Tuesday October 14, 2025
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A spectacular day of Bluegrass and Americana music, food and beverages, craft vendors, and youth activities in a scenic environment awaits those who visit Jefferson Memorial Forest’s thirteenth annual Forest Fest on Saturday, May 20.
Forest Fest has been known for providing a great variety of bluegrass music; this year’s event expands on that tradition with six musical acts in the lineup. The music starts at 11:30 a.m. in the forest’s Horine Section, 12408 Holsclaw Hill Road.
The lineup starts off with the Jon Stickley Trio, followed by The Wooks (from Lexington). Louisville’s own Misty Mountain String Band and Mipso play next. Four-time IMBA award winner Flatt Lonesome and former Carolina Chocolate Drop Leyla McCalla round out the evening.
The event is free, but parking is $10 per carload. Bring a blanket or chair. Food, wine, and beer will be available for purchase along with items from various crafters. Outside alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Well-behaved dogs on a leash are welcome, and their owners are asked to be considerate of other patrons.
The event is made possible through the financial support of presenting sponsors, Metro Councilwomen Vicki Aubrey Welch (District 13) and Cindi Fowler (District 14), in whose districts Jefferson Memorial Forest is located, as well as assistance from Councilpersons Marianne Butler (District 15), Rick Blackwell (District 12), James Peden (District 23), Madonna Flood (District 24), David Yates (District 25), Jessica Green (District 1), Pat Mulvihill (District 10), Glen Stuckel (District 17), Mary C. Woolridge (District 3), Barbara Sexton Smith (District 4), Cheri Bryant Hamilton (District 5), David James (District 6), Angela Leet (District 7), Brandon Coan (District 8), Bill Hollander (District 9), Dan Johnson (District 21), and Robin Engel (District 22). Also sponsoring the event are: LG&E, WFPK Radio Louisville, Forcht Bank, and LeafFilter.
A variety of entertainment options for children, including live nature demonstrations and a climbing wall, will take place during the day, beginning at noon and ending at 5 p.m. Workshops by performers will begin at 12:30. Artists from across the region will demonstrate their skills as part of a craft fair, and food and beverages from Comfy Cow Ice Cream, Shack in the Back Barbeque, Lil Cheezers and DakShin food trucks, Brooks Hill Winery, Heine Brothers Coffee, Mr. G’s Kettle Corn, and local craft beer from Falls City will be available for sale.
Forest Fest Band Schedule:
- 11:30 a.m. Jon Stickley Trio
- 12:45 p.m. The Wooks
- 2:00 p.m. Misty Mountain String Band
- 3:30 p.m. Mipso
- 4:45 p.m. Flatt Lonesome
- 6:00 p.m. Leyla McCalla
Forest Fest Schedule of Activities:
- 10:30 a.m. Booths open to the public; food areas open; Forest Nature booth opens for children
- 11:30 a.m. Music begins; Children’s activities begin (until 5 p.m.)
- 12:30 p.m.-1 p.m. Band Workshop: Misty Mountain String Band
- 2 p.m.-2:30 p.m. Band Workshop: The Wooks
- 2:30- 3 p.m. Band Workshop: Mipso
- 3:30 -4 p.m. Band Workshop: Flatt Lonesome
- 4-4:30 p.m. Band Workshop: Leyla McCalla
- 7 p.m. Forest Fest concludes
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Metro Parks & Recreation is offering an affordable family golfing package at its nine golf courses during the Memorial Day Weekend.
For only $25, a family of up to four members can play nine holes at any Metro Parks course. The $25 includes greens and cart fees, and families can take advantage of the deal after 4:30 p.m. on three days: Saturday, May 27, Sunday, May 28 and Monday, May 29.
Families are encouraged to call in advance to book a tee time at the golf course of their choice.
“Our courses are in great shape this spring, and we’re hoping for a lot of play from families this summer,” said Metro Parks and Recreation Director Seve Ghose. “Come out and enjoy a round of golf with the family on a great course at an affordable price!”
Metro Parks golf courses are open from daylight to dark seven days a week.
Taking your kids to catch some hand-sized bluegill is another great aspect of this time of year in our state.
“A lot of your bigger male bluegill are moving up into the shallows,” said David Baker, Central Fisheries District biologist for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources. “It is an excellent time to take kids out and get them excited and hooked on fishing.”
Baker took his wife, daughter and son on a trip to a pond on a central Kentucky wildlife management area last weekend. “They caught so many fish; I couldn’t keep up with them,” he said. “My wife and daughter had one on at the same time. It was like that for a solid hour.”
Photo: Kentucky Department Fish and Wildlife
Bluegill in the shallows doing their reproductive dance brings some of the fastest fishing found. “Bluegill are close to spawning and definitely willing to strike bait suspended under a bobber,” Baker said. “I’ve been to several of our central Kentucky lakes recently and received good reports on the bluegill fishing. We manage the smaller state-owned lakes in our district for good panfish populations. Boltz Lake, Corinth Lake, Beaver Lake, Elmer Davis Lake and McNeely Lake are all fishing really well for panfish right now.”
Two of those lakes lie in Grant County, 92-acre Boltz Lake and 96-acre Corinth Lake, and both hold good bluegill populations. “Corinth rebounded from the shad eradication a while back and is doing well for bluegill,” Baker said. “We see them now up 8 ½ inches regularly. We are also seeing redear sunfish up to 10 inches in Corinth.” Redear sunfish are commonly called “shellcrackers” by anglers.
Baker said 158-acre Beaver Lake in Anderson County is full of 8-inch and longer bluegill. “Fish tight to cover and under the cedar trees for bluegill on Beaver Lake,” Baker said. “We also saw redear sunfish up to 12 inches at Beaver. They are out in the middle of coves on the mud flats.”
Elmer Davis Lake covers 149-acres in Owen County near Owenton. The lake is now refilling after a drawdown for repair work on the dam. Kentucky Fish and Wildlife conducted a shad eradication on the lake over the winter that Baker said will improve the bluegill and the redear sunfish populations in the lake over the coming years.
“Another good bluegill lake is McNeely Lake in Jefferson County,” Baker said. “It is right in the back yard of a lot of people in the Louisville area. McNeely also has a healthy population of redear sunfish.”
The smaller state-owned lakes offer excellent bank fishing for bluegill as do the 43 Fishing in Neighborhoods (FINs) lakes scattered throughout Kentucky.
If one has access to a boat, Kentucky Lake is arguably the best bluegill lake in Kentucky. The lake holds fantastic numbers of 6- to 8-inch fish with many larger specimens in the population.
Target the back reaches of coves in May on Kentucky Lake. Those with some flooded timber and an overhead canopy make the best spots. Look for freshly swept depressions in the bottom, indicating bluegill nests. You can catch bluegill all day long from spots like this on Kentucky Lake.
In addition to these lakes, farm ponds and subdivision lakes often hold good populations of bluegill. To check the bluegill population at a lake near you, check the annual Fishing Forecast.
Suspending a wiggling redworm impaled on a size 6 Aberdeen hook under a bobber still works extremely well for bluegill, as it has decade after decade. The rig will also fool any redear sunfish nearby.
Feather jigs tipped with a wax worm or a cricket suspended under a bobber also work well for bluegill. If bluegill get finicky, bottom fish a redworm impaled on an Aberdeen hook near weedbeds. You may also pick off a few redear sunfish with this presentation as well.
The bluegill are in the shallows spawning. For those who want to catch fish after fish, there is no comparison.
Photo: Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation
Lucasfilms 2016 “Rogue One: a Star Wars Story” will help usher in the tenth year and new season of Free Summer Movies at Iroquois Amphitheater on Saturday, May 13th.
“In 2007, many of us on the Metro Council worked together to bring free entertainment during the summer for families and the community at the Iroquois Park Amphitheater,” says Councilwoman Marianne Butler (D-15). “This year, we once again welcome everyone to come out and enjoy what has become a summer tradition in a great Metro Louisville Park.”
The movie follows the actions of the Rebel Alliance and its fight against the Empire, when they learn of a new and powerful weapon that threatens everyone in the galaxy: the Deathstar.
Rogue One stars Felicity Jones, Diego Luna, Riz Ahmed, Ben Mendelsohn, Donnie Yen, Mads Mikkelsen, Alan Tudyk, Jiang Wen and Forest Whitaker.
“We’re grateful for the continued support from Metro Council for the free movie series. From movies to festivals and concerts, it’s been critical to have their backing as the number of events and visitors to the Amphitheater has continued to grow. It’s been a great ten years, and it’s going to be another great summer!” says Seve Ghose, Director, Louisville Metro Parks and Recreation.
The attendance from last year’s Free Summer Movies was just at 9,000.
“The support we receive from Metro Council allows us to provide summer-long events which enrich the overall experience of Iroquois Park. The movies are a wonderful way to spend a summer night under the stars at beautiful Iroquois Amphitheatre,” says Michael Hallett, Director of the Iroquois Amphitheater.
Joining Councilwoman Butler as sponsors this year are Council Members Rick Blackwell (D-12) Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13), Dan Johnson (D-21) President David Yates (D-25), Mary C. Woolridge (D-3), David James (D-6), Cindi Fowler (D- 14), Cheri Bryant Hamilton (D-5), Angela Leet (R-7), Pat Mulvihill (D-10), Barbara Sexton Smith (D-4), Bill Hollander (D-9), Robin Engel (R-22), Barbara Shanklin (D-2), Madonna Flood (D-24), and James Peden (R-23).
The 2017 lineup for “Movies Under the Stars” is as follows – all movies begin at 8:00pm.
- May 13 – Rouge One: A Star Wars Story
- June 17 – The Secret Lives of Pets
- July 15 – Zootopia
- August 12 – Sing
Here is the lineup of Free Monday Night Movies for 2017 – all movies begin at 8:00pm:
- June 5 – The Wizard of Oz
- June 19 – Madea’s Big Happy Family
- July 3 – 1776
- July – 10 School of Rock
- July 17 – The Jungle Book
- July 24 – Dial M for Murder
- July 31 – The Wild Life
- August 14 – The Legend of Tarzan
The Concession Stand is open for these events selling hotdogs, popcorn, ice cream and sodas.
To see all the great summer entertainment this year at the Iroquois Amphitheater, go to www.iroquoisamphitheater.com or call 502-368-5865.
Iroquois Amphitheater is located at1080 Amphitheater Road in Iroquois Park.
Tomorrow kicks off the two-week Kentucky Derby Festival with one of the largest fireworks displays in the country. Thunder Over Louisville is a fun family event that features music, food, an air show, and a very large fireworks display at the end of the day. Unfortunately, the weather will not be so cooperative, and there is no rain date. As long as it is safe to be near the river, the show will go on. We are currently looking at a high near 50 degrees with nearly 100% chance of rain.
Visitors to the main viewing area on either side of the river will need a Pegasus pin for entrance. The official program for the day will be available tomorrow in the local newspaper. The day begins when many displays open at 11:00 AM. The US Military will have multiple interactive displays on the South Great Lawn, including a dog tag machine, a fitness challenge, an obstacle course, and a 4D virtual reality simulation of a Navy rescue mission. The South Lawn will have activities geared towards children, such as the ninja jump and Meijer will be sponsoring a Family Fun zone that will feature face painting, bounce houses and a beer garden for the parents.
The famous air show does not start until 2:30 PM (recent time change from 3:00 PM). The line up of acts will feature aircraft from the US and other foreign countries’ militaries, both past and present. The show usually features a couple of stunt pilots that will display their skills in the cockpit by performing stunning, and dangerous, maneuvers in the air at various heights. If you have not been to a Thunder Over Louisville event with cloud cover, the ability of the planes to fly close enough to be seen is dependent on the ceiling level and the pilot’s discretion. The entire line up of airshow can be seen online, but it is subject to change.
The air show ends when the fireworks start. As with the previous 27 events, the 28-minute fireworks show has a theme. This year it is “Local & Original”. Along with the fireworks, there is a musical score to go along with the show and as always, there will be a salute to the US that usually features the US flag being flown by aircraft in the viewing area and a few well-known, patriotic songs. The fireworks are currently scheduled to start at 9:30 PM.
If you plan on attending the event, some useful information can be found at the Kentucky Derby Festival webpage. You should plan on leaving any personal drones, tents, canopies, glass containers, alcoholic beverages, pets, bicycles, and grills at home. Lawn chairs are permitted and so are tarps (as long as they are under 10′ x 10′). Event organizers also recommend that you dress for the weather (possibly consider a change of clothes in a waterproof bag or in the car), make sure you gas tank is full (traffic after the event can be slow moving at best and many routes that may be familiar will be blocked), and plan to park as far away as you can comfortably walk. A map of the viewing area is also available on the website.
If you do not want to drive to the event, the local public transit provider, TARC, will have extra buses on certain routes and alternate loading spots following the event. More information, including route changes and detours, can be found on their website. If you are unable to attend the event or do not desire sitting in the rain all-day, you can listen to the show all day on WVEZ 106.9 and many local news stations will air the event as well.
Photo: Altitude Trampoline Park
Dixie Highway is undergoing a resurgence of new businesses and the newest addition is a fun entertainment center for all ages. Altitude Trampoline Park held its official grand opening celebration this week with city leaders on hand to welcome the new businesses.
“This is another great day for the new Dixie Highway. We need new exciting businesses like this to show everyone that this area of the city has much to offer,” said President David Yates (D-25).
The President was joined in the grand opening by Council members Rick Blackwell (D-12), Cindi Fowler (D-14) and Marianne Butler (D-15). They were also joined by Shively Mayor Sherry Conner.
The Altitude Trampoline Park is a 41,000 square foot, indoor trampoline park with jumping activities including sports and fitness programs, competitive jumping, and just plain, old-fashioned jumping fun.
The park will include such activities as a foam pit, gymnastics tumble tracks, toddler area, basketball dunking lanes, dodge ball and fitness classes.
“We are excited about another major investment along Dixie Highway. Southwest residents have often asked for more recreational opportunities for our youth and Altitude certainly meets the need in a big way,” said Blackwell
“South Louisville is happy to welcome Altitude to our community. Another locally owned, thriving business offering a fun night for families. Welcome – we are glad you are here and encourage others to join you!” said Butler.
“I am excited to see this wonderful new addition to South Louisville! The Altitude Trampoline Park will provide kids and their families a fun, positive space that’s close to home. I am encouraged by this promising economic investment along Dixie Highway, bouncing the Southend to new heights!” said Fowler.
“I want to thank the Council members and the people of the area for their support as we begin this venture,” said Mr. Chuck Hall of Altitude Trampoline Park, “We look forward to being a part of this great community.”
Altitude Louisville is going be a fresh, new entertainment option for groups and individuals to have active fun located at 4420 Dixie Hwy, Louisville, KY 40216.
To learn more go to: http://www.altitudelouisville.com/altitude-lousiville-trampoline-park.