The Board of Directors for the Bowling Green International Festival, Inc. is proud to introduce a new logo for their 31st annual event. The new logo, created by Sublime Media Group, will be featured at the Festival which will take place at Circus Square Park on September 25, 2021. All tickets for this year’s Festival must be purchased in advance.

The 2021 Bowling Green International Festival will follow the format of past events, featuring three stages of traditional and modern music and dance performances, authentic foreign foods, an international bazaar and edu-tainment activities. A COVID-19 Mitigation Plan has been put in place to protect the public and will evolve as circumstances warrant.

The Festival is currently accepting performance applications through its website.  Fan favorites Tuatha Dea and Def Leprechaun will be among the groups taking the stage in 2021. Information about performers will be posted as commitments are finalized.

Currently, vendor booth space will be limited to 60% of past capacity due to COVID-19 restrictions, providing the best of the event’s cultural displays, food and merchandise. And, if CDC and Kentucky guidelines change before September to allow for more vendors, additional booths will be included.

Likewise festival attendance will be limited to 60% of capacity. In order to manage crowd size and reduce time in line at the gates, ALL tickets must be purchased online and in advance.  In addition, EVERYONE from audience members to volunteers and vendors must have a ticket to enter the site. Tickets will be available through Eventbrite beginning in June and early-bird ticket pricing will be available to encourage online ticket sales.  T-shirts, Restaurant Discount Cards and other merchandise can also be purchased through the Eventbrite platform and picked up on Festival day at the Merchandise Booth in the center of the park.  The board welcomes artists to submit designs for consideration for the 2021 t-shirt. More information is available on the website. 

As for everyone, 2020 was a challenging year for BGIF. The event went virtual for the first time in its history via a partnership and sponsorship from VidMonster Productions. Though 2021 will bring a more traditional, in-person Festival, we are pleased that the event will retain and expand some elements of the virtual Festival.  

The BGIF Virtual Art Show will continue to be part of the event, and this year local artist Jack LeSieur will serve as curator. LeSieur is the Director and Curator at the Downing Museum at the Baker Arboretum as well as a mixed media artist and classically trained musician.

Other virtual offerings such as the recipe box and children’s activities can be found on the Festival’s website where they can be accessed throughout the year for those who cannot attend or who want to start celebrating diversity at home before the event date arrives.

In addition to the t-shirt design contest, BGIF will hold its annual K-12 Poster Contest. The contest is judged by staff at the Warren County Attorney’s office, and followers of the Festival’s Facebook page select a People’s Choice award from among all the submissions.

Look for the Bowling Green International Festival’s new logo as promotions for the event begin.  The design was created by Will Kronenberger of Sublime Media Group who has attended BGIF many times. Kronenberger stated, “I knew it was something I wanted to work on. Since moving to Bowling Green almost 15 years ago, the Bowling Green International Festival has been one of my favorite yearly events. To me, the Festival is all about inclusion and learning about cultures from all around the world.” He added, “My hope is that this new updated logo will continue to help the Bowling Green International Festival spread the message of inclusion and representation for all of the great cultures in our region for years to come.”

The design was exactly what the BGIF Board wanted. Board president Kayla Bitner explained,  “The Bowling Green International Festival logo became a touchstone visual for our yearly event. However, we wanted to demonstrate our growth through an updated design. The festival is more inclusive, modern, and fun than ever before. I feel this new logo honors the spirit of our old design while embracing the changes we’ve experienced since we debuted it many years ago,” 

The Bowling Green International Festival will be held September 25, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Circus Square Park in Bowling Green, Kentucky.  It takes place rain or shine.  For more information visit www.BGInternationalFest.com and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.