The 8th annual Big Green EGGFest starts tomorrow with a Meet & Greet at 6:00 PM. The Meet and Greet will be at Brownsboro Hardware and Paint (4858 Brownsboro Road). There will be live music and food for everyone who attends. Cost is $20 per person.
The main event is Saturday, starting at 9:00 AM, there will be cooking classes throughout the day. The classes will start easy with how to use Big Green Egg and then progress into different meats and finally, dessert. Visitors will also be able to watch local chefs compete in a Chopped-style competition on stage. Admission is $15 per person (soda and water will be available for purchase at $1 and beer available at $4). There will be free parking available at the Christ Church United Methodist Church (4614 Brownsboro Rd) and a free shuttle that will operate every ten minutes between the church and the hardware store.
All proceeds from the two events will be donated to Blessings in a Backpack and A Recipe to End Hunger.
Today Fandomfest, the largest Comic Con in this region, will open its doors for it’s 11th annual event. The show, which had been at the convention center downtown the previous ten years, has moved to the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center this year.
Today is an abbreviated day, with photo ops of celebrities, the vendor/exhibitor hall, an art presentation with Angel Medina, and a Q&A session was with YouTube Stars Muyskerm and LordMinion777. The vendor hall features a variety of artists and authors, as well retailers offering nearly every imaginable type of memorabilia.
Today will also start the Pokemon Go Event that will last the entire weekend. All ages are able to participate and each day will provide a new contest and raffle. The contest today is for the Most Pokemon in Pokedex. Tomorrow, Highest Combat Power Pokemon and Sunday is Lowest Combat Power Rare Pokemon. There will be a gym available by South Wing B and a prize will be awarded to the person who maintains control the longest. Each contest winner will receive a prize.
The show continues throughout the weekend with more discussions, Q&As, and meet and greets, and cosplay contests. There will also be a special screening on a new Kevin Smith movie that will feature a Q&A afterwards, which is a ticketed event. You may even get a chance to see Stan Lee wandering around the Expo Center. There will be a chance to screen a variety of independent films, both short and full length throughout the day. Be sure to check a schedule at the event (or download the free app) to see locations.
Ticket prices vary and can be purchased at the door with cash only. Friday is $30, Saturday is $40, and Sunday is $30 for the day. A package for all three days can be purchased for $60. There is an option to purchase VIP packages, and price varies ($150-$350 for the weekend) depending on what you want. All photo ops and autographs can be purchased on site as well. The show runs the entire weekend during the following hours:
Be sure to stay with the Louisville Dispatch and our Facebook page to more coverage and photos throughout the event.
The 2016 Kentucky State Fair is coming up on us quickly. The fair will run August 18th – 28th at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center here in Louisville.
Admission is $10 per person (children under 5 are admitted free) at the gate, but advanced tickets can be purchased online or at your local Kroger for $6. Any person who rides the city bus , TARC, from 4th St. downtown to Gate 4 during the fair will receive discounted admission at the gate. Parking is $8 per car and $20 per bus at the gate. Discounted parking can be purchased the Expo Center ticket office and Kroger for $5. There will not be any free parking available at the Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium this year. Some days will have special promotions:
The Exhibition Hall opens at 9:00 AM daily and allows visitors to see a wide range of displays, including entries into the many contests, representatives from each county, LMPD, LG&E, and a flea market. Throughout the area, there will be daily shows, such as acrobatic performances, educational exhibits, BMX bike performances, music performances, dog tricks, cooking demonstrations, and even comedy shows. You can also watch people compete in the annual talent show, the World’s Championship Saddlebred Horse Show, Cheer & Dance Championship, and the cooking competitions.
No fair is complete without carnival rides for entertainment. The Midway will run throughout the entire fair, with rides opening at 12:00 PM on Friday – Sundays, and 2:00 PM on Monday through Thursdays. Rides do cost extra and wristbands are only good for one day. Wristbands can be purchased at the fair for: adults – $25 and children 12 and under that are also shorter than 56″ – $12. Discounted wristbands can be purchased online for $20 (no discount on child wristbands) through August 17th. During Military Day (August 21st), with proper military ID, military members and their families will be able to purchase wristbands for $10.
There is a large selection of food vendors to visit. Fried foods reign supreme, but you will be able to enjoy barbecue pork and beef from local farms and other fair treats, including hot dogs, hamburgers, gyros, french fries, funnel cakes, and the donut burger. There’s even the opportunity to bid on prized-country hams during the 53rd Annual Kentucky Country Ham Breakfast and Auction on August 25th.
Admission also gives access to the nightly Turf Concert series, which will feature performances by ABBA, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Chris Janson, Oak Ridge Boys, and Rachel Platten to name a few. There will also be three Main Stage concerts that cost extra, but the ticket price includes gate admission. These concerts will feature Reba McEntire, Jeff Dunham, and Chris Young and Brett Eldredge.
With over 600,000 visitors to last year’s State Fair, and the hope that this year will see an increase in attendance, the 2016 Kentucky State Fair will be a hot spot of activity this year.
Louisville heavy metal fans rejoice: the Louder Than Life Festival brings big rock names to Louisville this October 1st and 2nd – including acts such as Slayer, Avenged Sevenfold, Anthrax, Disturbed, Korn, Slipknot, Clutch, and many more.
Gates open at 11AM daily for the all-day performances and the event will be held rain or shine. Single-day tickets are currently available starting at $80 while weekend tickets currently start at $110 with prices increasing as the event draws closer. VIP packages and ticket/hotel packages are also available.
The two-day outdoor music festival will take place at Champion’s Park at 2050 River Road. The venue features several stages, food and drink vendors, music related attractions, and camping facilities. Camping accommodations are available for car/tent camping as well as RV camping.
In addition to the musical performances, the festival includes other entertainment opportunities such as the mobile Jack Daniels museum, the Monster Energy viewing deck, The Music Experience – where fans can meet band members, check out equipment, and win equipment and swag, and the Keep Golf Metal mini-golf course.
On top of all that, the event also gives back by hosting a number of altruistic outlets such as the Dyin 2 Live wish-granting organization, which works to enrich the lives of those fighting cancer through inspiration and entertainment, and Take Me Home, which works to save the lives of homeless animals.
Fandom Fest is “Getting Nerdy Again in Louisville” July 29th through 31st.
The largest Comic Con in the region returns with another iteration of the popular event, which spans a total of seven days with the convention portion lasting the traditional three days.
Fandom Fest aims to draw the Anime, Comic Book, Pop Culture, Movie, TV, Scifi, Horror, Literary, Arts crowd by “bringing the best of popular culture to the region.” Fandom Fest, which has been operating in one form or another since it started as Fright Night more than a decade ago, is the flagship show of the event organizer’s multi-city tour.
Typically held downtown in past years, this year the event moves to the Kentucky Fair & Exposition Center at 937 Phillips Lane. Doors are open 4-10PM on Friday, 10AM-7PM on Saturday, and 11AM-4PM on Sunday. Tickets will be available at the door and are currently available online at discounted prices.
Celebrities slated to attend the 2016 Fandom Fest include comic book creator Stan Lee, Kevin Smith, Anthony Michael Hall, members of the bands N*Sync and Backstreet Boys, original Ultraman Satoshi Furuya, actors from zombie shows such as The Walking Dead and Z Nation, professional Cosplayers, and a star-studded lineup of the artists and authors of fans’ favorite works.
In addition to the celebrity meet-and-greets, photo-ops, and autograph sessions, Fandom Fest also features a large hall of exhibitors with comic books, graphic novels, accessories, memorabilia, services, and more for sale, as well as a full schedule of talks and presentations that is sure to have something for everyone.
For more information about the 2016 Fandom Fest, visit fandomfest.com.
Independence Day weekend is here and, with families planning barbecues, fireworks, and other outdoor activities, many are wondering what the weather will be like.
Live weather conditions and forecast information is always available on the Louisville Dispatch weather page. However, it is unlikely that the 2016 Fourth of July weekend will break any records.
The hottest Independence Day on record in Louisville is a tie between 2012 and all the way back in 1911 at 102° while the coldest was in 1968 at only 51°. The rainiest 4th of July was in 1986, when Louisville received just over 5 inches of rain!
Other historical Independence Day weather for locations around Kentucky are listed below:
| Louisville | Lexington | Bowling Green | Frankfort | |
| Highest | 102° (2012,1911) | 99° (2012) | 102° (2012,1874) | 100° (1934) |
| High Avg | 89° (2012,1911) | 86° (1921) | 89° (1897) | 85.5° (1934) |
| Lowest | 51° (1968) | 50° (1968) | 52° (1924,1907) | 49° (1968) |
| Low Avg | 65° (1968) | 63.5° (1909) | 67° (1972,1924) | 62° (1968) |
| Wettest | 5.04″ (1896) | 1.83″ (1935) | 2.40″ (1941) | 2.60″ (1925) |
There are a few options in Jefferson County this year if you’re looking for a way to celebrate the Fourth of July.
July 3: Louisville Orchestra on the Waterfront. Event begins at 5:00 PM, concert starts at 8:30 PM and fireworks will follow the Louisville Bats game. Admission is free
July 3: Lousiville Bats will be playing the Gwinnett Braves starting at 6:45 PM. Fireworks will be after the game. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or online. Admission starts at $10.
July 4: LouCity will be playing Montreal starting at 7:30 PM. Fireworks will follow the game. Tickets can be purchased online or at the gate. Admission starts at $15.
July 4: The Crescent Hill 4th of July Festival is a two day event that starts on the 3rd. Event runs 10:00 AM until 10:00 PM both days with fireworks on the 4th.
July 4: Fort Knox 4th of July Celebration at Brooks Field from 5PM until 10:30PM features live music, kids activities, hot air balloon rides, inflatables, and fireworks at 10:15PM. Open to the public. Don’t miss the Salute to the Nation from 8:45-9:40PM.