These Towns in Kentucky Come Alive in Spring

Kentucky is a great state to visit any season of the year, and springtime reveals it at perhaps its most beautiful. The Bluegrass State’s rolling hills, sheltered valleys, and churning rivers shake off the winter chill and once again welcome outdoor adventurers. The spring social calendar culminates with the Kentucky Derby in Louisville on the first Saturday in May, but many small towns also host springtime events that are well worth attending. From the Bourbon Capital of Bardstown to the quaint town of Maysville, these are eight Kentucky towns that really come to life in spring.

Grand Rivers

Grand Rivers is a tiny town of 350 residents with a big name (honoring the nearby Ohio, Cumberland, and Tennessee Rivers) that was founded with big dreams to rival Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as a steelmaking city. While those dreams never came to fruition, little Grand Rivers becomes a big deal for boaters and anglers once the winter chill recedes, as the town sits on an isthmus between Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake. Water recreational pursuits abound in Grand River, with many pastimes that kick off in the spring season. Grand Rivers’ biggest annual community event also occurs in spring, with April’s Bluegrass, Brew, and BBQ Festival. What a grand place to visit in springtime!

Paducah

Paducah sits at the confluence of the Ohio River and Tennessee River in far western Kentucky and has long served as a means of transportation, which evolved with the creation of railroads. The town has a lovely, 20-block historic district, but Paducah is best known today as one of the quilting capitals of the world, and as a result, was named a UNESCO Creative City in 2013. The town hosts its annual QuiltWeek expo in late April, drawing thousands of quilters and curious visitors from all over America and beyond. Paducah also has a bonus springtime event in 2024: the solar eclipse on April 8, which will pass over town at around 2 pm local time.

Somerset

The small town of Somerset is conveniently located near two great outdoor getaways (Lake Cumberland and Daniel Boone National Forest) and a Civil War battlefield (the Battle of Mill Springs, now a museum and visitor’s center) that really begin to draw visitors once the warmer weather of spring arrives. Meanwhile, the biggest tourist draw in downtown Somerset is an all-American pastime: the car cruise. Self-proclaimed as the “Official Car Cruise Capital of Kentucky,” Somerset hosts its monthly “Somernites Cruise” series starting in April (and running through October), extending the fun springtime event into summer and autumn.

Frankfort

Frankfort is one of the few state capitals that is also a genuine small town, with a population of around 28,000. Founded along the Kentucky River in 1786, Frankfort has housed the state government since Kentucky’s inception in 1792 and has also been home to Kentucky State University, a historically Black institution of higher learning (HBCU), since 1886. Frankfort, therefore has a livelier business district and arts and culture scene than most towns of its size, and its social calendar of concerts, live shows, and festivals (such as the annual Bourbon and Browns Festival) really jumps into high gear in spring.

Bardstown

Bourbon whiskey is a big deal in Kentucky, so Bardstown’s moniker as the “Bourbon Capital of the World” is quite an honor. The annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival happens in September, but springtime visitors can check out the Getz Museum of Whiskey History and go on several local distillery tours. Spring also marks the annual Bardstown Antique Show, celebrating its 57th year in early April 2024. Another great tourist draw in spring or any time of year is the magnificent 1823 Basilica of St. Joseph, an awe-inspiring remnant of Bardstown’s early history as a popular destination for Roman Catholic settlers.

Berea

Berea is a historic small town with a great modern location, set along Interstate 75 between Lexington and Knoxville, Tennessee. Berea College, famously the first coeducational and racially integrated college in the southern United States, has called the town home since 1855. This inclusive spirit continues to permeate both the college and the community, making it a welcoming place for visitors throughout the year. That said, many of those visitors come in late April to experience the annual Hands Four Spring Dance Weekend, which celebrates “contra dance,” a social folk dance style that has deep roots in Appalachian culture.

Morehead

While plenty of outdoor enthusiasts brave the winter chill to explore Kentucky’s natural wonders, the warmth and colors of spring really make the Bluegrass State shine. Morehead, set in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, is an ideal place to experience Kentucky’s natural beauty in spring. Nearby outdoor attractions include the Sheltowee Trace Trail, Daniel Boone National Forest, and Cave Run Lake, eastern Kentucky’s largest body of water. Downtown Morehead, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is also great for a springtime sightseeing walk that can end at the Kentucky Folk Art Center museum.

Maysville

Set along the Ohio River, the site of present-day Maysville has for centuries been a major pathway into the bluegrass country of what is now central Kentucky. Maysville also served as a pathway for escaped slaves to cross over the Ohio River and into freedom; this Underground Railroad history is honored at the Harriet Beecher Stowe Slavery to Freedom Museum. Charming downtown Maysville hosts a lively Wine and Art Festival in June and a classic Independence Day celebration in July, but gets the fun started in spring with a do-not-miss Art and Chocolate Festival held in April.

If you love horses, pageantry, ostentatious hats, wagering, or mint juleps, the Kentucky Derby must be high on your springtime Bluegrass State travel list. But Kentucky’s small towns also offer a practically endless supply of enticing spring attractions to suit any traveler’s interests. Whether you want to soak up some history, get out into nature, or simply have a good time at a classic community event, springtime is a great time to explore the highways and byways of small-town Kentucky!