4th Annual Summer Beer Fest Returns to Frazier Museum – Sat. July 27
The Frazier History Museum has announced its fourth annual Summer Beer Fest at Frazier, which will again be a block party in front of the museum on Main and Ninth Street. This year’s Beer Fest will feature more than 200 specialty beers, food, retail, live street music by brass bands—including a “Chicken Dance” for all in attendance—and a fun zone with games and activities! “This summer tradition in downtown Louisville started four years ago,” president and CEO Andy Treinen said. “This will be our third year shutting down Main Street for 1,200 beer lovers to celebrate right alongside our amazing Kentucky brewers from nine different Kentucky counties!”
Speed Art Museum Exhibit Spotlight: Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrored Room – LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER
The Speed Art Museum is excited to unveil Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirrored Room – LET’S SURVIVE FOREVER. This installation marks the first time an “infinity room” has been presented in Kentucky and is on special loan from the Art Gallery of Ontario. The immersive exhibit envelops the visitor inside a large, mirrored space with stainless-steel spheres suspended from the ceiling and arranged on the floor.
The reflective spheres recall Kusama’s installation Narcissus Garden, which was first shown at the 1966 Venice Biennale.
Fund for the Arts: Cultural Pass Kick-off
The 2024 Cultural Pass and Summer Reading offer “passport to creativity” for Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana young people
School’s out and the 2024 Cultural Pass and library summer reading programs are here to prevent summer learning loss, provide fun and free arts and culture experiences, and inspire young people ages 0-21 to take full advantage of their passport to creativity! Cultural Pass programs are available in Jefferson, Bullitt, and Oldham counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana.
Event Spotlight: St. Matthews Summer Fest Set for June 22
The streets of St. Matthews will come alive at this highly anticipated street fest – St. Matthews Summer Fest 2024 on June 22, 2024, from 12pm to 10pm. The event will take place along Frankfort Ave between Lexington Rd and Bauer Ave, as well as in Gerstle’s parking lot.
This year’s St. Matthews Summer Fest promises to be a big day of fun featuring an array of attractions for the whole family to enjoy. With free admission and open to the public, attendees can expect a day filled with family fun, delicious food, captivating live music, and the opportunity to support local artisans and businesses.
Railbird Rocks Lexington June 1 & 2 with All-Star Line-up
Festival season is heating up and the Railbird Festival in Lexington is ready to rock this weekend.
Chris Stapleton and Noah Kahan headline this years festival along with over 30 artists across three stages including Hozier, Turnpike Troubadours, Counting Crows, Lord Huron, Wynonna Judd, Dwight Yoakam, and Elle King.
Fund for the Arts: Cultural Pass Kickoff Event June 1 – Free to Attend
The 2024 Cultural Pass and Summer Reading offers a “passport to creativity” for Greater Louisville and Southern Indiana young people
School’s out and the 2024 Cultural Pass and library summer reading programs are here to prevent summer learning loss, provide fun and free arts and culture experiences, and inspire young people ages 0-21 to take full advantage of their passport to creativity! Cultural Pass programs are available in Jefferson, Bullitt, and Oldham counties in Kentucky and Clark, Floyd, and Harrison counties in Indiana.
Performance Preview: Broadway in Louisville – Beetlejuice – May 14 – 19, 2024 – Whitney Hall at the Kentucky Center
Grief, Growth, and Ghosts: Jesse Sharp on Bringing Depth to Charles Deetz in Beetlejuice’s Louisville Run
Get ready, Louisville! It’s time to say “Beetlejuice” three times and unleash a whirlwind of laughter, heart, and ghostly shenanigans at the Kentucky Center from May 14-19, 2024.
Louisville Orchestra Secures $4.3 Million in State Funding to Continue “In Harmony – The Commonwealth Tour” for Two More Years
April 16, 2024 –The Louisville Orchestra, under the visionary leadership of Music Director Teddy Abrams, is thrilled to announce the continuation of “In Harmony – The Commonwealth Tour” through 2024 to 2026, bolstered by a significant $4.3 million funding allocation from the Kentucky State Legislature. This landmark initiative, which began in 2022, has already made a profound impact, reaching over 27,000 Kentuckians across 38 counties through more than 125 events, and is now set to extend its reach further into the heart of Kentucky communities. This funding will enable the orchestra to deepen community engagement and enrich the cultural fabric across urban and rural divides throughout the state.
Rock the Country 2-Day Music Festival Invades Ashland, Kentucky April 19 & 20
(Ashland, Kentucky) Rock The Country is making its second stop in Ashland, Kentucky, April 19 and 20 at Boyd County Fairgrounds. Artists featured at Rock The Country will include Kid Rock, Jason Aldean, Travis Tritt, Miranda Lambert, and Brantley Gilbert many more kicking off this summer’s most anticipated festival. The picturesque Boyd County Fairgrounds is the perfect venue, providing attendees with an unforgettable experience filled with camping under the stars, indulging in sensational music, and weaving cherished memories with friends and family.
Audience Spotlight: Wild Lights Lantern Festival – Louisville Zoo – March 23 – May 19, 2024
The Louisville Zoo is excited to re-create the magic of their popular lantern festival again this year promising to be bigger and brighter than ever! If you haven’t been to an “illumination” event, this is your chance to check out one of the best around.
Dive deep and celebrate the vibrant colors of the coral reefs, see nature come to life on the 1.4 mile journey of interactive moving displays and explore ancient Chinese myths and legends, including magnificent dragons and a breathtaking phoenix tunnel. The festival includes all-new illuminated archways and larger-than-life displays allowing you to become part of the magic.
The wonder of Wild Lights is sure to create glowing smiles and bright memories for all.
Kentucky Author Forum presents Renee Fleming – Teddy Abrams Plays Master of Ceremonies – April 8
On April 8th, the University of Louisville Kentucky Author Forum is welcoming singing legend and health advocate, Renée Fleming. She will discuss her upcoming book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness. Louisville Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams will serve as the Master of Ceremonies for the evening.
Renée Fleming is one of the most acclaimed singers of our time, performing on the stages of the world’s greatest opera houses and concert halls. Honored with five Grammy awards and the U.S. National Medal of Arts, she has sung for momentous occasions from the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony to the Super Bowl. Fleming’s new book, Music and Mind: Harnessing the Arts for Health and Wellness, draws upon her own experience as an advocate to showcase the breadth of this booming field.
Performance Preview: Broadway in Louisville: Clue (March 5 – 10, 2024)
Bringing Clue to Life: The Journey from Board Game to Stage Mystery
Get ready to play detective, Louisville!
Clue, the board game that has enthralled players since 1949, jumps off the table and onto the stage, bringing a whirlwind of mystery and laughter to The Kentucky Center. From March 5 to 10, the roll of the dice comes to life, and Louisville will be smack in the middle of the action — minus the risk of becoming the next victim, of course!
Audience Interview: Raphaela Platow – Director – Speed Art Museum
The Speed Art Museum stands as a testament to artistic exploration and cultural immersion. Founded in 1927, the Speed is not only the oldest and largest art museum in Kentucky, but also boasts a vibrant and diverse collection that has been applauded by the deep appreciation for the arts in the community, fostering artistic dialogue and igniting imaginations for generations.
We caught up with Director Raphaela Platow to hear more about her background, the importance of The Speed and the exciting new season of exhibits.
Listen to the full interview below:
Kentucky Center Celebration: 40 Years of Memories
The Kentucky Center opened in November of 1983 under the direction of Gov. John Y. Brown and a combined project budget from the state as well as local donors. Brown was quoted as saying there hasn’t been a more productive investment by the state than that of the arts center. He might be correct!
Over the years, The Kentucky Center has been the anchor for the arts and home to the major productions of Broadway in Louisville, the magical concerts of the Louisville Orchestra, the elegance of the Louisville Ballet and some of the biggest names in music, comedy, and entertainment. The Kentucky Center has hosted world leaders, presidential debates, and town halls on its stages. For 40 years, the flagship venue has proven to have been a great investment for the community, the city of Louisville and the entire commonwealth.
Looking back over the years, memories were made that will last a lifetime. We caught up with some friends of The Kentucky Center to find out what they love about the venue, as well as some of their favorite memories.
Audience Event Outlook: Shakespeare in Love Gala & 2024 Season Announcement
The team at Kentucky Shakespeare is gearing up for a big night of fun for their annual Shakespeare in Love Gala that will surely be an evening you won’t want to miss. The gala will be held at 21c Museum and Hotel on Saturday, February 10th and will be the ninth gala Kentucky Shakespeare has hosted.
“We are excited for the gala as it serves as a fundraiser as well as a party!” Commented producing artistic director, Matt Wallace. “We will also announce our 2024 Shakespeare Festival in Central Park lineup, spend time with our amazing staff and raffle various gift baskets and have some great silent auction items including a Chef’s Table dinner experience for eight with Chef Todd Alexander and a Churchill Downs Finish Line Suite. There will be opportunities to donate to Kentucky Shakespeare at the event and people can also always support with tax-deductible donations online at kyshakespeare.com/donate and at Venmo @KYShakes. Funds raised go to support our many programs from free Shakespeare in the Parks to education tours and community outreach!”
Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers and more to Headline Bourbon & Beyond – Sept. 19-22
Coming off the heels of a hugely successful 2024 festival headlined by the biggest names in the music industry, Bourbon & Beyond is back and ready for its biggest year ever at the Highland Festival Grounds September 19-22. The festival released another all-star line-up featuring Zach Bryan, Tyler Childers, Dave Matthews Bands and more.
The weekend will be another chance to hang out with 100,000 of your closest friends and enjoy music from iconic bands and musicians while enjoying refreshing cocktails and impeccable food.
Founder and producer of the festival is Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer presents who truly loves Louisville and can’t wait for another year for the festival. “Bourbon & Beyond is our love letter to the city of Louisville and the great state of Kentucky,” says Danny Wimmer, Founder of Danny Wimmer Presents. “We can’t wait to showcase why Louisville has become our home away from home, so having the opportunity to curate an unbelievable festival experience rooted in amazing musical performances combined with our passion for bourbon and culinary arts is our dream come true.”
Tickets and information can be found at BourbonandBeyond.com
Exhibit Spotlight: The Bitter and the Sweet: Kentucky Sugar Chests, Enslavement and the Transatlantic World – 1790-1865
The Speed Art Museum is excited to open a new exhibit to ring in the New year. The Bitter and the Sweet: Kentucky Sugar Chests, Enslavement, and the Transatlantic World 1790-1865 will run through April 7th and boldly reexamines the Kentucky sugar chest and related objects within the broader, intertwined contexts of the Atlantic economy, the vicious human toll of enslavement, and the complex transportation systems that brought sugar to Kentucky from the West Indies and sugar-growing regions of the Americas.
Skilled Kentucky cabinetmakers used local materials to create these highly specialized furniture pieces to store costly refined white and brown sugar that was grown and harvested by enslaved men, women and children. Taking a closer look, visitors learn that the backstory behind these beautiful pieces isn’t as gleaming as the polished silver or glimmering walnut and cherry items the museum has on display.
11th Annual Tailspin Ale Fest Set for Saturday, March 2
Tailspin Ale Fest, the premier celebration of craft beer and community, is back for its 11th year on Saturday, March 2, 2024, at the iconic Bowman Field in Louisville, Kentucky. This year promises to be bigger and better than ever, with a lineup of exceptional features and activities for attendees to enjoy. The Tailspin Crew is ready to produce a “Knock Out” Experience benefiting Pints for Parkinson’s-TKO, serving people with Parkinson’s through regular exercise, a bit of boxing and community enrichment enabling them to fight against the progression of the disease while staying functionally active – giving hope for the future.
Tickets and info available at tailspinalefest.com/tickets
Performance Preview: Broadway in Louisville – Disney’s Frozen – Jan. 24 – Feb. 4
An Enchanting Journey: Louisville native Jack Brewer performs for hometown audiences in Disney’s Frozen
The Kentucky Center is buzzing with excitement as Louisville eagerly awaits the arrival of the Broadway sensation, Disney’s Frozen, on January 24. This production isn’t just another high-profile event for the city; it’s a homecoming for one of Louisville’s own, Jack Brewer.
Brewer has earned a spot in the ensemble of this acclaimed touring show, playing the charming Oaken. His journey from local theater to the grandeur of Broadway encapsulates a story of dedication, talent, and the support from a vibrant arts community.
Destination Spotlight: State Park Cottage Getaways
As the new year draws closer, thoughts turn to New Year’s resolutions and goals for the months ahead. If your resolutions involve exercising, spending more time in nature and less time on screens, we have the perfect solution for you: booking a Kentucky State Parks winter cottage.
In the winter, you can embrace the crisp atmosphere and avoid mosquitoes on the trails. With fewer crowds, you are better able to hear and see birds and wildlife. Bare branches also allow for unparalleled views of the scenery.
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