Owensboro Community and Technical College

OCTC Foundation to Host Annual Boots & BBQ Fundraiser Celebrating 40 Years

Sat., Sept. 26, 2026; 2-6 p.m.

by Bernie Hale

Owensboro, KY (08/10/2026) — The Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) Foundation and Owensboro Community & Technical College will host their annual Boots & BBQ Fundraiser, presented by Owensboro Health, on Saturday, September 26, 2026, from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. The event will commemorate a special milestone as both the OCTC Foundation and the college celebrate their 40th anniversaries.

This family-friendly community event will feature a free concert showcasing local and regional favorites including The Blue Bridge Boys, the OCTC Capital Bluegrass Band, Tailgate, and Yellow Banks. Attendees will also enjoy an interactive program fair highlighting OCTC's educational opportunities, a touch-a-truck experience, and delicious BBQ plates available for purchase.

All proceeds from Boots & BBQ will support the OCTC Foundation's Emergency Student Assistance Program, which provides financial assistance to students facing barriers beyond tuition costs, helping them remain enrolled and on track to complete their educational goals.

"Owensboro Health is proud to serve as the presenting sponsor of Boots & BBQ and to celebrate this milestone with Owensboro Community & Technical College," said Mark Marsh, President and CEO of Owensboro Health. "For decades, our organizations have been true partners in serving the community, strengthening the workforce and creating opportunities throughout western Kentucky. We are honored to support an event that helps students succeed and builds a stronger future for our region."

The event is made possible through the generous support of community partners, including Owensboro Health as presenting sponsor, River Valley Behavioral Health as sponsor of the seating area for veterans and special guests, and the Ehrlich Corporation and Jackson Hills Cattle as Community Partner Sponsors. Friends of OCTC sponsors are Rice Agri-Marketing, Steve and Peggy Gardner, Daviess County Farm Bureau, Pepsi, and Meijer.

OCTC Chancellor Dr. Scott Williams commented, "Boots & BBQ is more than a community celebration-it's an investment in the future of our students and our community. As we celebrate 40 years of Owensboro Community & Technical College, we're proud to showcase the programs, partnerships, and people that make OCTC such a vital part of western Kentucky. Every dollar raised helps remove barriers for students, allowing them to stay focused on earning the education and skills that strengthen our workforce and transform lives."

Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs for seating during the concert. For safety and security, only clear bags will be permitted at the event, and chairs may not be carried into the venue inside bags.

"As we celebrate 40 years of transforming lives through education and student support, Boots & BBQ provides an opportunity for our community to come together for a great cause," said Sydney Warren, Director of the OCTC Foundation. "The funds raised through this event directly support students facing unexpected financial hardships and help them stay focused on achieving their educational goals."

OCTC and the OCTC Foundation invite the community to join in celebrating four decades of service, education, and student success while enjoying an afternoon of music, food, and family-friendly activities.

There are still sponsorship opportunities available. If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, please get in touch with Sydney Warren at Sydney.warren@kctcs.edu or (270) 686-4663.

About the Bands

The Blue Bridge Boys are native to Owensboro and specialize in bluegrass-infused takes on many genres, bringing high-energy musicianship and tight harmonies to every stage. Made up of Parker Malone (fiddle), Levi Hausner (guitar), Cruse Edwards (banjo), and Noah Mason (bass). From the Grand Ole Opry to the IBMA stage, they've performed nationwide, connecting with audiences.

The OCTC Capital Bluegrass Band is the premier student ensemble of Owensboro Community & Technical College's Capital Bluegrass & Traditional Music Program. Directed by Scott Napier, Program Coordinator and Associate Professor of Bluegrass & Traditional Music, the band's membership changes as students enroll, graduate, and pursue new opportunities. The ensemble provides students with valuable real-world performance experience while representing OCTC at community events throughout the region.

Napier is an acclaimed bluegrass musician and educator with more than 30 years of professional experience. He spent a decade performing as mandolinist for bluegrass legend Larry Sparks and has appeared at the Grand Ole Opry, A Prairie Home Companion, and alongside many of the genre's most respected artists while still maintaining an active touring, and recording schedule. At OCTC, he developed and leads the Capital Bluegrass & Traditional Music Program, helping establish it as one of Kentucky's premier collegiate bluegrass programs while preparing the next generation of bluegrass musicians.

Tailgate is an Owensboro based band that performs a broad mix of Rock & Country music. Members: Ralph Jones (drums), Randall Jones (Bass/vocals), Rob Payne ((guitar/vocals), Jason Ward (guitar/lead vocals).

Yellow Banks is a multi-genre band blending classic country, rock, funk, and jam influences. Their debut album, Corner of First and Lonely, was released in 2024, and garnered over 100k spins in its first year. In late 2025, they released several other singles from their upcoming sophomore album, along with a couple of classics from Waylon Jennings and Eddie Rabbit. They were recently named Nashville's Next Rising Star and headlined the entertainment for the Cracker Barrel 400 at Nashville Superspeedway. Their lead singer, James Elliott, was nominated for male country rock/southern rock vocalist of the year at the 12th annual Josie Music Awards and will be attending the ceremony at the Grand Ole Opry.

Owensboro Community & Technical College is one of the sixteen community and technical colleges that make up the Kentucky Community & Technical College System. OCTC serves the KY counties of Daviess, Hancock, Ohio and McLean. OCTC has three campuses in Daviess County and a Center and Annex in Hancock County. OCTC strives to serve the communities in the service area by providing associate degree education for transfer, state of the art technical education for students focusing on entering the workforce, customized business and industry solutions through the Workforce Solutions division, and adult education and business and industry testing through the SkillTrain unit.

The Kentucky Community and Technical College System is the Commonwealth's largest postsecondary institution with 16 colleges and more than 70 campuses. We also are Kentucky's largest provider of workforce training and online education. Through partnerships with business and industry, we align our programs to meet the needs of local employers. We help students fulfill their dreams of creating a better life through programs that lead directly to jobs or help them transfer to one of our four-year partners.

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