Downtown Owensboro will glow like never before during Illuminate, a brand-new festival that combines art, music, and technology into a multi-night celebration. The event runs Friday-Sunday from 6:30-10 p.m. nightly, with installations, performances, food, and interactive experiences stretching across the heart of downtown. Here’s what you need to know before you go.
Read more about why this event was created here.
Key details
- Dates & times: Friday-Sunday, 6:30-10 p.m. nightly
- Special Hours: LuminiMax exhibit opens early (Friday at 2 p.m., Saturday and Sunday at 1 p.m.)
- Drone Show: Nightly at 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.
- Cost: Free admission
- Parking: Garages at 100 Daviess Street and 215 Locust Street will be open with a $10 cash admission per car. Additional surface lots downtown will be available at varying rates. Free street parking is available outside the event footprint, but fills quickly.
- Interactive Map: illuminateowensboro.com
- Food: Downtown restaurants will be open and food trucks will be stationed throughout the festival.
- Street closures: To ensure safety and allow for setup, several downtown Owensboro streets will be closed during Illuminate. The closures will last throughout the weekend:
- Thursday:
- 2nd Street (Daviess to Allen) — closes at 12 p.m.
- St. Ann Street (2nd to Veterans Boulevard) — closes at 5 p.m.
- Friday (all starting at 5 p.m.):
- Veterans Boulevard (Daviess to Locust)
- 2nd Street (Allen to Cedar)
- Locust, St. Elizabeth, Frederica, St. Ann, and Allen Streets (from 3rd to Veterans Boulevard)
- 2nd Street (Crittenden to Daviess)
- J.R. Miller Boulevard (4th to 3rd)
- Daviess Street northbound (3rd to 2nd)
- Thursday:
Experiences and installations
LuminiMax (Installation by Architects of Air by Alan Parkinson): A walk-in luminaria filled with color and light, open early each day. Created by world-renowned artist Alan Parkinson and his team, the exhibit has been shown in more than 40 countries.
Loophole (Installation by Calidos): An interactive spiral of light and form from Barcelona, blending art and technology through an endless loop of light animation.
Paraluna (Installation by LED Labs): A kinetic sculpture with 17,000 LEDs that floats above the crowd, combining music and shimmering visuals.
A Sky Full of Light: A nightly drone show with 300 synchronized drones painting imagery across the sky and reflected in the Ohio River.
“Firefly” Projection Mapping (Installation by Light Harvest Studio): A 3D show projected onto First Baptist Church, playing every 15 minutes, following the journey of a firefly through sound and light.
PianoMan (Performance by Owensboro Symphony): Pianists perform in McConnell Plaza, each note sparking a dazzling light display. Featured performers are Diane Earl (Friday), James Wells (Saturday), and Joel Ciaccio (Sunday).
Shipping Container Murals: Large containers transformed into live canvases by artists Aaron Kizer and Art of Kacy, with interior galleries featuring student artwork.
Tranquility: A glowing garden in the Atmos Courtyard with illuminated trees, water features, and harp music.
Aaron Kizer Mural: A permanent piece unveiled Friday at 7:30 p.m., appearing differently by day and night.
Vivid Volume (Digital Castaways): An interactive LED display that mirrors visitors’ movements in shifting 3D light.
Retro Arcade: Classic video games projected larger than life downtown.
Freeze Frame: A photo-friendly installation where visitors create poses that become part of the art.
Explore: A tunnel of light that immerses guests in bucket-list destinations around the world.
Candlelight Symphony (Owensboro Symphony): A nine-piece string ensemble performing under candlelight inside the RiverPark Center each night.
Live performances
Live Music at Loophole: Different acts play each night inside the installation — a Symphony string duo (Friday), Bluegrass music (Saturday), and a DJ set (Sunday).
Symphony Stroll: Owensboro Symphony musicians perform at sites throughout downtown on Friday from 6:30-10 p.m.
Musick Studios: High-energy dance performances every 15 minutes at four downtown locations between 7:15-8:45 p.m., with a Saturday night flash mob at McConnell Plaza.
