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Diverse Offerings Create Danville-Boyle County's Cultural Scene
Creative minds thrive in Danville-Boyle County, as the area is home to various cultural opportunities. History buffs can get their fix, artists can find their inspiration and festival fanatics can stay occupied – all in Danville.
Historic Sites
Constitution Square is a historic park that plays an integral part in Kentucky's statehood. The Boyle County courthouse was the location for the 10 constitutional conventions and Kentucky's first governor was a Boyle County resident. The... Read More »
Recreation Fun in Danville-Boyle County
Beautiful Boyle County is home to parks, fishing and enough recreation opportunities to keep the outdoor-oriented occupied.
Danville and Boyle County Parks
The parks in Boyle County provide residents with an array of activities to enjoy year round. Danville's Millennium Park is one of the biggest in the area. It plays host to soccer, baseball, softball and football fields, along with a skatepark, playgrounds, a dog park, picnic areas, walking trails and a lake.
The Danville-Boyle County William... Read More »
Danville Serves Fresh, Fun and Traditional Dining Options
Danville restaurants know the meaning of fresh food. With homemade products and lots of interesting menu options, it's hard to not love what you eat. Here's a small sampling of some popular Danville dining favorites:
Baked Goods and Tasty Treats
Burke's Bakery, found in the center of downtown Danville, maintains a winning combination of delicious food and hometown atmosphere. Burke's is tinged with nostalgia for many locals, who relied on the establishment for the birthday cakes of their... Read More »
Shop Around the World in Danville, KY
Just a casual stroll down Main Street in downtown Danville will prove that residents and neighbors of this quaint town don’t have to travel the world to shop like they did.Need a cardboard animal head? How about a collage featuring Bob Dylan in flowered tights playing a large wooden guitar? One-of-a-kind hand-painted chair? Or how about baskets imported from Africa? Homemade lotion. Ugly Dolls. Vera Bradley laundry hampers. Reversible purses. It’s all available right here in Boyle... Read More »
Danville-Boyle County Alcohol Law Change Brings in Business
Visitors to Danville will find tons of dinner and entertainment options awaiting them.The community has seen a big business surge recently as new restaurants, micro-breweries and package stores have started popping up. The catalyst for the new activity came on March 2, 2010 with a referendum to a law regarding alcohol sales.Previously, the law allowed alcohol sales by the drink only in restaurants with a minimum of 100 seats. Now, the city has gone fully “wet.”Also, in June 2009,... Read More »
Plans Advance for Battle of Perryville’s 150th Anniversary
Joan House knows there is no way of predicting this far out, but she estimates that 12,000-13,000 people will be in attendance each day at the 150th anniversary of the Battlefield of Perryville.The Civil War re-enactment is set to occur Oct. 6-7, 2012, at the Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site, and among the 12,000-13,000 attendees are expected to be 3,000-4,000 re-enactors. “A study conducted a few years ago shows that every visitor to Perryville Battlefield spends about $75 in... Read More »
Norton Center for the Arts Performances Enrich Danville
Forget all the clichés you’ve heard about small towns as cultural backwaters. Danville is a fountain overflowing with the arts‚ thanks to the presence of one of the premier performance venues in the state.
The Norton Center for the Arts on the Centre College campus offers Danville and its neighbors the unparalleled opportunity to sample the best of Broadway‚ dance‚ pop and the classics. Performers have included violinist Itzhak Perlman‚ dancers Twyla Tharp and Mikhail Baryshnikov‚ and pop and... Read More »
Playing With Dolls
The Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville is a sprawling miniature American village – circa 1900 – featuring hundreds of antique, artisan-sculpted, historically dressed townspeople. Visitors can wind through paths and peer into the backs of miniature homes and shops to see tiny people, including a Shaker settlement, a taqueria, mansions and more. A separate carpeted playroom with a hands-on dollhouse village allows little ones to rearrange and play as long as they like, and a classroom... Read More »
West T. Hill Community Theatre Performs Year Round
With a year-round schedule of productions, a vibrant children’s series and a growing downtown presence, the West T. Hill Community Theatre has come a long way from its one-room beginnings in 1980.
Karen Logue, the theater’s managing director, was part of the gathering that formed the group three decades ago.
“A meeting was held at Danville City Hall by Mr. Hill and others who wanted to start a theater,” she recalls. “We began performing anywhere we could – the courthouse, schools and... Read More »
Fun Things To Do in Danville-Boyle County
1. See a play at the Pioneer Playhouse, Danville's outdoor theater.
2. Make a trip to the Great American Doll Museum to see hundreds of miniature marvels.
3. Visit Constitution Square State Historic Site, where some of the most important events in Kentucky's history took place.
4. Take a walk on the wild side with a visit to the Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge, home to numerous bird species.
5. Spend a night on the town with shopping and dining in Historic Downtown Danville.
6. Discover... Read More »
Dog Days in Danville's Millennium Park
Thanks to a donation in the memory of a beloved pet, Danville's Millennium Park has its own dog park. Chocwalk Dog Park (named after a dog, Chocolate) is a large, well-maintained, leash-free park with doggy water fountains, secure gating and a nearby leashed walking trail. Looking to adopt a four-legged friend? The Danville-Boyle County Humane Society offers adoption services, as well as an obedience class held at the Stuart Powell car dealership. Read More »
Re-enactors Stage Battle of Perryville Each Year
Hundreds of re-enactors travel to Perryville each October to stage the Battle of Perryville, which originally took place in 1862. The fierce fighting killed or wounded 7,500 Union and Confederate soldiers, and the 2008 re-enactment will be the 146th anniversary.
Perryville Battlefield State Historic Site hosts the event each year, and a museum and several monuments are also located on its grounds. The site averages around 100,000 visitors throughout the year. Read More »
Experience Nature at the Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge
Nestled in the heart of the Bluegrass region of central Kentucky, Danville and Boyle County are known for gorgeous scenery and pristine natural beauty – and the Central Kentucky Wildlife Refuge offers a spectacular place to view it. The 500-acre, 44-year-old preserve bordering the North Rolling Fork River is a protected area of Boyle County that has been set aside as a permanent sanctuary. With five main walking/hiking trails of varying difficulty, a bluebird trail with a dozen bluebird... Read More »
Historic Sites Offer a Glimpse Into Boyle County's Rich Past
For former history teacher Randal House, the Perryville Battlefield has a special significance beyond its usual fame. Two members of his family faced off at the 1862 Battle of Perryville – the largest and bloodiest Civil War battle fought on Kentucky soil.
House’s great-great grandfather Benjamin House, a Union soldier with the 21st Kentucky Infantry, and a relative on his grandmother’s side – Confederate Lieutenant Buddy Rogers, who served under Gen. John Hunt Morgan – fought against each... Read More »
Camp Horsin' Around Is More Than Horse Play
Children with chronic illnesses can have their spirits lifted for a day, weekend or a full week at Camp Horsin’ Around.
The camp is located on 191 acres of open space in Boyle and Mercer counties, with five cabins on site that can each hold up to 20 campers and eight counselors.
Camp is open seasonally to children in Kentucky and surrounding states who have chronic illnesses such as cancer, diabetes, asthma, sickle cell anemia, kidney disease, AIDS or heart ailments.
“We even have a... Read More »
Constitution Square Arts Fest in Danville, KY
The Constitution Square Arts Fest – a Kentucky Tourism Council Top 10 Designated Event – celebrated its 31st anniversary in September 2009.
Over the years the festival has picked up a new name, expanded offerings and a placed a stronger emphasis on the arts, including a juried show that features artisan work at 80 fine arts and craft booths. Some booths offer traditional items such as quilts, baskets and pottery, while others feature more contemporary art such as sculpture, jewelry... Read More »
Boyle County Public Library Completes Expansion
The long-standing Boyle County Public Library building on West Broadway in Danville underwent an $8.5 million renovation and expansion project that was completed in 2010.
“We had become cramped to the gills, so this expansion and renovation was certainly needed,” says Karl Benson, director of the Boyle County Public Library. “Operating space has gone from 17,000 square feet to 44,000 square feet, including tripling the size of our children’s library.”
In fact, the... Read More »
Great American Dollhouse Museum in Danville, KY
Great American Dollhouse Museum
When it comes to doll collections, there's a thin line between creepy and cute. The Great American Dollhouse Museum stays on the right side of the line with a miniature village of neighborhoods, streetscapes, rural areas and forests instead of traditional displays and cases. Visitors wind their way through an assortment of alleys and roads, peering into the backs of houses to see what the dolls inside are doing. The whole scene represents a 1900-style America,... Read More »
