COVINGTON, Ky. – As Valentine’s Day morphs into Ash Wednesday, fun in The Cov this weekend revolves around parade floats, slimflower scurfpeas, and plogging.
Or, alternatively: opportunities for big-time fun (beads, floats and “big heads” at the annual Mardi Gras parade) … learning (all about Kentucky wildflowers at a venerated Devou Park museum) … and service (picking up trash while running/walking).
Read on for these events and others (Cincinnati-style chili, Celtic knot jewelry) and a whole lot of live music.
Who’s ready for flowers to burst through the ground? But … you don’t have to wait for them to start poking their buds through the soil to celebrate their beauty and benefits.
Tonight’s Wildflower Talk with Patrick Applegarth – who is a botanist and biologist – at Behringer-Crawford Museum Education Center will be an enlightening discussion about the native ephemerals (short on life but long on beauty) and wildflowers that flourish in our region, and their role in supporting pollinators and how you can cultivate a thriving wildflower bed.
Saturday is Kentucky’s 3rd annual Plogging Across the Bluegrass event, in partnership with Keep Kentucky Beautiful and West Sixth Brewery.
Meet up at West Sixth Brewery Covington Haus for an opportunity to meet up with your neighbors, get exercise, and clean up the community. Basically speaking, pick up litter while you run or walk.
Ploggers will have the choice among three routes, each of which will take about an hour and a half to complete. Afterward, return to the brewery for drinks and a free lunch from Smoke Justis.
Put on your purple, gold, and green, and get ready to catch beads, drink Hurricanes, and be in awe of really big papier mache heads, because the 2025 MainStrasse Village Mardi Gras Parade by Up Over Bar happens on Saturday, promptly followed by the MainStrasse Pub Crawl.
We’re talking more than 60 floats moving from the corner of Main & Ninth streets down to the corner of Main & Fifth streets, and it’s a sight not to be missed. We can’t imagine the hours, sweat, creativity, and commitment that go into planning this parade, but, Up Over Bar, take a bow.
Tonight: The Missy Werner Band at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant … Terry Harper Presents Psychostick with H1Z1 at Madison Live.
Friday: Jam Band Jovi and Annie in the Water take over The Village for a Night of Jams at The Village Theater … BRWN Bear with Vusive, Organtica, Siege & Thelonious Mung at Galaxie … Gunnar Gidner Trio at Juniper’s … Wannabe – A Spice Girls Tribute at Madison Theater.
Saturday: Jonny Estep & Gravel Drive at The Roost Latonia … Brainrack with Walschlager & Vodenik at Galaxie … Mardi Gras with Ricky Nye Inc. at Juniper’s … Tabz at Madison Live.
Tonight: National Chili Day at Kenton County Public Library.
Saturday: Covington Farmers Market at Braxton Brewing Co. … MainStrasse Village Food & Culture Tour … 3D Printed Celtic Knot Earrings and Pendant Workshop at Kenton County Public Library.
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