Hardin County Events: March 3–8, 2026

Key Takeaways

• Food Truck Tuesdays return to the Hardin County Farmers Market, 5–8 PM, with nine vendors including Bussin Bites and Mr. Pancho's Food Truck
• Mahj Madness runs every Wednesday in March at The Straight and Narrow — two sessions a night, prizes throughout, and a grand-prize Mahjong tile set
• Heartland Mini Golf opens its 2026 season Friday night at 4 PM — rooftop bar, game yard, $2 beers, and soft serve at 1030 Executive Drive
• Saturday is stacked: a Lions Club pancake breakfast, the West Hardin Middle PTSA Vendor Fair, Black Heart Tattoo Company's grand opening, and a Blue Door x Dreamery vase workshop
• Sunday's Etown St. Baldrick's at the Early College & Career Center raises money for childhood cancer and needs barbers, volunteers, ponytail donors, and shavees

Summary

The first full week of March brought a genuine feeling of spring to Hardin County, and Jon O'Brien had a calendar to match. From food trucks rolling back into the Farmers Market on Tuesday night to a season-opening weekend at Heartland Mini Golf, there is something going on nearly every day.

The throughline is variety — a wellness screening event and a garden club program midweek, a Queen tribute band and a runway fashion event Friday night, and a Saturday loaded with everything from pancakes to a tattoo shop grand opening to a vase-decorating workshop with gelato. The week closes Sunday with Etown St. Baldrick's, the annual head-shaving fundraiser for childhood cancer research.

Jon kept the energy up and the recommendations practical, flagging Heartland Mini Golf's Friday opening — this week's episode sponsor — right where it belonged on the calendar.

Watch this segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mYZaaT2HG4&t=938s Full episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mYZaaT2HG4

Full Article

Spring is finally showing up in Hardin County, and Jon O'Brien opened his events rundown with a week that has a little of everything. "We got a lot going on," he said, before walking through six days of food, music, fundraisers, and grand openings.

Tuesday: food trucks are back

The week kicks off with Food Truck Tuesdays at the Hardin County Farmers Market, 5–8 PM at 200 Peterson Drive. Jon ran down the lineup — Bussin Bites, Sunny Girl's Cafe, Lydora's Sweet Treats, The 5,000, Old School Flavor Trailer, Matilda's Dogs and More, The Sweet & Salty Co., Sam's Gyros, and Mr. Pancho's Food Truck — and made his own plans clear. "I can't wait till April so I can have a corn dog," he said, name-checking the Bussin Bites menu. "So if you're hungry, that's the place to be."

Wednesday: wellness, mahjong, and a full moon circle

Wednesday brings Wellness on Wheels with Baptist Health Hardin, 10 AM–Noon at Lakeside Worship Center, with free screenings for everything from blood pressure to glucose. "If you need to get checked up on any of that stuff, they can help you out," Jon said.

The bigger story is Mahj Madness — "not March Madness, that's not happening yet," Jon joked — running every Wednesday in March at The Straight and Narrow. Two sessions a night (5–6:45 PM and 7–8:45 PM), $15 a session or $50 for four, with 16 spots per night and a grand-prize Mahjong tile set. The conversation turned into a friendly mahjong tutorial, with the hosts comparing the tile-matching game to washing dominoes. The night also includes a free Full Moon Community Circle in Radcliff at 6:30 PM, with cookies and juice provided and children welcome.

Thursday: bees, golf clubs, and Easter crafts

Thursday's Garden Club of Elizabethtown program, "Bees and Blooms," features guest speaker Kellie Routt of Grandview Farm. "If you want to learn about some bees and maybe the flowers that they like to be attracted to, go check that out," Jon said — and visitors don't need to be members. Also Thursday: a PXG Club Fitting Day at Proof Golf from 2–6 PM, where an on-site master fitter helps golfers find the right clubs, and a Bunny Door Hangers Workshop at Vine Grove City Hall ($52) — "because Easter is on the way."

Friday: lobster, live music, and a season opener

Friday brings Cousins Maine Lobster to O'Reilly Auto Parts, 11 AM–7 PM. "They always bring the good stuff," Jon said, with the reminder that it's cards and Apple Pay only. The band West on 165 plays Social Food Hall at 6 PM, Unity on the Runway lights up The Haycraft, and the Queen tribute band Queen Nation takes the Historic State Theater at 7:30 PM "till they quit rocking."

And of course, Heartland Mini Golf opens its 2026 season Friday at 4 PM. "If you don't have any other plans, Heartland Mini Golf is going to be opening up — season opener," Jon said. "Get out there."

Saturday: pancakes to tattoos

Saturday is the busiest day of the week. The E-Town Lions Club Annual Pancake Breakfast runs 8 AM–Noon at Elizabethtown High School ($10 adults, kids free). The West Hardin Middle PTSA Spring Vendor Fair brings local vendors, food trucks, and Easter Bunny photos — which led Jon into a story about his own two years playing the Easter Bunny at the mall, where "you're not allowed to speak because that freaks people out."

Also Saturday: the Crumbs and Chapters Book Club at Bloom Bakery (The Tenant by Freida McFadden), the Black Heart Tattoo Company Grand Opening at 11 AM in Radcliff, the Blue Door x Dreamery Vase Workshop (decoupage plus gelato — "I love gelato," Jon said), the CHHS Class of 2016 Reunion at The Haycraft, a public Basket Auction at Fiddler's Green on Fort Knox, and Colton Kise live at Cosmic Golf at 8:30 PM.

Sunday: St. Baldrick's

The week closes with Etown St. Baldrick's, 1–4:30 PM at the Hardin County Schools Early College & Career Center — a childhood cancer fundraiser that needs barbers, volunteers, ponytail donors, and shavees. Jon noted his cousin Lewis O'Brien participates every year. It's also Phil Taul's birthday — he turns 42 on March 8.

"What a packed week," Rachel said as Jon wrapped. "There's something for everybody."