Candidates for national, state and local political offices will soon receive letters inviting them to participate in the Red, White and Blue Picnic, scheduled for 4 p.m. on Oct. 27 on the north lawn of the Daviess County Courthouse in downtown Owensboro.
The event, hosted by the Greater Owensboro Chamber of Commerce, features short stump speeches by the candidates. Candance Brake, president and CEO of the chamber, said on Wednesday that both major party candidates for Kentucky’s U.S. Senate seat up for grabs in the general election on Nov. 8 — incumbent Republican Sen. Rand Paul and Democratic challenger Jim Gray, the mayor of Lexington — have inquired about the event and have it on their calendars.
The Red, White and Blue Picnic, set for the same day as the city of Owensboro’s Trail of Treats Halloween-themed event at Smothers Park, will be the first of three political candidate forums sponsored this fall by the local Chamber of Commerce.
On Nov. 1 at Owensboro Community & Technical College’s Blandford Hall, a forum for candidates for statewide legislative offices will be held. The starting time for the event has not yet been set, but will take place in the evening, Brake said. Daviess County Farm Bureau will partner with the Chamber to host the event.
Then, two days later on Nov. 3, the Chamber will host a forum for Owensboro City Commission and mayoral candidates in the auditorium of Owensboro High School. It will also be an evening event and the start time will be announced later, Brake said. Ten candidates are running for the Owensboro City Commission, and five candidates are running for mayor.
“We are still working on the mechanics of the forums,” Brake said.
According to Brake, the two forums and the Red White and Blue Picnic will be the culmination of the Chamber’s “GO VOTE!” Campaign.
Holding the events close to Election Day works well, Brake said.
“Having them later, close to the election, I feel like people are really paying attention at that point and forming their decisions,” Brake said.
When the Red, White and Blue Picnic was held in conjunction with the Trail of Treats last year, the combination was a success, Brake said. The Halloween event for children typically draws thousands of people to Smothers Park and Veterans Boulevard.
“Last year it worked extremely well,” Brake said. “After the picnic, the candidates walked down and got to meet a lot more people. I think they really enjoyed it.”
By Steve Vied Messenger-Inquirer