Arts & Recreation                

Depending on the weather and the time of year, residents can choose from fishing on Stoner Creek, golf at one of the three local courses, swimming at the YMCA (indoors or outdoors) or at Stoner Creek Country Club, or a wide variety of team and individual sports. Fitness buffs can take karate, work out at the YMCA, Curves for Women, or at the Legacy Fitness Center.  On a less active note, the Hopewell Museum, Paris-Bourbon County Library, Wallis Home Arboretum, Duncan Tavern and Cane Ridge Shrine all offer something interesting to see or do.

Parks: 

The 30-acre Bourbon County Park on Legion Drive is owned and maintained by the county and is home to the annual Bourbon County Fair.  The park also has lighted softball/baseball fields, basketball and volleyball courts, a walking track with exercise stations, horseshoe pits, and a picnic pavilion.  A wonderful playground has been built in the park, and is a favorite of area children.  The Fairgrounds include buildings which can be rented for reunions, parties, etc.  Call 859-987-2149 for more information.

Garrard Park is the centerpiece of the city’s recreational sites and includes nine tennis courts, a large picnic pavilion, and lighted softball/baseball fields.  Children and adults can play organized baseball, softball, and T-ball through programs at the city and county parks.

The city owns three smaller parks including Chief Reed Park, which has basketball courts, and Rucker Village and Morgan Place Parks, which are equipped for passive recreation and picnics.  Two soccer fields in the city are well used in spring and fall by local school teams, and by the Paris Youth Soccer League teams.

Golf:

Bourbon County is home to two public and one private golf courses.  Houston Oaks, on Lexington Road, is a par 72, 18-hole course.  Shady Brook Golf Club is a par 70, nine-hole course located on Hutchison Road. 

Stoner Creek Country Club has a nine-hole course open to members and their guests.

Fitness:

The newly-renovated YMCA on Main Street in downtown Paris is equipped with nautilus equipment and free weights, indoor and outdoor pools, an indoor walking/jogging track, and it offers various fitness classes, including water aerobics, step aerobics, kickboxing, and more.  Youth sports programs include basketball, football, soccer, swim team, cheerleading, and gymnastics.  The YMCA is a source of local pride as Paris-Bourbon County is the smallest area in the United States to support such a large YMCA facility.  (The YMCA is a Member of the Chamber of Commerce).   Phone:  859-987-1395 or visit www.parisbourbonymca.org.

Paris Taekwondo, at 503 Main Street (a Member of the Chamber of Commerce and the American Taekwondo Association), offers karate classes for all ages.  These classes emphasize values such as discipline, perseverance, confidence, and respect. Visit their website at www.parisata.com.  Phone:  859-988-5425.

New in 2004, Curves for Women (a Member of the Chamber of Commerce) at 530 Main Street provides a 30-minute routine of strength training and aerobic exercise that is easy to fit into your schedule.  Phone:  859-988-0099.

Cheers Gymnastics Center at 716 Main Street opened in 2005.  Phone:  859-988-9526.

Museums/Tourist Attractions:

The Hopewell Museum was opened to the public in 1995 in an impressive Beaux-Arts style building on Pleasant Street in Paris.  Exhibits highlighting local history and Kentucky fine arts are on display Wednesday through Saturday from 12 noon to 5 p.m., and on Sunday afternoons from 2 to 4 p.m.  After a recent major renovation, the Hopewell Museum is now equipped to house world-class traveling exhibits.  Admission is free, and donations are greatly appreciated.  ( Hopewell Museum is a Member of the Chamber of Commerce).  Call 859-987-7274

Also on Pleasant Street, which runs parallel to Main Street in Paris, is the Wallis Home and Arboretum.  The state headquarters for the Garden Clubs of Central Kentucky, Inc., the Wallis Home is also available for receptions and parties.  The refurbished house, built in the 1850s, and the breathtaking garden are open to the public.  Call 859-987-6158.

Duncan Tavern, built in 1788, was visited by frontiersmen Daniel Boone and Simon Kenton.  It is now the headquarters for the Jemima Johnson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  The building has been furnished with rare Kentucky antiques, and boasts one of the finest historical and genealogical libraries in the state.  Duncan Tavern is open for tours at certain times.  Call 859-987-1788 for more info.

Out on the Cane Ridge Road, six miles east of Paris, is the Cane Ridge Meeting House.  Built in 1791, it is said to be the largest one-room log structure in the country.  The log building is now housed inside a large stone structure, which protects it from the elements.  The Cane Ridge Meeting House is the site of the Great Revival of 1801, where an estimated 25,000 worshippers gathered.  The old meeting house and museum are open to the public from April to October, 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.  Phone:  859-987-5350.

Another point of interest is the Colville Covered Bridge, built in 1877.  It is the last covered bridge remaining in Bourbon County.  From Paris, go northeast on Highway 68, left onto 1940 (to Ruddles Mill), right onto 1893, and left onto Colville Road.

There is always something going on at the Paris-Bourbon County Public Library.  Check their website at www.bourbonlibrary.org,  or watch the local papers for special events at the Library.  Stop by 701 High Street to see the wide variety of books, books on tape, videos, computers with internet access, and much more.  Call 859-987-4419 for more information.

New to Paris in the Fall of 2003 is Paris ArtWorks, a gallery and studio space at 436 Main Street.  Owner Allison Weber is excited to be contributing to the revitalization of Downtown Paris with this special offering of original art of various media at various prices.  Classes in various media are also available.  For more information, call 859-987-4-ART, or see Paris Artworks on the web.  (Paris ArtWorks is a Member of the Chamber of Commerce). 

Note:  Paris Artworks was the 2004 recipient of the Chamber's Business of the Year Award!

The Stoner Creek Arts group is comprised of many local artists and art lovers.  They are in charge of putting on the annual Fall Harvest of local art.  For more information, call 859-608-6774 or go to www.stonercreekarts.org,

Brochures and maps of various points of interest in Bourbon County, including a drive-it-yourself horse farm tour and a historic downtown walking tour, are available at the Paris-Bourbon County Chamber of Commerce, 525 High Street, Paris, Kentucky.  Call 859-987-3205 for more information.

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