FRIDAY, OCT. 9
8 a.m.-5 p.m. “Downtown Days Photo Contest” viewing and voting at Adair County Library
2-5 p.m. Adair County Genealogy Homecoming at Adair County Library, Greensburg Street
4:30 p.m. Vendor booths open; Pre-ordered shirts picked up at booth by stage
4 p.m. Registration for Columbia Baptist Church Cornhole Tournament — Jamestown Street side of the Public Square
5-5:30 p.m. Damon’s CTA & LWU Cheer Demonstration
6 p.m. Columbia Baptist Church Cornhole Tournament — Public Square
MAIN STAGE
6 p.m. FREE CONCERT: 101 BLUEGRASS
7:30 p.m. FREE CONCERT: BACK2MAC
SATURDAY, OCT. 10
7 a.m. Columbia Pharmacy Run for Joy 5K at Columbia Pharmacy, 803 Burkesville St.
8 a.m. Downtown Days Classic Car Show registration, Adair County Judicial Center parking lot, 201 Campbellsville St.
8 a.m. Beauty Pageant registration — second stage — Burkesville Street
8 a.m.-3 p.m. Tractor Exhibition: antique, garden and pedal tractors at 209 Burkesville St.
9 a.m. Pet Parade registration in front of Columbia Baptist Church, sponsored by ACMS FBLA
9 a.m.-2 p.m. Downtown Days Classic Car Show
9 a.m. Beauty Pageant — second stage — Burkesville Street
9 a.m.-3 p.m. Adair County Genealogy Homecoming at Adair County Library, Greensburg Street
9 a.m.-noon Downtown Days Photo Contest viewing and voting at the Adair County Library Genealogy & History Research Center, 307 Greensburg St.
9:30 a.m. Pet Parade around Adair County Public Square
Noon SECOND STAGE ENTERTAINMENT; Set up near Adair County Chamber of Commerce on Burkesville St.
Noon — Ethan Coe
1 p.m. — Zabastian Webb
2 p.m. — Nathan Akin
3 p.m. — Yulanda Bradshaw
4 p.m. — ACHS Choir
MAIN STAGE
4:30 p.m. Prizes and giveaways from vendor booth drawings
4:45 p.m. ACHS Choir — performing the National Anthem
5:30 p.m. FREE CONCERT:
justBRANDON
7 p.m. FREE CONCERT: TRAVIS BOLT
By Friday afternoon, the streets around Columbia’s Public Square will begin to look a lot different.
Vendor booths will fill the downtown area, music will take over two stages, food trucks will serve festival favorites and families will have plenty of options to keep them busy as Downtown Days returns Friday and Saturday for its annual fall celebration.
The two-day festival will feature live music, shopping, food, carnival rides, train rides, bouncy houses, contests, classic cars, pageants, a pet parade and activities for visitors of all ages.
The festival gets underway Friday with vendor booths opening at 4:30 p.m. Visitors can browse everything from baked goods and apparel to on-site embroidery and engraving.
For families, new attractions this year include a carnival in the former Sav-A-Lot parking lot, with several rides and attractions available both days. Visitors can purchase individual ride tickets or an unlimited armband.
Bouncy houses will be set up in the courthouse annex parking lot, while train rides will offer another way for families to take in the festival and downtown.
The weekend will also offer an opportunity to explore Adair County’s past. The Adair County Genealogy Homecoming will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the Adair County Genealogy and History Research Center on Greensburg Street.
Visitors can stop by to research their family history. Staff will be available to assist with genealogy research. While at the Research Center, visitors can also cast a vote in the Downtown Days Photo Contest.
Friday’s entertainment will begin at 5 p.m. near the main stage with a performance by Damon’s CTA and the Lindsey Wilson University cheerleaders.
The Columbia Baptist Church Cornhole Tournament will begin at 6 p.m., with registration starting at 4 p.m.
Also at 6 p.m., 101 Bluegrass Band will take the main stage. The Columbia-based traditional and gospel bluegrass band was formed in 1994 and has shared stages with artists including Ricky Skaggs and Doyle Lawson. The group’s music is rooted in the traditional bluegrass sound of artists such as Bill Monroe and the Stanley Brothers.
Friday night will close with Back2Mac, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band originally formed in Louisville in 2010. The band’s set spans Fleetwood Mac’s career and includes songs such as “The Chain,” “Go Your Own Way” and “Don’t Stop.”
Saturday brings an early start and a full slate of activities throughout downtown.
The Columbia Pharmacy Run for J.O.Y. 5K will begin at 7 a.m., with proceeds benefiting J.O.Y. Ministries.
By 8 a.m., the streets will begin filling with antique, garden and pedal tractors, along with classic cars and attendees. The antique, garden and pedal tractor exhibition will continue on Burkesville Street until 3 p.m., while the Downtown Days Classic Car Show will be held in the Judicial Center parking lot from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Registration for the car show begins at 8 a.m.
The festival’s second stage, another new addition this year, will be located on Burkesville Street at the end of the food court.
Pageant registration will begin at the second stage at 8 a.m., followed by the Downtown Days pageants at 9 a.m.
Another festival favorite returns this year when the Adair County Middle School FBLA hosts the Pet Parade on Saturday morning.
Registration begins at 9 a.m. in front of Columbia Baptist Church on Greensburg Street, with the parade starting at 9:30 a.m.
Participants can enter by bringing an item or making a monetary donation to the Green River Animal Shelter. Everyone entered will have a chance to win a gift basket, while Mayor Pam Hoots will select the Mayor’s Choice winner.
All pets are welcome, but owners must be able to maintain control of their animals.
Music will continue throughout Saturday on the second stage, beginning at noon with Ethan Coe. Zebastian Webb, Nathan Akin, Yulanda Bradshaw and the Adair County High School Choir will follow, with each performance beginning at the top of the next hour.
The Adair County High School Choir will move to the main stage at 4:45 p.m. to perform the national anthem.
At 4:30 p.m., festival-goers can gather at the main stage for prizes and drawings featuring giveaways from vendor booths. The winners of the Photo Contest will also be announced.
Saturday’s evening entertainment will continue with justBrandon at 5:30 p.m.
Brandon Jones, who performs as justBrandon, blends country and hip-hop and has built a following through independent releases and live performances. He has performed alongside artists including Kevin Gates, Nappy Roots and Young Dro.
The weekend will conclude with Travis Bolt taking the main stage at 7 p.m. Saturday.
Bolt, a TikTok sensation, has built an audience with his relatable country music. His song “Never Tried Cocaine” has surpassed 25 million streams, while his album “Wasting My Time” features songs inspired by real-life experiences.
All concerts and performances are free. Visitors are encouraged to bring a lawn chair.
