Monday May 6, 2024
Local Connection
Weather
Traffic
@LouisvilleDispatch
@LouisvilleDisp
Subscribe
In what has become the must-see event of the Halloween season, the Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular is returning for the sixth consecutive year to south Louisville’s Iroquois Park, where 5,000 artistically carved pumpkins will greet visitors from October 9 through November 4.
The pumpkins will illuminate a 1/3-mile trail adjacent to the Iroquois Amphitheater, and event officials estimate up to 85,000 people will visit.
The trail is open from dusk until 11 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and until midnight on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets range from $10 to $17, with discounts for seniors and children 12 and under. Proceeds from the event benefit the Louisville Parks Foundation.
The wooded trail begins just outside of Iroquois Amphitheater (1080 Amphitheater Road, Louisville, KY 40214) and weaves its way through the trees with themed vignettes set to music. The carved, lit pumpkins rotate on a weekly basis, creating a different experience each weekend. This year’s show, “A Night at the Library”, is a celebration of the Smithsonian’s 50th anniversary with skits highlighting imagery from literature, pop culture, history, arts and cinema.
Concessions will be available nightly, including the sale of Parkside Coffee, a specialty blend created and roasted locally by Fante’s Coffee, with proceeds benefiting the Louisville Parks Foundation. Merchandise such as t-shirts and hats will also be available for sale, marking the first-time commemorative items are being offered.
The event is held rain or shine. Coach drop-off and on-site parking is available.
Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular is produced by the Louisville Parks Foundation and The Iroquois Amphitheater in conjunction with Passion for Pumpkins, a multimedia production company with more than 30 years’ experience in redefining fall by transforming any landscape into an illuminated organic gallery.
This year’s sponsors include Louisville Tourism, Papa John’s, Republic Bank, LG&E and KU, Louisville Metro Council, Speed Art Museum, Porta Kleen, Waste Management, Metro Fence, Wendy’s, Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana, Louisville Eye Center, WeatherCheck, Frazier History Museum, Wendy’s, Yellowstone Select Bourbon, Old 502 Winery, and Bristol Catering.
TICKET INFORMATION
Sunday – Thursday
Adults $13
Seniors (62+) $11
Children (3-12) $10
Friday – Saturday
Adults $17
Seniors (62+) $14
Children (3-12) $13
Individual tickets may be purchased in advance for specific nights at the Iroquois Amphitheater Box Office or online at www.jackolanternlouisville.com. Visitors are also encouraged to use the hashtag #502Pumpkins on social media to share images or experiences they enjoy while touring the show.
Tickets for groups of 20 or more can be purchased in advance by calling 502/368-5063, or in person at the Iroquois Amphitheater Box Office at 6 p.m. beginning October 9.
Group tickets are discounted at $10 Sunday through Thursday.
The event is held rain or shine. No refunds will be given, but advanced purchased tickets may be exchanged for another day.
Halloween fun for kids of all ages is available during the month of October through Louisville Parks and Recreation and its associated facilities, including community centers, its two historic homes, the Iroquois Amphitheater and the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center.
“Whether you’re eight years old – or eighty – there are parties, movies and family fun throughout the month of October through Louisville Parks and Recreation,” Director Seve Ghose said. “Most of these events are free or very affordable for the family, and we’re looking forward to a great Halloween season.”
The unofficial start to this listing of events is this Saturday, October 6, when Louisville Parks and Recreation hosts its annual Trunk or Treat at the Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center, 201 Reservoir Avenue, from 4-6 p.m.
It kicks off a month-long series of activities that includes movies at the Amphitheater, a Zombie Park at Camp Taylor Park, senior activities at the Sun Valley and Beechmont community centers and more. For the full schedule of Halloween-related events offered through Louisville Parks and Recreation, please reference the attached flier or click here.
It’s time to celebrate emojis – those cute, sometimes annoying little images included in text messages, tweets, Facebook posts, Instagram pics, and everywhere else in today’s connect world.
World Emoji Day is celebrated on July 17, a date chosen because it is the date shown on the “calendar” emoji on most systems, including Apple iPhones and iPads, Android phones, Google services, Mozilla-based browsers, and EmojiOne. It is worth mentioning, however, that some holdouts like Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp aren’t on board with the July 17 emoji, opting to show a different date or a generic calendar page.
Growing out of old-school internet “emoticons” crafted from punctuation such as the :-) smile and ;-) wink, what we now know as emoji originated on mobile phones in Japan around 1999, before becoming increasingly popular worldwide nearly a decade later after being added to several major mobile operating systems. Emoji are now considered to be a large part of popular culture – in fact, in 2015, Oxford Dictionaries named the Face with Tears of Joy emoji the “‘Word’ of the Year.”
The minuscule pictograms are so popular that they even gave rise to the 2017 film, “The Emoji Movie,” featuring the voices of T. J. Miller, Anna Faris, Rob Riggle, Jennifer Coolidge, Christina Aguilera, Sofía Vergara, Patrick Stewart, and other big name stars.
The World Emoji Day website gives some background on the celebration and gives a few ideas of how you can mark the occasion, including tips on throwing an emoji-themed party.
So go ahead: text, tweet, and post your favorite emoji to everyone you know today using the hashtag #WorldEmojiDay. And don’t forget to vote for your favorite in the World Emoji Awards.
Fans lined the street as the Kentucky Derby Festival’s oldest and inaugural event – the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade – marched down Broadway tonight. Themed “#ThrowbackThursday,” this year’s parade featured over 100 units, including 10 floats, 13 equestrian units, 5 inflatables, 8 marching bands, 2 push floats and 42 specialty units.
Check out the Louisville Dispatch photo gallery of the parade on Facebook.
“It was a great day for the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade!” said Mike Berry, KDF President and CEO. “Fans packed the sidewalks and streets to watch on Broadway. After 63 years, it’s amazing to see how it still brings the community together in celebration every spring.”
Former coaching rivals and basketball fan favorites Joe B. Hall and Denny Crum were the parade’s Co-Grand Marshals. The Louisville City FC 2017 USL Championship Team, along with the Kentucky Colonels served as Honorary Grand Marshals.
Other guests included: Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor of Bravo TV’s “Vanderpump Rules/Jax and Brittany Take Kentucky,” Monte Durham of “Say Yes To The Dress:Atlanta,” Montel Williams (actor, television and radio talk show host), Jason Smith of Food Network, Judah and the Lion, Miss Kentucky 2017 Molly Matney and Miss America 2018 Cara Mund.
Several of the units received awards for their participation. Norton Healthcare took home the Addison McGhee Grand Champion Award for best overall float; Shirley’s Way/Ride To Ride Out Cancer won the 2nd Place KDF Board Chair’s Award; Kentucky Proud received the 3rd Place KDF President’s Award; Grand Lodge of Kentucky, Free & Accepted Masons, won the Grand Marshal’s Award for best representation of the theme; Kosair Charities won the Queen’s Award for overall beauty, and Hwang’s Martial Arts won the KDF Parade Chairman’s Award for the most spirit. Louisville Parks & Recreation and Second Chance @ Life received Honorable Mention Awards. Continue reading
Championship Tractor Pulls Each Day
The 53rd National Farm Machinery Show (NFMS) kicked off it’s annual 4-day stretch yesterday at the Kentucky Exposition Center. At the show, more than 850 exhibitors and displays – from well-recognized names such as John Deere, Case IH, Mahindra, Blaster, and Perdue to upcoming companies – introduce attendees to the latest products as well as established staples in the agriculture industry.
If visitors to the NFMS are not in the market for new farm implements, the Gifts and Craft Market, located in the South Wing upper Mezzanine level, features everything from farm toys and locally made confections to belt buckles and mattresses. The Market is open during show hours.
In addition to visiting with the vendors at the show, visitors are invited to attend free seminars and television program tapings that cover everything from how to improve growing methods to the latest marketing trends in the industry.
Free programs are available at the show, with information also available in the free show app.
Doors open at 9AM each day of the show, which closes at 6PM daily. While admission to the show is free, Kentucky Exposition Center parking is $8 per vehicle at the gates. Concessions are available onsite from many different places, including a variety of Kentucky raised products.
Following the NFMS each evening, visitors can stick around and witness the noise and excitement of the Annual Championship Tractor Pull sponsored by Sygenta. Spectators will see competitors from across North American in a variety of trucks and tractors – from souped up farm diesels to alcohol burners to specially-built monster machines featuring multiple V-8 engines bolted together on a frame – dragging a weighted sled down the dirt track to see who can pull it the farthest.
The associated Championship Tractor Pull celebrates its golden anniversary this year, marking 50 years of massive horsepower. The event starts each night of the NFMS at 7PM with an additional competition on Saturday at noon. Admission to the Championship Tractor Pull is not included with the NFMS. Tickets may be purchased online with prices starting at $20. Parking for the pull is also $8, but if you are already at the NFMS, you do not need to pay it again unless you leave and come back. It is recommended that visitors bring ear protection, as some of the pulling machines are very loud.
During show hours, visitors interested in the machines being featured in the truck and tractor pull can stop by Broadbent Arena to see the trucks and tractors up close and have the chance to meet some of the drivers.
If you’re looking for some family fun to be had this weekend, be sure to stop by the National Farm Machinery Show at the Kentucky Exposition Center.
To honor those who are serving and who have served our country in military service, the Louisville Zoo is offering active and retired military and their dependents FREE general admission on Veterans Day – Saturday, November 11, 2017.
Those wishing to participate must simply have proof of military service (including but not limited to: U.S Uniformed Services ID Card, U.S. Uniformed Services Retired ID Card, current Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), veterans organization card (i.e., American Legion, VFW), DD214 and citation or commendation) and present it at the Zoo’s admission windows.
In addition to free zoo admission, on Nov. 11, 2017, active, retired military and their dependents (with a military identification card) will also receive receive 10% off gift shop purchases and 50% off all food and drink concessions
In recognition of their service and sacrifices, active military personnel receive free admission year-round at the Louisville Zoo. Dependents of active and retired military members receive 10% off admission year-round. Military personnel are encouraged to check with the Leisure Travel offices at their bases in advance of their visit for other available discounts.
Photo: LouisvilleZoo.org
Pumpkin Spice Habitat
The bears, orangutans, elephants and many other animals at the Louisville Zoo will be celebrating the end of Halloween with a special pumpkin enrichment!
Saturday, November 4, marks the zoo’s annual Pumpkin Smash event.
“The World’s Largest Halloween Party!” presented by Meijer wrapped up last weekend after nearly a month of fun and special events. Now it is time for the hundreds of pumpkins that decorated the zoo’s grounds for the festivities will be given to the animals for Halloween enrichment.
Animal enrichment is an important part of animal husbandry at the Louisville Zoo and promotes the expression of natural behavior.
This is the perfect opportunity to visit the zoo and see how the animals react to their special seasonal treats. Zoo hours are from 10 AM to 4 PM, visitors arriving by 4 can stay until 5 PM.
Schedule:
(animals participating and times are subject to change)
10:15 a.m. Orangutans (Islands Dayroom)
10:30 a.m. Sumatran Tiger outdoor (Islands outdoor habitat)
11:15 a.m. Bears (Glacier Run)
11:45 a.m. Gorillas (Gorilla Forest)
12:15 p.m. Amur Tigers (after training)
1:15 p.m. Elephants
