Franklin, Kentucky is known for its events and seasonal decorations, and this October is no exception. Boofest is a free event that has been going on for years on the downtown Franklin, Kentucky square. Franklin-Simpson Renaissance hosts Boofest and has for many years. “This is one of the most fun events to host,” said Kim Roberts, Executive Director for Franklin-Simpson Renaissance. Other organizations’ involvement has helped make this event grow over the years. The Simpson County Agricultural Foundation hosts an entire street of agriculture-related activities including a petting zoo, pony rides, toss the pumpkin, and cow milking to name a few. The local middle school FFA students jump in and help run the games. They have even come up with a fun name for the street, AGtivities. The Franklin-Simpson Community Arts Council hosts the costume contest each year. They have been known to give away over $500 in cash prizes to winners. There is even a category for your furry friends. Renaissance will host a celebrity pumpkin-carving contest, giving someone bragging rights for a year. Renaissance also hosts Trick-or-Treating around the square. Local businesses are invited to set up a tent and hand out candy or treats to the kids. Typically there are around 20 tents for kids to trick-or-treat.
“Fall is a beautiful time of the year, as it signals harvest time in our community, mums, pumpkins, gourds, and Boofest! We have had over 3000 kids with their families on the square some years and we expect this year to be no different. All Frankin-Simpson Renaissance events are free and family-friendly, so Boofest is no different,” said Roberts.
The sponsors for Boofest 2025 are Franklin-Simpson Renaissance, Frankin-Simpson Community Arts Council, and Simpson County Agriculture Foundation. The petting zoo and pony rides are sponsored by 31W Bar and Grill, Ruby Branch Farms, Becks/Fleming Farms, Simply Sweet Boutique, Walton Farms, Tina Dunn with Level Up Sweets and Treats, and Jeffery Harvey, DMD.
For more information on this or any other Frankin-Simpson Renaissance event, follow our Facebook page or visit www.franklinsimpsonrenaissance.com. If you have any questions, please call our office at 270-586-8482 or email us at kim.fsrenaissance@yahoo.com.
-submitted by Kim Roberts, Franklin-Simpson Renaissance
