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Visitors to the 2017 Kentucky State Fair can help children in foster care by donating a new duffle bag or backpack at the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services (CHFS) exhibit. CHFS is collecting the bags at its display in the Health Horizons area of South Wing B at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Children coming into foster care will receive the bags to carry their belongings.
“Often times, when children are removed from their home and placed into state care, all their belongings are literally stuffed into a black garbage bag,” Secretary Vickie Yates Brown Glisson said. “Can you image how that makes them feel? No child deserves to be given a trash bag for their belongings. This effort changes that. Donating a duffle bag or backpack is a small but meaningful way to help foster children and give them the dignity of carrying their possessions in a new bag that is all their own.”
Glisson said she has invited her employees to bring along duffle bags to drop into the donation bin at the CHFS exhibit space. The Secretary has also asked other Executive Cabinet secretaries and leadership of CHFS community partners and their employees to contribute.
Department for Community Based Services Commissioner Adria Johnson said she was touched by the efforts to help children in foster care, a program administered by her staff across the state.
“This luggage collection is tremendous,” she said. “Our staff is so grateful that we can give children a dignified way to carry their belongings. We have been spreading the word to the public that even if you cannot become a foster parent, there is some smaller thing you can do for our children in out of home care. And if people visiting the fair make the time and effort to donate, what a wonderful gift to these youth.”
A number of organizations have sponsored duffle bag and backpack drives over the past few months. Specifically, Children’s Home of Northern Kentucky launched a “Duffle Shuffle” campaign to ensure children entering out-of-home care would not have to use trash bags to carry their belongings. More information is available at http://www.duffleshuffle.org/ or by searching #DuffleShuffle on social media. Duffle Shuffle details will be available at our state fair exhibit area.
Others, including Girl Scout Troops and office groups, have sponsored duffle bag drives. Earlier this summer, the “Foster Care Pack Drive”, coordinated by employees at Disability Determination Services (DDS), which is part of CHFS, raised $4,200 to purchase new bags and collected nearly 900 donated bags. Donating duffle bags and backpacks is just one way to help children in foster care.
For more information about how you can become a foster or adoptive parent, or to get more general information, email: openhearts@ky.gov, go to the state adoption website adopt.ky.gov, which helps families more easily navigate the foster care and adoption process or call 1-800-232-KIDS (5437).
Cabinet for Health and Family Services 2017 State Fair Calendar
Featured Daily (Aug. 17-27)
- Free Children’s Dental Screenings (10 a.m. -2 p.m. for children enrolling in public school with signed adult consent) and Oral Health Education
- Kentucky HEALTH Update and Medicaid/Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP) Information
- Substance Use Disorder Strategies and Services
- Zika Education and Mosquito Control
- Foster Care and Adoption – Duffel Bag/Backpack Drive
- Tobacco Cessation – The Lung Challenge: Test your lung strength
- Free Blood Pressure Screenings and Education
Thursday, Aug. 17
- Focus on Dental Health – Ask the Experts/Media Availability (10 a.m. to noon)
Monday, Aug. 21
- Healthy Babies, Healthy Children – Prenatal Care, Safe Sleep for Babies, Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention, Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program (KCHIP)
Tuesday, Aug. 22
- Services for Seniors – Adult Protective Services, Aging and Independent Living/Long-Term Care Ombudsman, Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program
Wednesday, Aug. 23
- Focus on Foster Care and Adoption – Ask the Experts/Media Availability (10 a.m. to noon)
Thursday, Aug. 24
- Focus on Zika Education and Mosquito Control – Ask the Experts/Media Availability (10 a.m. to noon)
Friday, Aug. 25
- Focus on Substance Use Disorder Strategies and Services – Ask the Experts/Media Availability (10 a.m. to noon)
Fair Admission and Hours
Exhibit buildings at the Kentucky Fair and Exposition Center are open daily at 9 a.m. and close at 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Advance tickets are $7 for adults, seniors and children; free for children 5 years and under. Parking in advance is $5 per vehicle (car and bus). Advance discount prices are available through 10 p.m., Aug. 16, at Kroger and online at http://www.kystatefair.org/ and on the Kentucky State Fair app.
Admission at the gate is $10 for adults, seniors and children; free for children 5 years and under.
Parking after Aug. 16 and at the gate is $10 per car.
For more information about the fair, visit kystatefair.org.
End of Summer events bring books and music to Locust Grove
Find great reads and enjoy great music this August!
The Summer Used Book Sale
Members-Only Preview: Thursday, August 17,
5:00 PM – 7:30 PM
Open to the Public
Friday, August 18, 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM
Saturday & Sunday,
August 19 & 20, 10:00 AM – 4:30 PM
All the nooks and crannies of Locust Grove’s Audubon room will be filled with more than 23,000 books — all waiting for you at our Big August Used Book Sale. The books are sorted into 30-some categories, including history, mysteries, art, architecture, literature, cookbooks, humor, and more, and are displayed for easy shopping. Books, donated by readers from across the region, are $1 and $2 — with special titles $3 and up. All books are great bargains! All proceeds from our book sales support Locust Grove’s continued educational and preservation projects.
Watershed Music Festival at Locust Grove
Saturday, August 26, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
Barn Dance 8:00 PM with music by The Kentucky Roundups
This all-day festival sponsored by local non-profit organization Luminary will feature nine bands playing traditional Kentucky music — covering those unique genres that define Kentucky’s rich musical heritage while promoting advocacy that addresses Kentucky’s 21st-century challenges.
Line-up, ticket information, and more can be found at http://www.watershedfestky.com/.
Pre-registration Admission Prices:
- Festival Day Pass $18.00 ($20 at gate)
- Festival Barn Dance Pass $10.00 ($12 at gate)
- Festival Day Pass + Barn Dance $25.00 ($30 at gate)
- Weekend Pass (includes camping) $50.00 ($60 at gate)
Event will be canceled in case of inclement weather. Camping available August 25-August 27, with a special Friday evening concert by The Local Honeys.
Summer Thursday Concert Series: Lance Minnis & Friends
Thursday, August 31,
6:30 PM – 8:30 PM
$5/$4 for Locust Grove members
For our final concert of the season, Lance Minnis and Friends will perform a variety of tunes and songs from Kentucky, Appalachia, the Maritime Provinces, and the British Isles. Expect rousing chanteys, wistful lullabies, magical ballads, and fiddle tunes to make your heart race. Enjoy music and camaraderie outdoors in a tranquil, historic setting. Food, beer, and wine will be available for sale beginning at 6 PM. Bring your own blankets and chairs — and let the music speak.
For more information about these events, please contact Hannah Zimmerman, Marketing Coordinator at marketing@locustgrove.org or call 502.897.9845 x108.
Locust Grove is located at 561 Blankenbaker Lane (between Brownsboro Road and River Road), Louisville, KY 40207. For more information call 502.897.9845 or visit http://locustgrove.org/.
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.
Photo: F1 ChampBoat Racing
International Outboard Grand Prix (IOGP) Powerboats will take control of Louisville’s waterfront on August 18-20 for the third race of the IOGP F1 ChampBoat Championship series racing season, setting the stage for an exciting weekend of racing, entertainment, and fun on the Ohio River in downtown Louisville.
Teams from across North America will converge on Waterfront Park to compete in the inaugural Louisville Regatta Grand Prix with the most-nimble power boats in the world that generate more G-forces than any other racing machine with top speeds of 150 MPH.
“We are excited to bring a world-class professional racing series to Louisville, and are very pleased with the enthusiastic reception we are receiving from Kentuckiana race fans,” said Mike Schriefer, president of IOGP. “The buzz in Louisville has been awesome. We know there are a lot of race fans and boaters in this part of the country, so we are excited about this event becoming one of our flagship races for many years.”
“Downtown Louisville on the Ohio River is the perfect ‘Natural Marine Stadium’ for IOGP and our kind of racing and entertainment,” Schriefer continued.
Greg Foster, who drives for Dillard Financial Services #53, comes to Louisville as the points leader in the IOGP F1 ChampBoat Series after a victory on August 6 at the EQT Three Rivers Regatta in Pittsburgh. He hopes to increase his lead with a strong finish in Kentucky.
“There is a huge coolness factor associated with this type of powerboat racing in the US and abroad, and our team at the Louisville Sports Commission has been working for 10 years to bring this event to Louisville,” said LSC President & CEO Karl Schmitt. “The accessibility of recreation on the river via Waterfront Park, a three-year commitment from the nationally recognized IOGP, and local residents’ affinity for boating were huge factors in making this event happen.”
The Louisville Regatta Grand Prix kicks off Friday afternoon with open practice for the F1 ChampBoats taking place from 3 to 5 p.m. Live music featuring Louisville-based “From Paris” kicks off the Regatta Festival. Saturday’s events include practice midday, heat races in the afternoon, and local rock band “Mary Mary” that night. In addition to great bands on Friday and Saturday night, DJFun will be cranking out the tunes throughout the day along with a late-night foam party scheduled to begin at 9 p.m.
The F1 ChampBoat finals will run Sunday afternoon from 1-5 p.m.
Advanced tickets are available at www.LouisvilleGrandPrix.com or at the gate. Papa John’s is offering a $5 discount coupon when local residents order pizza delivery. The coupon can be redeemed at the gate.
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.
Citizens interested in adding their voice to the review of public art that could be interpreted to honor bigotry, discrimination, racism and/or slavery now have an online forum to share their thoughts.
People can visit https://louisvilleky.gov/government/public-art/public-art-review and add their thoughts to the public conversation.
“Getting citizens input from all sides is important – we want to hear from a wide variety of people,” Mayor Greg Fischer said.
On Sunday, Fischer announced that he asked the Louisville Commission on Public Art to review its catalogue of art in the public right of way to develop a list of those tied to discrimination, racism and slavery, in preparation for a community conversation about their display.
The Mayor’s remarks come after a day of violence surrounding a white nationalists rally in Charlottesville, Va., that left three people dead and 35 injured. The review also came after a statue of Confederate officer John Breckinridge Castleman in the Cherokee Triangle neighborhood was vandalized.
“For many, the Castleman statue is a beloved neighborhood landmark, but for others, it’s a symbol of a painful, tragic and divisive time in our history — which gets at the complexity of this conversation,” the Mayor said.
Sarah Lindgren, the city’s public art administrator, said the Commission on Public Art will announce before the week’s end a series of public meetings to gather further input.
“This is an opportunity for citizens to both speak and listen,” Lindgren said.
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.
