File. Downtown Bowling Green was packed for the June 2018 Firefly Nights.
J.D. Pooley | Sentinel-Tribune
After a rousing start, Firefly Nights flickered out during the pandemic.
But the summer festival is back, making an even flashier return to downtown Bowling Green.
“We’re set up to make a great comeback this Friday,” said Michelle Elson, director.
The Firefly Nights committee has lined up live music and other entertainment, food trucks and children’s activities from 6-10 p.m.
Elson said the Wooster Greet area has been added to the site plan.
“Over there we will be hosting additional children activities,” she said, including inflatables and a movie at 9 p.m.
Most of the festival will run on North Main Street, from Court Street to Washington Street.
Also new this year, the entertainment will be moved more to the middle of Main Street, Elson said.
The music schedule:
6:30 p.m. Todd Elson and Ryan Brown
7:30 p.m. the Pinup Project
9 p.m. the Lonewolf Hippies
There will also be a family music tent on the north side, on North Main, from 6-8 p.m. Tim Oehlers will entertain.
“We will have a variety of food trucks in the Huntington parking lot, as well as utilizing the downtown BG restaurants,” Elson said.
“We are also working with Glovation Circus to bring in some extra entertainment,” she said.
They will have face painting, bubble play and stiltwalkers, Elson said.
Freddie and Frieda Falcon will also be on hand for the festival.
There will not be a beer tent; instead there will be full use of the Designated Outdoor Refreshment Areas in the downtown area.
Elson lives in Bowling Green and has been part of the festival, running entertainment, since it debuted in 2018.
The last Firefly Nights was in October 2019; there was a hiatus due to the pandemic.
Four downtown businesswomen started Firefly Nights in 2018, Elson said.
“It really was just started to show off BG and everything it has to offer,” she said.
The women running the festival now are Amy Simmons, Kristen Strum, Kat Patterson, Amber Hines and Carrie Ferrell.
There are two more Firefly Nights planned for the summer on the third Friday in July and August.
