STANFORD — The Lincoln County community invites people in neighboring areas and those just driving through to moooove on down to Stanford’s Main Street this weekend for the third annual Cow Bell Days Festival.

After the recent spate of stormy weather, Cow Bell Days organizers have been hoping for better weather for the festival. And, according to the latest forecasts, they may be in for some decent weather, with only a 10-percent chance of rain for Thursday and Friday and even less on Saturday. Heat will still be a factor, though, with 85 the predicted high for Thursday, 90 for Friday and 93 for Saturday.

“Right now, the chances of rain are low, so we are not very concerned,” said Amanda Wheeler, a member of the Cow Bell Days Planning Committee. “It will be warm out so we just advise people to dress and plan accordingly.”

Main Street will be blocked off on both ends of the Lincoln County Courthouse block beginning around 4 p.m. today (Thursday) as the committee sets up for the official kickoff to the festival — the Farm to Table Dinner. Local restaurants and businesses will prepare the food provided by local farmers and diners will be served in the middle of Main Street.

The main course of steak is being provided by Kentucky Darling Meats and The Bluebird will provide bean cassoulet, watermelon salad, greens and drinks. The dessert will be provided by Coleman’s, with 4 Generations adding a scoop of ice cream.

A total of 125 tickets, priced at $20 each, have been made available for the dinner. As of Tuesday night, 20 tickets were still available. Those tickets will be sold up to 7 p.m. when the dinner is set to begin. Proceeds from the dinner will go towards next year’s Cow Bell Days Festival.

The courthouse block will reopen after the dinner is over.

While little rain is expected, if any, today, Wheeler said plans have been made to move the dinner if needed.

“If it rains, we will move it to the (city parking) garage,” she said. “The weather is supposed to cooperate, so the chances are good that we will have it on Main Street. We will make the call Thursday afternoon if it has to be moved.”

The rest of Main Street, from Second Street to Mill Street, will be closed down for the festival around 4 p.m. Friday afternoon to allow new and returning vendors to set up their booths and for the Cow Bell Days Cruise-in. The cruise-in is set to start at 5 p.m.

Due to construction on the Bluebird block, vendors will only be set up across the street from the restaurant.

Music will fill the air at 7:30 p.m. Friday night, as the group “Collective” takes the stage. The stage will be set up on Main Street facing toward the courthouse.

Saturday’s events kick off at 8 a.m. with a country breakfast at the Stanford Presbyterian Church. The breakfast, which ends at 10 a.m., will be followed by a Farmer’s Market, morning outdoor yoga with Ashley Chaney, an ice cream-eating contest, dog show and much more — all before the Grand Cow Bell Days Parade rolls through downtown Stanford at 3 p.m.

Those festival attendees paying $5 for a ticket in the Holstein Calf Drawing should be in front of the stage at 6 p.m. Saturday to see if they are the lucky winner. You must be present to win.

The festival wraps up Saturday night on a musical note, as the band “One More Shot” takes the stage at 7 p.m.

Saturday’s schedule follows:

8 a.m. – Country breakfast at Stanford Presbyterian Church (ends at 10 a.m.)
9 a.m. – Farmer’s market opens (Main Street)
10 a.m. – Morning outdoor yoga with Ashley Chaney, registered yoga teacher
10 a.m. – Craft and food vendors open
10 a.m. – Mobile dairy classroom (ongoing sessions; ends at 1 p.m.)
1 p.m. – Ice cream-eating competition, sponsored by Durham’s Grocery
2 p.m. – Dog show (prizes for crowd favorite, best costume, and best trick)
3 p.m. – Grand Cow Bell Days Parade
4 p.m. – Farm olympics, sponsored by Hometown Teams at the Lincoln County Public Library (to include cow call and hay bale toss)
6 p.m. – Holstein calf drawing
7 p.m. – Music at the courthouse, One More Shot

For information about all Saturday events, stop by the Cow Bell Days information booth.