Simone C. Payne/photo@bgdailynews.com Children make ornaments Saturday during the Christmas in Kentucky event at the Kentucky Museum.

Five-year-old John William Childers diligently squeezed glitter glue on green felt circles while making ornaments Saturday at the 10th annual Christmas in Kentucky event hosted by the Kentucky Museum.

John William’s mother Laura Childers said it’s important to get her son and two daughters out to experience different events in the city. This is the first year that she has been to the event in the five years they’ve lived in Bowling Green. 

“We’ve never been to the Kentucky Museum,” Childers said. “I ran with my daughters before the parade and that’s the first time we ran that run too.”

Along with ornament making, families enjoyed a magic show, scavenger hunt, balloon animal making, gingerbread sampling, games and activities. Also, Santa and Mrs. Claus visited with the children and were available for photos. Kentucky Museum Education Curator Christy Spurlock said the free event is a gift to the community.

“It’s an opportunity for them to do all this fun, holiday stuff, but also just to see all of our exhibits,” she said. 

Mr. Magic, a local magician, gave three different performances during the event performing tricks like pulling a straw the size of an 8-foot pole out of a McDonald’s bag, producing water out of thin air and the infamous rings illusion of connecting and reconnecting steal rings without an opening. 

Michael Harrison brought his 9-year-old son Lukas to the event after the Bowling Green Jaycees Christmas Parade to get him involved in different activities in the community and to create holiday traditions. Both were able to be participants in different parts of the magic show. 

“My favorite part was when he made the little octagon sponges turn into one or two or three,” Lukas said.  

Sara Horton of Logan County brought her 3-year-old daughter Addilyn to the museum to enjoy the different activities. She said it’s good to have events for the kids to give them something to do with their families. When asked what her favorite part of the day was so far, Addilyn said “making the snowman” ornament.

Logan County cousins Taylor Gibson, 15, and Rachel Taylor, 15, were practicing their writing skills with an inkwell and pen and said they thought it would be fun to come to the event.

“It’s a good thing to do with the family because not a lot of people spend time together,” Gibson said. “This is a good way just to kind of relax and have fun and do crafts together.”

Chris and Mary Allison had the same idea when bringing their four children out for the day to experience the parade and the different activities at the museum. 

“I think that it’s wonderful … . It’s a family tradition for us. Our kids know when we go to the Christmas parade, we come here too. It’s just something that we enjoy doing,” Mary Allison said. 

— Follow faith/general assignments reporter Simone C. Payne on Twitter @_SimonePayne or visit bgdailynews.com.