guests. A courtesy people mover will be operating to assist moving people continually throughout the these times from the square to the historic sites.
- Pike County Genealogical Society & Old Jail Museum
- The Restored Bayse Cabin
- Honey Shuck Home of Champ Clark
- 5:00pm-9:00pm: Missouri National Guard Band Concert
- 9:00pm: Closing Ceremony southside of courthouse. The lowering of our 24 star US flag and closing Taps. Followed by a 1770 sparkler children’s sparkler show assisted by their parents and volunteers.
