Hardin County Events: February 18–21, 2026

Key Takeaways

• A Mardi Gras Party hits The Haycraft on Friday, February 20 (7 PM–midnight) during Fat Tuesday week, with a live DJ, dancing, masks, and beads
• Saturday, February 21 is the busiest day — a Spring Fling Craft Fair, Bee School, a Mac n Cheese Cookoff, live pro wrestling in Upton, the Radcliff Hall of Fame Gala, and live music
• The Hardin County History Museum hosts Black History Month speaker Jerry Bransford, a 5th-generation Mammoth Cave guide, Thursday at ECTC
• Live pro wrestling comes to the Upton Civic Club Saturday — doors at 4, bell time 6:30, with kids' tickets just $5
• The North Hardin High School choir performs Seussical Jr. at The PAC, Saturday at 7 PM and Sunday at 3 PM

Summary

Closing out the OG-crew reunion episode, Jon O'Brien ran through a solid mid-February week — about 13 events across four days, from Wednesday, February 18 through Saturday, February 21. The week leans into the season: a Mardi Gras party at The Haycraft during Fat Tuesday week, a Black History Month talk on the African American history of Mammoth Cave, and a packed Saturday that ranges from a craft fair and beekeeping class to live pro wrestling and the Radcliff Hall of Fame Gala.

Jon — now 17 days into a "75 Hard" challenge, as he and the hosts joked about — kept the energy loose while pointing folks toward the can't-miss items. He named the Saturday pro wrestling card in Upton as his personal favorite. Phil also added a family note: the North Hardin High School choir's Seussical Jr. at The PAC, featuring Scott Lucas's son.

Watch this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqPO4_grH9U&t=2504s Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqPO4_grH9U

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Jon O'Brien wrapped the show with the week's events, opening with a quick plug for trivia night at Flywheel and Bussin Bites serving corndogs — though Jon, mid-"75 Hard" challenge, noted he couldn't partake. "Day 17, rolling along pretty smooth," he said, before getting into the rundown for February 18–21.

Wednesday: a hands-on craft class

The week opens Wednesday with the Mixing Bowl Class at Songbird Quilting Studio in Vine Grove, 11 AM to 4 PM. "It's a hands-on craft workshop. Beginners are welcome. Come on, check it out," Jon said. Participants make three fabric bowls using clothesline and wrapped-fabric techniques, with materials provided.

Thursday: basketball and a Black History Month talk

Thursday brings the Sixth Grade Girls Travel Basketball Tryouts at Elizabethtown Christian Academy, 5:30 to 7 PM, hosted by Kentucky Elite, which is adding a few competitive athletes to its roster. "If you're good at the b-ball," Jon said, "go over there and try out."

Also Thursday, the Hardin County History Museum presents Black History Month speaker Jerry Bransford at ECTC's Owen Building, Room 112, at 6 PM. The talk covers the role of African Americans in the mapping, exploration, and development of Mammoth Cave — a subject Jon found genuinely fascinating. "We still haven't mapped it fully," he marveled. "There's still spots they can't get to." Bransford is a fifth-generation Mammoth Cave guide.

Friday: free movies, painting, and Mardi Gras

Friday is a full evening. A free Teen Movie Night runs in Radcliff from 5 to 8 PM (movie starts at 5:45), hosted by the M.O.D. Squad Teen Outreach Ministry. The St. Patrick's Door Hanger Paint Party at ARTrageous Adventures with Rita goes 5:30 to 8:30 PM for $35, with a $10 discount if you paint on the reverse side of a Nutcracker board. "I do not know what that means," Jon laughed, "but that sounds interesting" — then worked out that you'd get a flippable, two-season board out of it.

There's also a Hormone Therapy Open House with Watson Family Medicine at 6 PM, a chance to meet Dr. Watson and learn what they offer. And capping the night is a Mardi Gras Party at The Haycraft, 7 PM to midnight — which prompted a fun realization at the table that the show was airing on Fat Tuesday itself. "There's going to be a live DJ, dancing, Mardi Gras atmosphere," Jon said. Masks, beads, and themed attire encouraged.

Saturday: the busiest day of the week

Saturday stacks up. The Spring Fling Craft Fair runs 9 AM to 3 PM at the Pritchard Community Center, with local artisans and seasonal vendors. Bee School — an intro to beekeeping — kicks off at 10 AM at the Hardin County Cooperative Extension Service. "It's a very weird thing, beekeeping," Jon riffed. "You've got to smoke them, you've got to wear the suit." A Mac n Cheese Cookoff fires up at The Serenity Club from 4 to 6 PM, which had Jon wishing Britten were around to weigh in (and sparked a quick poll: the table came down firmly on baked mac over stovetop).

Two of the day's biggest draws are sports and celebration. Live pro wrestling comes to the Upton Civic Club on College Street in Upton — doors at 4, bell time 6:30 — with promoters Leslie and Sarah Knight, whom Jon said he's known for years. Tickets run $5 for kids, $10 in advance or $12 day-of for general seating, and $12 to $15 ringside. (Call 270-766-7205 or find the Knights on Facebook.) The hosts traded fond wrestling stories; Jon named it his favorite event of the week. "The wrestling probably is getting in there," he said. "That's a fun time." Meanwhile, the Radcliff Small Business Alliance Hall of Fame Gala at 6 PM brings an awards ceremony, music, an auction, and dancing, with jersey-themed attire encouraged — Jon called it "probably the event of the weekend."

The night winds down with live music from Jonathan Paxton at Cosmic Golf, 8:30 to 11:30 PM — "a kind of laid-back spot," Jon said.

A family shout-out: Seussical Jr. at The PAC

Before wrapping, Phil added one more to the list close to home: the North Hardin High School choir is performing Seussical Jr. at The PAC, with Scott Lucas's son playing Horton the Elephant. Showtimes are 7 PM Saturday, February 21, and 3 PM Sunday, February 22, with tickets at $10 and a runtime of about an hour and a half. The hosts praised the venue — "there's no bad seat at all" — and reflected on how many more performing arts opportunities the area has now than it did decades ago. "I love the fact that our area has so many performing arts opportunities," Jon said.

A full, varied week — and a fitting close to the 40-week reunion episode.