The 2023 Bluegrass Chainsaw Showdown is Coming to Owensboro, KY

If you ever drop by the Owensboro Regional Farmers' Market, you've likely seen (or met) BJ Raymer. BJ is the owner (and master chainsaw carver) at Glowing Jacks Carvings. He and his wife Heather just announced they're working to bring the 2023 Bluegrass Chainsaw Showdown to Owensboro!

I met with Heather Wednesday afternoon and she shared the vision for the competition, which will take place Friday, November 10th through Sunday, November 12th downtown. Those dates happen to coincide with Kraftucky, the annual holiday crafts festival at the Owensboro Convention Center. As it happens, and thanks to the generosity of a local businessman, the Chainsaw Showdown will take place right next door- at the Holiday Inn Owensboro Riverfront.

There, ten chainsaw carvers from around the country will compete for prizes. They'll spend three consecutive days carving and turning gigantic logs into amazing works of art.

And, here's where you come in. They'll be auctioning off much of what they create and portions of the proceeds will benefit WBKR's Christmas Wish program.

So, how does a Chainsaw Showdown work? Each carver is given a 7-foot log and they have twenty hours to carve that long into something original and fantastic. For perspective, here's what a 7-foot log looks like.

BJ and Heather travel to various chainsaw competitions a year. In fact, this year alone, BJ has or will compete in Arkansas, Indiana, in far western Kentucky and, of course, right here in Owensboro.

To give you an idea of what kinds of art these chainsaw carvers create, here's a look at the final products from a recent competition. They're astonishing!

In addition to the actual Bluegrass Chainsaw Showdown, the inaugural event will also feature food trucks, live music and, of course, those live auctions I mentioned where YOU can bid on your favorite creations.

Here's the daily schedule:

Friday, November 10th- Carving 9am to 5pm; Auction at 6pm

Saturday, November 11th- Carving 9am to 5pm; Auction at 6pm

Sunday, November 12th- Carving 9am to 1pm; Auction at 2pm

Because this is a first-time event, Heather and BJ are looking for sponsors to help generate prize money for the competitors. They have already secured the event space, someone to donate the wood, the auctioneer and more. There are various sponsorship levels available and if you or someone you know is interested, you can reach out to Heather by calling 270-314-5105. You can also email bluegrasschainsawshowdown@yahoo.com.