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WorldFest, one of the region’s largest international festivals, will take place this Labor Day weekend for its 15th year, with four days of international food, music, dance and culture starting Sept. 1 at the downtown Belvedere.
More than 70 local and regional entertainers will offer a variety of music, dance styles and beats, ranging from African drumming to reggae to Indian, Celtic, Arabic, Latin, Caribbean music and more.
Headliner acts will include Toby Foyeh & Orchestra Africa, Cheili Minucci & the EFK All Stars with Karen Briggs, Billy Goat Strut Revue, Cosa Seria, Afro Physicists, and The British Invasion.
More than 100 vendors will participate, with 30-plus food vendors serving a global sampling of cuisine and culture.
“Louisville is a welcoming community, a community that values the immigrants and refugees who help make us grow as a city in so many ways,” Mayor Greg Fischer said today, in announcing this year’s event. “Our diversity is on proud display during the WorldFest weekend, and I encourage everyone to come out and experience all the world has to offer, right here in our own downtown.”
Admission to WorldFest is free all four days because of Western Kentucky University Confucius Institute and Passport Health Plan’s generous support.
“The Confucius Institute at WKU (CI at WKU) is very excited to partner with the Mayor’s office to support this event,” said the institute’s Terrill Martin. “Last year was the first year that the CI at WKU participated in the event, and it was phenomenal. We wanted to be a bigger presence this year, which is why we are a ‘Gold’ sponsor.
“What a great platform for us to share the Chinese culture and language to the communities we serve,” Martin said.
“Passport Health Plan is proud to once again sponsor the WorldFest event in downtown Louisville,” said Jill Bell, its Vice President, Chief Marketing & Communications Officer. “This amazing international festival highlights so many of the wonderful and diverse people who make Louisville such a fun and exciting place to live, work and play.”
In addition to music, food and dancing, other highlights include:
- The Global Village – A kaleidoscope of Louisville’s culture, where you can interact with representatives of more than 20 nations. All nine of Louisville’s Sister Cities will be represented again this year.
- The WorldFest Children’s Area – Will feature activities from WKU’s Confucius Institute, as well as Home Depot.
- Parade of Cultures – Will showcase the multicultural diversity of our unique city.
- Chinese Cultural Experience – Mobile Unit in front of The Kentucky Center.
The festival includes a naturalization ceremony at 1 p.m. Friday, where more than 300 immigrants will become full U.S. citizens, and a colorful Parade of Cultures at noon on Saturday.
New this year, the children’s activities have expanded to include more than 20 interactive activities highlighting specific aspects of the Chinese culture like calligraphy lessons, fan painting and Tai Chi demonstrations. In addition, the Confucius Institute will have its Chinese Cultural Experience mobile unit on display in front of the Kentucky Center for the Arts. This 40-foot RV is retrofitted to serve as a Chinese museum on wheels.
Along with the Chinese Cultural Experience, the Global Human Project has registered more than 1,000 middle school and high school students to take part in the Walk-A-Mile in My Shoes Immigration Simulation on Friday, Sept. 1. Students will play the roles of immigrants and will encounter the hardships that are common to refugees.
On Sunday, Sept. 3, WorldFest will offer a Job Expo from 1 to 7 p.m. on the west lawn between The Kentucky Center and the Main Stage. This is a great opportunity for community members to connect with hiring managers from a number of employers in our area.
The International Festival and Events Association has recognized WorldFest as among the best in North America. In 2011, it was named a Top Ten Fall Festival by the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, and in 2015, the International Festival and Event Association named Louisville the Top Festival City in North America.
WorldFest is free to the public because of its generous sponsors. Signature Gold Sponsors: Western Kentucky University Confucius Institute and Passport Health Plan. Silver Sponsors: Kentucky Lottery and ValuMarket. Bronze Sponsors: The Muhammad Ali Center, Al Dia, Anthem Medicaid, CareSource, Ford/UAW, Stella Artois, and WLKY. Contributing Sponsors: Erie Insurance, El Kentubano, The Galt House Hotel, Global Human Project, The Home Depot, Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau, Louisville Public Media, Outfront Media and UPS.
For more information about WorldFest, visit worldfestlouisville.com. Let us know if you plan to attend, via our Facebook event page. And don’t forget to follow us on Twitter and Instagram @AroundLou!
The Kentucky State Fair runs Aug. 17-27 at the Kentucky Exposition Center and is the largest summertime attraction in the Commonwealth.
The 11-day celebration stays true to its 113-year heritage, while each year offering fairgoers exciting new experiences, food, music, animals, exhibits, entertainment and more.
- New Kentucky State Fair App Fairgoers can make the most of their experience with the Fair’s new app, free on Google Play and the App Store:
- Tickets: save money by purchasing advance parking and admission
- Tastes of the Fair: find those once-a-year food favorites
- What’s Hot: see what’s “trending” at the Fair
- My Schedule: create daily schedules of “must-see” music and entertainment
- News: get weather, parking and news updates
- Now and Next: see what’s going on now, and later
- Main Stage: order tickets for I Love the 90s Tour, Alabama and Southern Uprising Tour
- Fun Photo Filters: use filters to create unique Fair photos
- Find Your Fun: check out which entertainers are on stage and what animals are in the stalls
- Thrill Ville New Name, Better Location The Midway has a new name – Thrill Ville – and a new location closer to the heart of the Fair.
- Easier access to rides, especially with free parking across from Gate 1 on weekends
- Closer to air-conditioned indoor space to cool off
- Quicker access to food and entertainment tents, and indoor exhibit areas
- New Food at the Fair All the old favorites will be at the Fair – corn dogs, ice cream, donut burgers, fudge, fried fish and more. But get ready to bite into some of the new arrivals this year:
- Alligator
- Fried mac ‘n cheese balls
- Farm-to-table burgers
- Frog legs
- Tator tots with toppings
- FAIRenheit 17 Mini Music Festival Feel the Louisville love and celebrate all things local at the first annual FAIRenheit festival Thursday, Aug. 24 from 6 to 11 p.m.
- Local food trucks: Fresh out of the Box, Smoking Cantina and Celtic Pig
- Local craft breweries, distilleries and wineries: Copper & Kings and more
- Local bands: Ben Sollee with special guests Tony and the Tan Lines and 64West
- Local aerialists and fire artists
- Local artisans
- New Acts, Animals and Awards From wallabies to Wallendas and mascots to the moon, check out new acts, events, competitions and more.
- Flying Wallendas perform the high-wire daredevil acts that’ve made them famous
- Aussie Kingdom introduces fairgoers to their native kangaroos, wallabies, reptiles and birds
- Total Eclipse Experience, Aug. 21, invites everyone to experience the biggest eclipse in American history
- Kentucky Remembers with a walk-through WWI barrack and educational displays
- Hip Hop Juggler from Harlem awes audiences with hip-hop music and juggling
- Cooks vs. Cons competition keeps audiences guessing – who’s the cook and who’s the con artist
- Blue Ribbon Stage features interactive, educational shows from the Louisville Zoo, Kentucky Science Center, Kentucky Derby Museum, League of Mascots and more
- Kentucky Living presents its Best in Kentucky awards Aug. 24 at 10 a.m.
- Owsley Brown II Portable Planetarium brings stars and the galaxy to life
The 2017 Kentucky State Fair is Aug. 17-27 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. For more information, visit www.kystatefair.org or find the Fair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or its blog.
The Kentucky State Fair runs Aug. 17-27 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. It’s the Commonwealth’s largest summertime attraction – and America’s largest indoor fair. The celebration’s popularity draws nearly 600,000 visitors for the once-a-year opportunity to experience fair food, music, animals, exhibits, entertainment and more.
The Kentucky State Fair offers money-saving discounts, promotions and programs to ensure all residents are able to enjoy the festivities.
- EXPRESS LANES: AUG. 17-27 Fairgoers save time and money by pre-purchasing both parking and admission tickets – only they can use the express lanes at Gates 1, 3, 4 and 6.
- ADVANCE DISCOUNT ADMISSION: ENDS WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 Fairgoers of all ages – adults, children and seniors – pay $7 for advance tickets and $10 at the gate. Children five and under are free. Advance discount tickets are available on Kentucky State Fair’s new app and website until midnight Aug. 16, plus participating Kroger locations until 10 p.m. Aug. 16.
- ADVANCE DISCOUNT PARKING: ENDS WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 Fairgoers pay $5 for advance parking and $10 at the gate. Advance discount parking is available on Kentucky State Fair’s new app and website until midnight Aug. 16, plus participating Kroger locations until 10 p.m. Aug. 16.
- FREE WEEKEND PARKING: FRIDAY 5 P.M. – SUNDAY From Friday at 5 p.m. through Sunday, fairgoers can park for free in the lot on Phillips Lane across from Gate 1, the main entrance to the Kentucky Exposition Center. Free parking is first come, first served.
- TARC RIDER PROGRAM: AUG. 17-27 Riders can take TARC to a regular stop at the Kentucky Exposition Center, ask the driver for a State Fair card, redeem it at the gate and pay only $7 admission to the Fair.
- ADVANCE DISCOUNT THRILL VILLE WRISTBANDS, ENDS WEDNESDAY, AUG. 16 at 5 P.M. Fairgoers save with advance Thrill Ville wristbands: $20 for adults and $12 for children 46″ and under. Advance wristbands are available on the Kentucky State Fair website. Onsite prices are $25 for adults and $12 for children.
- MILITARY SUNDAY SALUTE: SUNDAY, AUG. 20 A special ceremony honoring the military will be held during the Oak Ridge Boys’ concert Aug. 20 at 8 p.m. in Cardinal Stadium, featuring the presentation of colors, national anthem and guest speakers. Active and retired military and their families receive free passes for Aug. 20. There is a limit of four passes and parking is not included. Passes are available on the Kentucky State Fair website. Thrill Ville wristbands will be available to military onsite for $10 with military ID.
- SENIOR DAY (55 AND OVER): TUESDAY, AUG. 22 Seniors are admitted free before 5 p.m. Parking is not included. Seniors are invited to Heritage Hall for a free cup of a coffee – and singing, games, dancing, bingo, music and more. DirecTV (Streamline Communications) sponsors the day and will offer a free lunch from the Pork Producers to the first 1,000 seniors in Heritage Hall.
- ALL IN: CARLOAD DAY: THURSDAY, AUG. 24 Admission and parking are just $20 per vehicle before 5 p.m. Vehicles with 12 or more passengers pay $100.
The 2017 Kentucky State Fair is Aug. 17-27 at the Kentucky Exposition Center. For more information, visit www.kystatefair.org or find the Fair on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or its blog.
There is a special weekend in August when the people of Newburg come together to celebrate unity and pride and welcome back former residents to one of Louisville’s well established neighborhoods. This year “Newburg Days” will get underway on Friday, August 18th, Saturday, August 19th and Sunday, August 20th.
“It is time to welcome back old friends and family as the people of Newburg come together to have some fun, remember old times and share friendships in our community,” says Councilwoman Barbara Shanklin (D-2). “We want to welcome everyone and ask them to come out and join us for some fun and entertainment.”
“Newburg Days” kicks off on Friday with rides and music in Petersburg/Newburg Park. Saturday begins with the Community Breakfast in the Petersburg Park. Newburg Community Days is known for its parade which begins at 12:00pm and continues through out many local streets in the Newburg area. This year, there will be tournaments in cornhole and basketball tournament, children’s activities which include face painting and balloons. The Seniors Tent will feature a variety of activities throughout the afternoon.
On Sunday, a community worship service and gospel festival will highlight the last day of the event. Here is the schedule of events for Newburg Days:
Friday, August 18th
- Vendor/food booths and Carnival Rides open at 6:00pm
- O.G. Nation-Young OG (Rap and R&B) 7:00pm
Saturday, August 19th
- Community Breakfast 9:00 AM
- Corn Hole Tournament 11:00am
- Basketball Tournament 12:00pm -6:00pm
- Community Parade 11:30am (Line up time at George Unseld Learning Center)
- Recreation on the Go, Field Events for Children 1:30-4:30pm
- Senior Citizens’ Tent Band Entertainment 7:00pm -9:00pm
- Vendor/Food Booths/Carnival Rides-All Day
Sunday, August 20th
- Worship Services: In the park 11:00am
- Senior Luncheon: Community Baptist Church Annex 1:00pm – 3:00pm
- Basketball Tournament 12:00pm – 6:00pm
- Gospel Festival: 5:00pm – 7:00pm
- Vendor/Food Booths: All Day
- Carnival Rides: 2:00pm Start Time
There are also many community volunteers and organizations who will come out to help with various activities. “Those of us who live in Newburg know it is a wonderful place to live and we are keeping the tradition of the old fashion community get together like the kind many towns had in years past. So come out and join us,” says Shanklin. For more information about “Newburg Community Days”, contact Councilwoman Shanklin’s Office at 574-1102.
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources has opened more land for public use.
The properties are in Gallatin, Nicholas, Owen, Pulaski and Wayne counties.
Rockcastle River Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in eastern Pulaski County is the largest of the new WMAs and will offer hunters, anglers and wildlife watchers outstanding recreational opportunities.
The WMA abuts the Daniel Boone National Forest to the south and east. Two areas will remain closed while abandoned gas wells are being permanently sealed along Acorn-Ano Road and Buren Turner Road. No admittance signs, orange flagging and orange paint will mark the off-limits areas.
Visitors to Rockcastle River WMA will find it primarily forested. About 30 percent of the area is open land. Several ponds ranging from half an acre to almost 6 acres are scattered across the property. Daily creel limits on the WMA are 10 bluegill or other sunfish, four catfish, 15 crappie and one bass longer than 15 inches.
Rockcastle River WMA is not listed in the current Kentucky Hunting and Trapping Guide. It will be open for hunting under statewide regulations for squirrel and other game with some exceptions. The modern gun deer season will be open for two consecutive days starting the second Saturday in November. The area will be closed for all muzzleloader deer, grouse and bobwhite quail seasons.
No general fund tax dollars were used in the project.
- Meadow Creek WMA in Wayne County is another new offering in the Southeast Region.
The property is off KY 1619 about 20 minutes northeast of Monticello. The terrain is flat and much of the property is planted with new trees but there are mature woods along the property’s western edge.
Meadow Creek WMA is open for hunting under statewide regulations except the early muzzleloader deer and modern gun deer season are closed.
- Stephens Creek WMA in Gallatin County and a tract at John A. Kleber WMA add more opportunity in the Bluegrass Region.
Stephens Creek WMA is named after the creek that runs along its eastern boundary.
The area is mostly forested and features steep hillsides with some open ridgetops. Offering good populations of deer, turkey and squirrel, it will be open for hunting under statewide regulations, except the modern gun deer and October muzzleloader deer seasons are closed.
No general fund tax dollars were used for the project.
Conveniently situated just off U.S. 127 in southwest Owen County, the tract blends rolling hills and steep wooded hillsides. Cedar stands are interspersed with mixed hardwoods. There are some ridgetop fields and creek bottoms along Gills Branch.
Hunting regulations for the tract will match those in place for the rest of Kleber WMA.
The area boasts a robust deer population, so hunters can expect good deer hunting as well as opportunities for wild turkey. An abundance of oak and hickory trees should lend itself to plenty of enjoyable squirrel hunting. Parking areas are on County Line East Road and Gills Branch Road just off U.S. 127 about 15 minutes north of Frankfort.
- Clay WMA expands with the opening of the Kingsolver tract in Nicholas County. The tract is northeast of Carlisle and about 4 miles by car from the main unit of Clay WMA.
The Kingsolver tract is mostly forested but it also features some open-land habitat. Forested areas will be managed for a mixture of growth stages and beneficial composition with an emphasis on invasive species management. The open land habitat will be managed as early successional old-field habitat.
Hunting regulations for the tract will match those in place for the main tract of Clay WMA. However, it will be open during quota fox hunts and the pheasant hunt.
To reach the Kingsolver tract from Carlisle, follow KY 36 east for 1.5 miles then turn left on Scrubgrass Creek Road. Follow Scrubgrass Creek Road for about 1 mile. From Flemingsburg, follow KY 32 west for about 11 miles. Turn left onto Scrubgrass Creek Road. The property starts ½-mile on the left.
Maps and additional information for these areas and other public lands are available on Kentucky Fish and Wildlife’s website at fw.ky.gov. Click on the “Maps” tab on the department’s homepage and select “Wildlife Management Areas/Public Hunting Areas” from the list of links.
A long-awaited project to make a Watterson Expressway exit safer is underway, making travel into Shively and Dixie Highway more efficient and less hair-raising for drivers and pedestrians.
The construction is the first phase of an accelerated plan to improve safety and traffic efficiency throughout the Dixie Highway corridor – a comprehensive set of projects that will invest more than $50 million along the highway over the next two years in the city’s busiest highway.
Mayor Greg Fischer joined Congressman John Yarmuth and representatives from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and Metro Council to announce the beginning of the ramp realignment, and to preview the additional projects that will make the entire highway safer and easier to travel for both drivers and pedestrians.
“Traffic-choking designs like the current exit ramp make it difficult to get to our thriving businesses in south and west Louisville. This realignment will be a relief for every driver who travels in this area,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “This project is the jump-start for a series of improvements that will transform Dixie Highway and our neighborhoods in the south and west.”
About the realignment project
The current exit from I-264 westbound onto northbound Dixie Highway is short, and funnels directly into Dixie Highway without a designated merge lane or stoplight. Traffic often backs up along the ramp as drivers wait to safely move onto Dixie.
The project will realign the I-264 westbound ramp to Dixie Highway (US31) north into a T-intersection, including a traffic signal to safely move vehicles off the exit. The southbound lanes of Dixie are unaffected by this project. A new sidewalk under the Watterson Expressway will be added later.
“This exit ramp is a white-knuckle journey for drivers, and it’s tricky for northbound Dixie vehicles to navigate as well,” said Matt Bullock, chief district engineer for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “By improving this ramp, we’ll make arriving on Dixie Highway a safer, more welcoming experience for drivers and pedestrians.”
The realignment project will require the exit ramp to be closed for a total of nine consecutive days (including two weekends to limit traffic impacts). The contractor, Milestone, has not yet identified those closure dates. The $724,000 project is scheduled to be completed by November.
“The City of Shively is excited for the project to begin, and we are looking forward to the changes it will create for us and all of Dixie Highway,” said Shively mayor Sherry Conner. “We are thankful for all the support we have received from all parties – whether it was financial or moral, we appreciate it.”
More Dixie improvements to come
The ramp realignment is the first phase of a two-year construction plan for significant improvements throughout the corridor, called the New Dixie Highway Project. Those improvements will fuel transformation of a major economic corridor for southwest and west Louisville.
The New Dixie Highway Project is the first major construction project from Mayor Fischer’s “Move Louisville” initiative.
Fueled by a nearly $17 million federal TIGER grant, the New Dixie Highway Project will include new fiber-linked traffic signals, new concrete and landscaped medians, and a first-in-the-city bus rapid transit line from TARC to run between downtown and the Gene Snyder Freeway.
“The New Dixie Highway project is the largest concentrated investment in Louisville’s transportation network since we began the Ohio River Bridges Project,” Fischer said. “When complete, the new Dixie Highway will be safer for everyone, more efficient for motorists, more reliable for transit users and more enticing for business owners, consumers and investors.”
“This is another important step forward in making Dixie Highway safer and improving the commute for drivers and pedestrians alike,” said Congressman Yarmuth. “Transportation goes hand and hand with economic growth, so I’ll continue to work with federal, state, and local leaders to make sure we pursue every opportunity available to fund these critical projects.”
The project is currently up for bid through the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, and construction may begin as early as this fall, with completion expected in December 2019.
Find more information about the project at www.TheNewDixieHighway.com or by following Facebook (search for The New Dixie Highway), and on Twitter @NewDixieHighway or Twitter @NewDixieHighway.
Business leaders and elected officials join the development partners in breaking ground on one of the city’s newest and largest intergenerational communities – Riverport Landings. This intergenerational community will be home to families, senior citizens, single parent families and young adult foster alumni enrolled in FSH’s educational program. Situated on a 36-acre site, Riverport Landings includes various retail services and residents of Riverport Landings will have access to a 2.5 acre community park and other shared amenities conveniently located on a shared site.
“I want to congratulate the development team—LDG, Marian, the funders and many more—who have pushed this project forward,” Mayor Greg Fischer said. “This tremendous asset to southwest Louisville will provide stable housing for seniors and families, while spurring commercial development along Cane Run Road, and establishing a community center and a park that will be excellent resources for those living in these units and in the surrounding neighborhoods. I am especially pleased to see private-sector investment in affordable housing, and the recognition that safe and reliable housing leads to more productivity and security for all members of the family. I look forward to seeing this investment progress and returning once it is complete.”
Riverport Landings is a joint venture between Marian Development and LDG Development—two of the nation’s largest developers of affordable housing. Combined, the companies have provided more than 9,000 affordable housing units for seniors, students and families in various cities across the country. Riverport Landings will include three types of affordable housing developments: Riverport Senior Living—a 108 unit senior property; Riverport Family Apartments—a 240 unit affordable family property and Riverport Scholar House—a 64 unit community for low-income single parent families and young adult foster alumni enrolled in FSH’s educational program. The development will also include a community park, retail space and other amenities that residents from all three properties will be able to access.
The need for more affordable housing in Louisville and throughout our country is well documented and is essential to attracting and retaining the diverse workforce needed for communities to grow,” said Jacob Brown, Chris Dischinger and Mark Lechner, principals for Marian Development and LDG Development. “The addition of Riverport Landings to southwest Louisville not only fills a need for more housing choice, but allows a nationally recognized non-profit—Family Scholar House— to fulfill its mission to end the cycle of poverty and transform our community by empowering families and youth to succeed in education and achieve lifelong self-sufficiency.”
Cathe Dykstra, Chief Possibility Officer and President and CEO of FSH, agrees. “Partnerships with high quality developers like Marian and LDG drive the expansion of physical sites to fulfill the needs of our families and young adults. We are not a housing program. We are an educational program with a housing component. Our partners allow Family Scholar House to focus on its mission and the housing component helps disadvantaged single parent families and young adult foster alumni transition from poverty and homelessness to financial independence and gratitude. Access to stable, affordable housing means these families and young adults can focus on graduating from college and looking forward to a future that includes self-sufficiency, home ownership and success.”
Funding for this $71,000,000 development was secured through Tax-Exempt Bonds, 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, and HOME and AHTF funds provided by Kentucky Housing Corporation, traditional construction and capital loans provided by RedStone Tax Exempt Funding, PNC Bank and U.S. Bank, Louisville Metro Government’s HOME and Louisville CARES programs, FSH’s capital fundraising which includes grants from James Graham Brown Foundation and Frank and Paula Harshaw, and capital contributions from The Ezekiel Foundation. Edwin King, Executive Director of Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC) believes the mix of funding being used for this project demonstrates the support and need for this type of development within the area.
“KHC wants to engage in innovative solutions to problems related to housing. Part of the solution is leveraging partnerships and resources to achieve this goal and produce impactful outcomes. This mix of funding and partnerships allowed partners to increase the scope of this development and produce a greater number of affordable housing units while adding intrinsic community value to the project by including a community park, retail services and a community service facility.”
Construction of Riverport Landings is underway and is expected to be complete by January 2019.
