BOWLING GREEN, Ohio — Bowling Green is on the eve of its busiest weekend of the year. The 55th National Tractor Pulling Championships, students moving into BGSU and the final Firefly Nights of the summer are all on the calendar this weekend.
"It absolutely is the busiest weekend of the year, and we're so excited," BG Community Affairs Coordinator Hallie Williams said. "Students are coming back to town. We're getting a ton of new visitors due to the pulls. It's the best time of the year."
There's no definite number but city officials expect tens of thousands of people to come through the city over the next few days.
"I'm ready for people to be back," said Visit BG Ohio's Kat Patterson. "I am excited and happy that we have these kinds of events, and that we can welcome these people with open arms."
The city isn't just hosting people from all over the country but all over the world. Following the eased international travel rules, Canadians are back at the tractor pulling championships for the first time since 2019.
"It's been three years since I've been down here," Ottawa, Ontario native Rob Kelly said. "It's just great to get away from home and come down and come back to see the tractor pull."
As intimidating as this all might sound the city is welcoming the challenge, excited to show people just how great a city like Bowling Green can be.
"It's crucial," said Patterson, "We definitely need weekends like this. I think every community wants to be known for being vibrant and fun. They don't want to be the boring town. This definitely helps us set apart."