Greater Owensboro Economic Development Corporation
PROUD INVESTORS & TRUSTEES |
 Greater Owensboro is well-known for a friendly, small town atmosphere offering entertainment and recreational options to rival many larger towns. From the visual and performing arts to recreation to community celebrations and festivals, Owensboro has it all! Here are just a few reasons why Owensboro was named a Five Star Quality of Life Metro by Expansion Management magazine: Arts and Entertainment
Sports and Recreation
Festival City
Education
Arts and EntertainmentThe River Park Center, a contemporary entertainment complex, perched on the banks of the Ohio River in downtown Owensboro, is a cornerstone of entertainment activity and the venue for Friday After Five, a free- 16-week outdoor concert series offered May through August. Friday After Five stretches along the riverfront with art exhibits along the riverfront park and is followed by each week by the free Sunset Series of concerts in the Mitch McConnell Plaza on the riverfront. These back-to-back concerts offer a great night of entertainment every Friday night all summer. Unusual among cities of its size, Owensboro boasts a thriving arts life. The River Park Center, whose two auditoriums hosted more than 150 performances and 900 civic events last year, presents a wide variety of entertainment, including productions designed especially for students. The River Park Center is also known as "Broadway West" in the national theater community. Each year the River Park hosts theater companies while they build touring shows like 42nd Street. Some local talent is used in set building, costumes and technical areas before the production launches a world tour beginning with an Owensboro premiere in Cannon Hall. In 2007 RiverPark Center inaugurated a Mystery Writers Festival which premiered 12 new mystery plays and drew writers, directors and performers, as well as audience members and workshop participants, from all parts of the United States. RiverPark is also the performance home for the Owensboro Symphony Orchestra and is adjacent to the International Bluegrass Music Museum. The Theatre Workshop of Owensboro has, for forty years, been the home of community theater productions and the Owensboro Dance Theatre has offered performance opportunities to regional talent for twenty-five years. The Owensboro Museum of Fine Art houses a respected collection of Kentucky art and mounts a variety of special exhibitions. The Owensboro Museum of Science and History also offers traveling exhibits along with its Speedzeum tribute to motorsports, its hands-on children's museum, and the Wendell Ford Government Education Center. Sports and RecreationFor those interested in recreational activities, greater Owensboro offers public parks, an ice skating arena, public and private golf courses, and the Adkisson Greenbelt Park, a 15 mile paved pathway for walking, running, biking, or skating. Sports Illustrated named Owensboro Kentucky's Number One Sports Town. Its excellent tennis courts, football and soccer complexes, and baseball and softball fields offer opportunities for thousands of young people to participate in sports and make Owensboro a prime location for tournaments of all sorts. The 5,000 seat Owensboro Sports Center is home to the NCAA Division II Kentucky Wesleyan College Panthers basketball team--- the division II men's team holding the most national championships. Festival CityThe Owensboro area has earned its designation as "Festival City" through the 27 community celebrations and festivals which it hosts every year. The International Barbeque Festival held in May, the Mystery Writers Festival in June, the River of Music Bluegrass Festival held in June, and the Multicultural Festival held in August are just a sampling. Whether your taste runs to barbeque or to Bluegrass, to multicultural celebrations or to mystery plays, to traditional 4th of July festivities or to outdoor music performances on summer Friday nights, you'll find just what you're looking for in Owensboro. EducationThe elementary and secondary schools in Owensboro and Daviess County are some of the best schools you'll find anywhere. The Owensboro Public Schools, Daviess County Public Schools, and Owensboro Catholic school systems all post consistently high test scores and offer a full range of curricular and co-curricular programs. High school students may earn college credit along with their high school credits through Discover College, an innovative partnership of the school systems with the Owensboro Community and technical College. More than 93 % of students graduate within four years of entering high school and 63 % of these graduates go on to postsecondary education, at least part time, immediately after high school. Greater Owensboro has a strong tradition of supporting its schools and of valuing education. Citizen groups, such as the Learning Community, the Citizens Committee on Education, and the Regional Alliance for Education, sponsor initiatives, help foster community involvement in education, and advocate for good schools. Business and labor, government and the private sector work together with area educators to ensure high quality learning experiences for each student. Postsecondary education is available from a variety of sources in Owensboro. Two private institutions (Brescia University and Kentucky Wesleyan College), three public universities (Murray State University, Owensboro Community and Technical College, and Western Kentucky University), and one proprietary school (Daymar College) offer courses in Owensboro. Evening, week-end, and on-line formats are offered in addition to traditional scheduling. On-site, customized, and modular training can be provided in the workplace. Programs in such areas as advanced manufacturing, biotechnology, and entrepreneurship help area businesses find the specialized knowledge that the new economy requires. Greater Owensboro is a great place to do business - and it's a great place for life-long learning! |
- 200 East 3rd Street
- P.O. Box 782
- Owensboro, Kentucky 42302-0782
- 270.926.4339
|
|
