RICHMOND, Ky. — More than 1,100 athletes from across Kentucky will come to Richmond June 5 to 7 as the Special Olympics Kentucky State Summer Games return to Eastern Kentucky University.
🗓 Dates: June 5 to 7
📍 Location: Eastern Kentucky University (Richmond)
🏟️ Year at EKU: 31st consecutive year (2026)
🏅 Sports (EKU weekend): bocce, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, track and field
Athletes will compete in bocce, rhythmic gymnastics, soccer, and track and field, with related events including Opening Ceremonies, Healthy Athletes clinics, Olympic Town, Closing Ceremonies, and a Victory Dance. Special Olympics Kentucky’s official 2026 event listing names those four sports for the EKU weekend.
🔥 Opening Night Ceremonies and Torch Run
Opening Ceremonies are scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Friday, June 5, at Baptist Health Arena. The ceremony will include the introduction of athletes, recognition of athletes who will compete as Team Kentucky at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, and the lighting of the Special Olympics cauldron.
The day will also include the Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg, which begins earlier Friday in Frankfort. Law enforcement officers will carry the Flame of Hope from Frankfort to Richmond during the day, with the route and stop schedule still being planned by Special Olympics Kentucky.
Competition begins Friday evening after the Opening Ceremonies. Track competitions are scheduled to begin around 7:00 p.m. at Kentucky’s Touchstone Energy Track, with bocce also beginning Friday evening. Special Olympics Kentucky’s detailed Summer Games page says distance races and relays are expected to begin at approximately 7:30 p.m., with softball throw heats at Turkey Hughes Baseball Field and Unified bocce on the EKU Front Intramural Fields.
🏟️ Saturday Competition and Campus Relocations
Competition continues Saturday, June 6, beginning around 8:00 a.m. at all venues. Olympic Town and Healthy Athletes are scheduled to open at 10:00 a.m., with Closing Ceremonies scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Swimming will not be held at EKU during the June 5 to 7 weekend. Special Olympics Kentucky held the Brad Harkleroad Memorial State Swim Meet as a separate event on May 16 at the University of Louisville’s Ralph Wright Natatorium because of ongoing construction affecting EKU facilities.
Special Olympics Kentucky says EKU campus improvements will affect some event locations this year, so visitors should check the official event map before arriving. Bocce will be held on the front intramural fields, rhythmic gymnastics will return to the Student Recreation Center, and Healthy Athletes will be on the second floor of the Powell Building. Olympic Town is moving to the Alumni Coliseum parking lot near the softball throw venue.
Soccer will take place at the Noah Tinch Memorial Soccer Venue near the back of campus. Special Olympics Kentucky says the venue was named in memory of Noah Tinch, who volunteered at last year’s competition and died shortly after the 2025 Games.
👟 Spectator and Volunteer Logistics
For spectators, the Summer Games offer a full weekend of athletic competition and community support. Families, friends, volunteers, and local residents should expect increased traffic around EKU athletic facilities, Alumni Coliseum, Baptist Health Arena, the Student Recreation Center, the Powell Building, intramural fields, and nearby parking areas.
Visitors should allow extra time to park and walk between venues. Because some locations have changed this year, spectators should not assume events are in the same places they were in previous years. Special Olympics Kentucky has posted a 2026 State Summer Games event map on its Summer Games page.
The event also depends heavily on volunteers. Special Olympics Kentucky says more than 600 volunteers are needed to help the Games operate smoothly. Individuals or organizations interested in volunteering may contact Volunteer Services Manager Michaele Roy at 502-695-8222 or via email at mroy@soky.org.
Anyone planning to attend should check Special Olympics Kentucky’s official Summer Games page before leaving for campus, especially for venue maps, schedule updates, weather information, and any traffic advisories issued closer to the event.
🔗 Summer Games Event Hub:https://soky.org/summergames/
📅 Official Calendar Entry:https://soky.org/event/26_summergames/
🗓️ Schedule Highlights
Friday, June 5
- 9:00 a.m. — Law Enforcement Torch Run Final Leg lighting ceremony
- 6:00 p.m. — Opening Ceremonies
- 7:00 p.m. — Bocce and track and field competition begin
Saturday, June 6
- 8:00 a.m. — Competition begins at all venues
- 10:00 a.m. — Healthy Athletes clinics and Olympic Town open
- 6:30 p.m. — Closing Ceremonies
The event is scheduled to continue through Sunday, June 7, with the official Special Olympics Kentucky calendar listing the Games through 11:00 a.m.
📌 Upcoming Events in Berea & Beyond
🎨 Community, Arts & Civic
- 🎶 Richmond Centre Summer Concerts Opening Night (2139 Lantern Ridge Dr.), Friday, May 29, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
- 🪑 Tools and Stools Workshop (116 Spring Circle Dr.), Saturday, May 30 to Sunday, May 31, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- 🐾 Drive-Thru Pet Vaccine Clinic (1151 Goggins Lane), Saturday, May 30, 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- 🍽️ Madison County Schools Summer Feeding Kickoff (GME/BMCMS Parking Lot), Monday, June 1, 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- 🏛️ Madison County Fiscal Court Special Session (135 W. Irvine St.), Monday, June 1, 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- ⚽ Next Level Soccer Camp (Berea College Alumni Field), Monday, June 1 to Friday, June 5
- 🪵 Woodcarver Wednesday (Berea Welcome Center), Wednesday, June 3, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
- 🎯 Madison County Skeet Club Public Hours (638 Dreyfus Rd.), Thursday, June 4, 2:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
- 🛍️ 15th Annual US 25 Yard Sale (Regional Route), Friday, June 5 to Saturday, June 6, All Day
- 🐞 Junebug Festival (Old Town Artisan Village), Friday, June 5, 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
- 🎣 Free Kids Fishing Derby (Lake Reba Park), Saturday, June 6, 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
🎭 Theater & Performance at The Spotlight Playhouse
🎟 Tickets and info:https://www.thespotlightplayhouse.com/
- 🌟 Annie KIDS (Spotlight Acting School), May 29 to June 7
- 🗽 Creative Arts Camp (“New York, New York”), June 8 to 12
- ⚔️ Macbeth (The Bluegrass Players), June 19 to 28
- 🎬 Film Acting Camp (Rising 6th to Age 18), June 29 to July 3