Winter Events at Kentucky State Parks

Latest UPDATE: Feb. 13, 2011

There's something special going on at Kentucky State Parks every weekend this winter, so you have no excuses for waiting until spring.

In celebration of Black History Month, the John James Audubon Museum will be exhibiting its acclaimed photographic retrospective Everyday People from Feb. 17 through March 20, 2011. Everyday People was displayed at the Kennedy Center in 2010 for one weekend during Henderson’s Bicentennial celebration for the African-American Contribution Gala dinner. Since that time the Audubon Museum has received many requests for the exhibit to be displayed once again.

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Park has rescheduled its Oil Painting Weekend to Feb. 25-27.

Step back in time to the 18th century, when American Indians and European Americans lived closer to nature. Carter Caves State Resort Park at Olive Hill invites you to its Woods Lore and Tracking Weekend March 4-6. Learn some of the skills that were necessary for everyday life, and of the cultural sharing that has made our modern lives richer.

Dale Hollow Lake State Resort Park is partnering with the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources to host a Hunting & Fishing Expo March 4-5.

The United States Adventure Racing Association has announced that its 2011 National Championship will be held at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Corbin, Ky. on October 6 – 8, 2011. First Lady Jane Beshear said the event will help highlight some of the adventure tourism opportunities in Kentucky. “The Cumberland Falls and Big South Fork area feature some spectacular scenery and will provide an excellent location for this competition,” Mrs. Beshear said. “We’re proud to host this event and look forward to many more like it.”

Natural Bridge State Resort Park is hosting a Winter Bird Blitz on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 4-5. The Winter Bird Blitz features a day of birding activities on Friday followed by a bird count on Saturday morning and afternoon. Bird count data over time in any given area can provide valuable insights into the long-term health of bird populations and the environment... and besides, it’s fun and free!

Carter Caves State Resort Park will offer a workshop on gravestones, icons and cemeteries as part of family tree research with its Cemetery Iconology Seminar on Feb. 5.

Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and several Kentucky State Parks are offering special packages during February. State parks offer a great chance for a getaway weekend, along with excellent food, entertainment and natural beauty and scenery. Listed below are the resort parks with a description of the Valentine’s packages and the park toll-free phone number. For more information about each park and online reservations, visit www.parks.ky.gov. Click here for details about packages at each park.

Lake Cumberland State Resort Park will present Buffalo Night on Jan. 29, 2011. The event will include a special buffalo buffet dinner and live music by Native American flutist and drummer Mark Barfoot of the Wolf Clan Onondaga.

Jefferson Davis State Historic Site invites guests to learn more about how free African American women survived and supported black soldiers as they fought for freedom during the Civil War. The Feb. 4, 2011 program will feature the Female Re-Enactors of Distinction (FREED), affiliated with the Civil War Museum in Washington, D.C. The ladies of FREED dress in period costumes and use period speech to portray African American people and their way of life during the Civil War. The program, part of Black History Month, is free and will be offered from 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Central Time.

Anglers’ Cove Restaurant at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park will feature its first International Classic Cuisine Italian Night on Feb. 5. The menu will include baked spaghetti, chicken alfredo, chicken parmesan, baked vegetarian lasagna, catfish, Italian green beans with almonds, asparagus with red peppers, Sicilian vegetable blend, rice pilaf, peas with pearl onions, smashed redskin potatoes and gravy, homemade pizza (for the kids), a salad bar, soup, garlic bread and cornbread, assorted Italian desserts, pudding and cobbler.

Eagle Watch Weekends. Nature lovers should make plans to participate in a unique Kentucky State Park tradition – Eagle Watch Weekends in January and February 2011. The park system will be sponsoring this wildlife-watching opportunity as American Bald Eagles gather around the major lakes of western and south-central Kentucky looking for food. The park tours allow you to observe and learn about these beautiful birds of prey. For four decades, the Kentucky State Parks have offered Eagle Watch Weekends, a chance to view the eagles from land and water and learn about the national symbol and other wildlife. Click here for schedule.

Pennyrile Forest State Resort Par will be hosting two special events during January – one for Rook players and another for artists. The round-robin Rook tournament is Jan. 7-9 and begins at 7 p.m. Friday night and runs through Saturday evening. House rules will apply. The registration fee is $25 per team and a new deck of Rook cards. The early bird registration fee is $20 per team and a new deck of Rook cards due one week prior to the event. The park is offering a special lodging discount of two night’s for the price of one for all registered participants. Prizes will be given to the top three finishing teams. This tournament is open to any team that loves to play Rook. The Rook is played as a wild card that can trump all trumps and can be played at anytime during a game.

The park’s Oil Painting Weekend will be Jan. 21-23. If you’ve always wanted to learn how to paint, this is the weekend event for you!

Natural Bridge State Resort Park will host its Appalachian Heritage Buffalo Night on Jan. 15. The evening will include a special all-you-can-eat buffet from 4-8 p.m. featuring Kentucky Proud buffalo in the Sandstone Arches Restaurant. Buffet items will include roasted buffalo steamship round carved on the line, BBQ ribs, buffalo meatloaf, buffalo chili, country fried chicken and fried catfish. Side items will include whipped potatoes, country style green beans, corn pudding, soup and salad bar and assorted desserts. The cost for adults is $16.95. Children ages 6-12 are $8.95 and children 5 and under are free.

Greenbo Lake State Park will be hosting two weekends for its Creative Memories Scrapbooking on Jan. 14-15 and Jan. 21-22, 2011. Creative Memories present two weekends designed for the experienced and the novice scrapbooker. All participants must bring their own scrapbook and materials. Scrapbooks and materials can be purchased for an additional fee.

Each year thousands of Sandhill Cranes make Barren River Lake a stop on their journey back home. Join Barren River Lake State Resort Park during its Nature Watch Weekends to get up close to these beautiful cranes as they migrate through the area. The weekends, Jan. 21-22 and Feb. 18-19, 2011, will consist of educational sessions conducted by Wayne Tamminga, a wildlife biologist with the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, on Friday evenings at 7 p.m. CST.

Carter Caves State Resort Park will present a weekend of hiking, canoeing, cave tours, winter survival and other adventures with its second annual Winter Adventure Weekend Jan. 28-30, 2011. Guests will be able to select from a list of trips they want to take – for beginners and advanced winter adventurers alike. All of the trips and events are led by guides. Each trip is placed in a level based on the difficulty and skills that are required. The higher the level, the more skills and special equipment required. Guests will be responsible for appropriate dress, water and snacks and other items.

Pine Mountain State Resort Park is set to provide off-season adventure with their upcoming Winter Photography Weekend on Jan. 28-30. The event features a digital photography competition, evening picture shows, and the exceptional photographic work and instruction of Tim Webb of Richmond, Ky.

Cumberland Falls State Resort Park will host a Kentucky Chautauqua program Jan. 29 featuring Adolph Rupp, the coach who helped put Kentucky basketball on the map. The Kentucky Chautauqua program, sponsored by the Kentucky Humanities Council, brings unique Kentucky characters to life. Edward Smith will play Rupp in this one-man show that will include dinner. The dinner and show is $35 plus tax per person. Dinner will be served from 5-8 p.m. and the show will start at 8 p.m. Arrive early and watch the University of Kentucky game at 4 p.m. in our Great Room.

The Paramount Arts Center’s Paramount Players presents “Clue the Musical” -- A Murder Mystery at Greenbo Lake State Resort Park on Jan. 29, 2011. Who did it? Was it Miss Scarlet in the dining room with a rope? Enjoy an excellent meal prepared by the Anglers’ Cove Restaurant followed by a musical murder mystery. Enjoy one night’s lodging, dinner and show for two and a continental breakfast all for $136 plus tax. Dinner and show only is $35 plus tax per person. Reservations must be made by January 21, 2011 by calling 1-800-325-0083 or contact Stephanie.poplin@ky.gov Guests are encouraged to come to the show in costume if you like.

Fort Boonesborough State Park and the Fort Boonesborough Foundation will be holding a series of “Fireside Chats” with famous characters from Kentucky history beginning Feb. 5, 2011. During each Saturday program, there will be a “Taste of Frontier Fare” from 5:30 – 6:15 p.m. The program begins at 6:45 p.m. at the block house. Below is a schedule of appearances by Kentucky historical figures.
* Feb. 5, Daniel Boone, Kentucky woodsman portrayed by Scott New.
* Feb. 12, “Mad” Anne Bailey, heroine of the Kanawha Valley portrayed by Suzanne Larner.
* Feb. 19, The Doctor, an 18th century physician portrayed by Albert Roberts.
* Feb. 26, Andrew Montour (Sattelihu), native diplomat, interpreter and warrior of the French and Indian War portrayed by Bill Hunt.

Rough River Dam State Park and Pine Knob Theater will present a “Nifty 50s Weekend” during the weekend of Feb. 4-5. The event will include a dinner theater on Friday night with Pine Knob Theater presenting “Daddy Took the T-Bird Away,” a musical featuring great 50’s era music and fun for all. On Saturday, bring your poodle skirts and bobby socks for the Saturday Night Sock Hop with “cool music” provided by The Countdowns.