Attention: DIYers!

The annual NKY Restoration Weekend returns to Covington later this month and there is a slew of opportunities to hone your historic preservation and restoration skills.

NKY Restoration Weekend is scheduled for Saturday, March 21 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Gateway Community & Technical College Urban Center located at 525 Scott Blvd. in Covington.

In addition to workshops, visitors will interact with craftsmen, vendors, representatives from the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), and other preservation experts.

New this year is the "Taste and Talk" at the vendors fair from noon to 1:30. Talk with the vendors, preservation experts, and other home owners while enjoying a FREE mini "Taste of NKY" of a meal provided from 6 of your favorite independent restaurants.

. Although NKY Restoration is free, participants are asked to register online at www.nkyrestoration.com

There is something for owners of historic or older homes or or individuals thinking about purchasing one. The workshops include the following topics:

The Art of Faux Wood Graining

House Forensics

How to Hire a Contractor and Be a Good Client

Wood Window Rehabilitation

Gutters - Get in the Flow

Plaster Walls

What Style is It

Rehabbing on a Budget

Preservation 101

Container Gardening

Interior Decorative Painting

Saving Wood Floors

Common Electrical Issues in Old Homes

Utilizing KY Preservation Tax Credits

Greening Your Historic Home

Repairing Decorative Plaster

Water Maintenance from Roof to Ground

Understanding the Secretary of the Interior Standards

The A to Z of Wood Restoration

Chimneys and Fireplaces

For more details on each of these classes, vendors, demonstration and a list of accredited continuing education for AIA and AICP professionals to be held in the afternoon of Friday, March 20 at the Baker Hunt Art and Cultural Center at 620 Greenup St, Covington, KY please visit www.nkyrestoration.com.

There is free parking on Saturday for the event at the Midtown Parking Garage, located adjacent to the Gateway Urban Campus at the corner of 5th St and Greenup St.

-Staff report

The NKY Restoration Weekend has been partially funded with a generous Certified Local Government grant given to the Cities of Bellevue and Covington from the National Park Service and administered by the Kentucky Heritage Council.