Kenton County families looking for one last free outing before school starts can head to Pioneer Park on Aug. 8, for the End of Summer Fest, a three-hour block of live music, games, and frozen treats that won't cost a dime to attend.
Kenton County Public Library and Kenton County Parks & Recreation are co-hosting the event from 4 to 7 p.m. at the 43-acre park at 3952 Madison Pike. The library announced the fest in a blog post published July 22, noting it is timed for families feeling the pinch of back-to-school purchases.
Cincinnati band Velvet Soul will perform live, playing Top 40 hits spanning rock, country, R&B, jazz, and blues. Kids can cool off in a foam party, bounce on an inflatable house, or play games scattered across the grounds. A Kids Market will give young entrepreneurs a chance to sell their own creations.
Organizers will hand out free Kona Ice to all attendees. For heartier fare, Seahan's Coffee and Hamilton's Hot Dogs will have food and beverages available for purchase.
The fest also serves as a capstone to the library's 2026 Summer Reading Detectives program, which encouraged readers of all ages to track books and earn raffle entries throughout the summer. But the library said the event is open to everyone, whether or not they participated in summer reading.
Kenton County Schools students are scheduled to return to class Aug. 19, per the district calendar, making the Aug. 8 fest one of the last weekend gatherings before the school year begins. Pioneer Park sits off KY 17, centrally located for residents of Fort Mitchell, Edgewood, Villa Hills, and surrounding communities.
No registration is required. The library encouraged attendees to bring lawn chairs.
If you go
- What: End of Summer Fest
- When: Saturday, Aug. 8, 4–7 p.m.
- Where: Pioneer Park, 3952 Madison Pike, Covington, KY 41017
- Cost: Free admission; food vendors on-site
- Details: kentonlibrary.org
