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The 2014 Kentucky State Fair is wrapping up this weekend. Don’t miss your last opportunity to spend a beautiful Kentucky summer day (and night) enjoying everything that the fair has to offer today and tomorrow.
Of course, the midway, inside exhibits and daily attractions are going all day, including live music, ventriloquists, the cirque-style Gantry Show, freestyle motocross demonstrations, rides, games and, of course, fair food. Tonight at 7PM are the Coca-Cola Talent Classic finals. At 8, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts will perform at Cardinal Stadium with special guests Devour the Day. Tomorrow includes all of the daily attractions with special musical guests Mercy Me performing at Cardinal Stadium at 4PM.
Visit the Kentucky State Fair website for all of the details and full schedule.
View our 2014 Kentucky State Fair photo gallery on Facebook, get live updates on our Twitter feed, and keep coming back to LouisvilleDispatch.com for more pictures. Continue reading
The 2014 Louisville Irish Fest is coming to the Bellarmine University campus Saturday September 27 and Sunday September 28.
The event, which runs from 11AM-10PM on Saturday and 11:30AM-6PM on Sunday, features traditional Irish food and drinks, gifts, music, and activities. Admission is $8 for adults and $5 for seniors age 65+ and children age 6-12, with $1 discount coupons available from several area locations. Active military personnel, Louisville Zoo members, university students and staff as well as visitors who bring a donatable food item will also receive a $1 discount while Bellarmine students and Irish Arts Foundation members will get in for free.
Entertainment during the event includes acts such as Dulahan, Cloigheann, Lachlan, The Louisville Irish Dancers. Other events include Irish history discussions, a children’s area, Sunday Mass, and exhibitions by the Society for Creative Anachronism.
People interested in volunteering with the event can contact either Gayle Perry, Volunteer Coordinator (Gayle.Perry@fntg.com, 502-889-7389) or Sylvia Allen (Sallen327@twc.com, 502-974-5159) or sign up at the Molly Malone’s Celtic Center on Baxter Ave.
Historic Frankfort Avenue will host the FAT Friday Trolley Hop on Friday, August 29th from 6:00pm-10:30pm. Many businesses will host live music, offer special sales and serve refreshments. Free trolleys will run along Frankfort Avenue, from Cannons Lane to River Road. For more information, visit www.fatfridayhop.org.
Special activities planned for the August 29th Trolley Hop include:
- Crescent Hill Radio, 2520 Frankfort Avenue, will host a free concert on the lawn in front of the studio featuring folk/Americana band Harpeth Rising at 6:30pm, followed by the rock band Strongbird at 8:30pm. Food and beer will also be available from J. Gumbos.
- RiverPark Place Marina, 1501 River Road, will host the “Boats, Bands and Bourbon” event from 5:30pm-10:30pm featuring a live band, cash bar and food trucks.
- Fierce Salon, 2708 Frankfort Avenue, will host an Open House event including refreshments, discount coupons, and a meet-n-greet with the stylists.
- Heine Brothers, 2714 Frankfort Avenue, will offer 10% off all lemonade drinks during the Hop.
- A Reader’s Corner Bookstore, 2044 Frankfort Avenue, will host a book signing by Kris Applegate of her new book “Legendary Locals of Louisville” from 7:00pm-9:00pm.
- Lexie’s Trading Post, 2224 Frankfort Avenue, will host the Animal Care Society with adoptable pets, and anyone who donates an item for the animal center will get a free Lip Balm.
- The Tangerine Closet, 2359 Frankfort Avenue, will host live music by The Moonlight Peddlers and offer 30% off all summer inventory.
- Vint Coffee, 2309 Frankfort Avenue, will offer $1 off all beers if you mention Trolley Hop!
- Margaret’s Consignment, located at 2700 Frankfort Avenue, will host a tarot card reader, live entertainment by Tanita Gaines in the courtyard, refreshments, and a 10% discount on cash purchases.
- The Irish Rover, 2319 Frankfort Avenue, will host a Traditional Irish Music Seisuin (informal jam session) in the bar area beginning at approximately 8:00pm.
- The Comfy Cow, 2221 Frankfort Avenue, will host live music from the local blues duo Lazy 11 from 7:00pm-10:00pm on the porch.
- Just Creations, 2722 Frankfort Avenue, will host an Open House featuring food samples and 15% of all sales will be donated to Bombolulu Workshops in Kenya to help provide new sewing machines for the artisans.
- BAZ and BEA Boutique, located in the Mellwood Art Center, will host “March of the Monarchs” to raise awareness of the endangered Monarch butterfly. Monarch inspired apparel and other items will be featured, and guests can register for free milkweed plants to support the monarch’s migration and talk with a Kentucky Certified Nurseryman to learn how to attract butterflies.
- The Wine Rack, 2632 Frankfort Avenue, will host a wine tasting and Kenny’s Farmhouse Cheese sampling from 6:00pm-8:00pm.
- Varanese Restaurant, 2106 Frankfort Avenue, will host drink specials and live jazz music.
Six popular authors, each of whom has spent time on the New York Times bestseller list, will be appearing at the Louisville Free Public Library in the coming months. Chris Tomlinson, Gail Sheehy, Steven Johnson, Dan Jones, Azar Nafisi, and Jonathan Eig each have new books coming out this fall.
The events, all at the Main Library, are free for attendees to come and meet the authors, but advance tickets are required. Visit the LPFL Events page for ticket information. The series begins on September 10th with Chris Tomlinson and continues through early November.
About the Authors
It might be hard to believe with the relatively cooler weather that Louisville has been enjoying, but the Kentucky State Fair is upon us.
The 2014 Kentucky State Fair runs from August 14 through August 24. Gates open at 7 a.m. with exhibits opening at 9 a.m. The midway and tents will close at midnight while exhibit halls close at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and at 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults and $6 for children and seniors (55+) with several special discount days including half price admission for active duty and veteran military members and their family on Military Monday (August 18), and $1 admission for patrons 55 years of age and older on Humana Seniors’ Discount Day (August 19).
Popular events include concerts (see schedule below) with performers including Billy Currington, Styx, Foreigner, Joan Jett, and locals Plain White T’s. There are also Civil War and War of 1812 exhibits and an exhibition celebrating the 50th anniversary of the US Congress’s recognition of Kentucky’s favorite spirit, Bourbon, as a distinctive product of the United States. See the full daily schedule here.
While at the fair, visitors can use the Kentucky State Fair mobile site for easier navigation of fair information.
Parking is available at the Kentucky Exposition Center, with room for 19,000 vehicles, at a cost of $8 per vehicle. Access Fair gates 1-6 from Phillips Lane, Crittenden Drive and Preston Highway. Free off-site parking is also available both weekends of the fair starting at 4:00 p.m. in lots B, C and D of the Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium green lot off of Floyd Street. A free shuttle is available with purchase of gate admission or presentation of advance tickets.
Given the large number of Fair visitors from around the state and beyond combined with local construction projects, be sure to keep an eye on the Louisville Dispatch Traffic page for live traffic conditions and drive times.
The Kentucky State Fair begins tomorrow; visit Louisville Dispatch and follow us on Facebook and Twitter for highlights from the 2014 State Fair. Continue reading
Fans of both bourbon and live entertainment will be treated to something special on Thursday, August 28 at Varanese Restaurant, located at 2106 Frankfort Avenue. The restaurant will host a special four-course dinner in celebration of Broadway in Louisville’s upcoming season. The reception begins at 6:30pm with dinner at 7:00pm. Each dish is inspired by one of the 2014-2015 Broadway in Louisville productions. The evening will feature the debut of Four Roses 2014 Limited Edition Single Barrel, and Four Roses Brand Ambassador, Bourbon Historian, and author Al Young will be the guest speaker. Attendees can also enter to win a pair of 2014-15 season tickets to Broadway in Louisville and a Four Roses Gift Basket. The cost is $55 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required and can be made by calling (502) 899-9904 or emailingletsdine@varanese.com.
The menu will consist of: Continue reading
The Louisville Downtown Partnership has partnered with the KFC YUM! Center to host a Salsa Night on Sunday, August 17th from 7:00pm-9:00pm. This is the third and final event of the YUM! Summer Series on the Plaza. The Plaza will be bursting with the high energy sounds of Cosa Seria, a 7-piece Latin band, and dancing instructor Gabe Scott and his Xplosive Rhythms Dancers will be on hand to teach everyone some new dance moves. Dancers of all ages and abilities are welcome. Food trucks will also be on-site to offer food and beverages. This event is free and open to the public. For more information, call (502) 584-6000 or visit www.louisvilledowntown.org.
