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Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing will celebrate the return of spring with its annual Plant and Herb Sale with an Early Bird Sale on Friday, April 12 from 3-7 PM and on Saturday, April 13 from 8AM-4PM.
The sale features annuals, perennials, herbs, vegetables, local honey, locally produced plant food and expert gardening advice. Visitors can purchase plants to get their gardens started.
All proceeds from the sale support the historic gardening program at Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing and its mission to interpret historic farm life on the Ohio River. Riverside’s Garden Club maintains a kitchen garden near the Farnsley-Moremen House where volunteers grow heirloom vegetables, herbs and flowers. Interpretive programs and events about historic gardening are part of Riverside’s offerings at various times throughout the year.
Riverside, the Farnsley-Moremen Landing, is a nearly 300-acre historic property on the Ohio River in Southwest Louisville, at 7410 Moorman Road. The historic Farnsley-Moremen House will remain open for tours during its regular business hours on April 14 and 15.
Louisville Metro Councilman Robin Engel (District 22), Brightside, the Fern Creek Community Association and the Fern Creek Chamber of Commerce will hold a District 22 community-wide clean-up on Saturday, April 13, between 9:00 a.m. and noon.
Clean-Up volunteers will meet at the Fern Creek Community Center (6104 Bardstown Road) and plan to pick up litter along Hurstbourne Parkway/Stony Brook and the Bardstown Road area. Volunteers at the event will receive free t-shirts, trash bags and gloves. The clean-up will last approximately 3 hours.
The District 22 Brightside cleanup has been consistently recognized as one of the largest annual clean-up events in Louisville Metro removing significant trash and improving common spaces in Fern Creek and Southeast Bardstown Road corridor each year.
Persons seeking additional information on this event are encouraged to call Ms. Jean Henle at the Fern Creek Chamber at (502) 239-7550 or the office of Metro Councilman Robin Engel at 574-1122 or via email robin.engel@louisvilleky.gov.
Kentucky Shakespeare kicks off its 59th annual free Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park with a comedy, a history, and a tragedy. The season begins with their professional productions of As You Like It May 29th, then Henry IV, Part II June 13th, followed by King Lear on June 27th. July 9th-21st all three performances will be presented in repertory. The season will be dedicated to the late Bekki Jo Schneider, former Producer of Kentucky Shakespeare and founder Doug Ramey’s immediate successor. “Last year we lost our dear friend Bekki Jo. She was instrumental in helping make the company what it is today, not only during her tenure here as an actor and leader but for years after as a mentor to me and to so many others in our community. We dedicate this season to her as we celebrate her life and legacy,” said Matt Wallace, Producing Artistic Director.
“Though it’s winter now, we’ve been busy planning an exciting 59th season of Kentucky Shakespeare Festival! This season features a company of 20 performers and an array of 54 community pre-shows, with 7 productions and 58 performances over our 10-week summer season,” says Wallace. “Thanks to an Imagine 2020 Project Grant, made possible by Louisville Metro Government in partnership with the Fund for the Arts, we will also present the Kids’ Globe this summer! Before performances youth can visit our Kids’ Globe tent to participate in free interactive, hand-on arts activities all summer long. We’ll again have a variety of 28 food trucks from the Louisville Food Truck Association rotating nightly, along with our Brown-Forman Bar, Will’s Tavern and Will’s Gift Shop. If you haven’t been lately, you haven’t been!”
The season kicks off with As You Like It, Shakespeare’s beloved, gender-swapping romantic comedy set in the Forest of Arden, where lives can be transformed when you least expect it. Matt Wallace directs, setting the production in 19th century Kentucky. It will feature live music with the cast performing original songs composed by Louisville singer/songwriter Aaron Bibelhauser of the bluegrass band Relic. The production stars Hallie Dizdarevic as Rosalind with Jon Becraft as Orlando, Gregory Maupin as Touchstone, Abigail Bailey Maupin as Jacques, Crystian Wiltshire as Silvius, Jon Patrick O’Brien as Oliver, and making their Kentucky Shakespeare debut, recent Actors Theatre performers Amber Avant as Celia and Angelica Santiago as Phebe.
Henry IV, Part II explores the precarious friendship of Prince Hal and Falstaff. The play is the third installment in the “Game of Kings” series, which wraps up with Henry V in 2020, the Festival’s 60th season. The production is directed by Associate Artistic Director Amy Attaway and will again feature original music from Wax Fang’s Scott Carney. Tom Luce returns as the title king, J. Barrett Cooper returns as Falstaff and Zachary Burrell as Prince Hal, with cast members including Will DeVary as Prince John, Amber Avant as Lady Percy, Kyle Ware as Ensign Pistol, and Kentucky Shakespeare veteran Monte Priddy as Shallow. “This play is a little detour from the wartime saga, and it easily stands on its own. It’s irreverent, funny, and deeply human – I can’t wait to show our audiences this different side of everyone’s favorite fat knight,” said director Amy Attaway.
Rounding out the main stage productions is one of Shakespeare’s most powerful tragedies, King Lear, last performed by Kentucky Shakespeare 32 years ago. Wallace directs the production, set in ancient Britain, that follows a once-great ruler’s descent into madness. Kentucky Shakespeare veteran Jon Huffman takes on the title role, with cast members including Jennifer Pennington as Gloucester, Dathan Hooper as Kent, Braden McCampbell as Edmund, and Neill Robertson as Edgar.
The Louisville Improvisors return with Late Night Shakes on select Saturdays bringing late night improvised Shakespeare shows, June 1st, 15th, 29th and August 3rd.
Kentucky Shakespeare’s Globe Players Professional Training Program for high school students will present the comedy Twelfth Night, directed by Kentucky Shakespeare’s Director of Education Kyle Ware, running July 24th – 27th.
Cincinnati Shakespeare Company returns to the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival stage July 28th and 30th to present the touring production of Romeo and Juliet directed by Caitlin McWethy.
Rounding out the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival season, Louisville Ballet returns to present a premiere of Cleopatra: Queen of Kings. They have based the dance piece on Julius Caesar, Antony and Cleopatra, and what is known about the life of Cleopatra. Roger Creel and Scott Moore again create the piece, with the addition this year of Louisville Ballet dancer Erica De La O as lead choreographer. The production runs July 31st to August 4th.
Nightly Schedule
6:30pm Food Trucks Open
7:00pm Will’s Tavern, Will’s Gift Shop, and Kids’ Globe open
7:15pm Nightly Community Pre-Show Entertainment
8:00pm Main Stage Production
The 81st year of the historic Iroquois Amphitheater begins Sunday, April 7 with Kentucky Shakespeare’s touring production of Macbeth, and includes national musical acts, local theatre arts productions, festivals, and Metro Council-sponsored movie nights.
“The Amphitheater is a true local treasure and one of the most beautiful facilities in the Louisville area to catch a show,” said Mayor Greg Fischer. “Iroquois Park presents a wonderful backdrop, and as always, the lineup this year looks fantastic.”
Production Simple, AC Entertainment and Louisville Public Media are sponsoring several shows; two of which – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit with Sun Volt April 20, and Hozier on June 13 – have already sold out. For the full schedule of concerts, visit iroquoisamphitheater.com.
Local arts and cultural programming, including the Macbeth production, will also be featured. The Louisville Youth Orchestra will perform on Sunday, April 28 as part of the Kentucky Derby Festival, and the Amphitheater will also host the Americana World Community Center Festival on Saturday, June 1.
Free family-friendly movies at the Amphitheater begin Friday, May 24 with the film “Skyscraper” and conclude on Friday, August 16 with “Instant Family.” Those films are sponsored by council members Kevin Triplett, Rick Blackwell, Nicole George and David Yates.
Later in the year, the area surrounding the Amphitheater will host the Louisville Jack O’Lantern Spectacular for the 7th year from October 8 – November 3. The Spectacular is the major fundraiser for the Louisville Parks Foundation, the non-profit entity supporting Louisville’s public parks.
Additionally, the Amphitheater is now contracted with Southern Hospitality (SoHo) for food and beverage concessions. SoHo will be providing an expanded menu of food and beverage options and is affiliated with Danny Wimmer Presents, the independent musical production company responsible for local music festivals Louder Than Life, Bourbon And Beyond and Hometown Rising.
Olmsted Parks Conservancy has received a $49,949 grant from the PNC Foundation to build a new PNC Music Garden in Shelby Park.
Shelby Park is a sixteen-acre park designed by the Olmsted Firm in 1907. It was named for Kentucky’s first governor, Isaac Shelby, and is the only park in Louisville designed in conjunction with a Carnegie library. Today, the park offers many amenities including two playgrounds, a splash pad, basketball and tennis courts, walking paths, and an iconic bandstand. The Shelby Park Neighborhood Association is very active in the well-being of this historic green space.
The new PNC Music Garden, which will open in April 2019, will include ten outdoor musical instruments. The instruments will line both sides of a fully accessible pathway that connects the two existing playgrounds, for older and younger children respectively. This addition will complement programming offered by the Academy of Music Production Education and Development (AMPED), which is run out of the Shelby Park Community Center. AMPED is a free youth music program that provides a safe environment for young minds to explore their creativity through the power of music.
“The PNC Music Garden at Shelby Park will not only connect the existing play spaces with a fully accessible engaging feature, but will also deepen the connection between the neighbors and their park,” said Layla George, Olmsted Parks Conservancy’s president and CEO. “The Shelby Park neighborhood exemplifies the spirit of inclusivity and having an inclusive play space feels right at home here. We are grateful for the continued partnership with the PNC Foundation and their support which made this project possible.”
The new space is funded by the PNC Foundation in support of PNC Grow Up Great®, a bilingual $350 million, multi-year initiative to help prepare children from birth to age 5 for success in school and life.
“We look forward to working with the Shelby Park community to provide enriching opportunities for preschoolers to explore and discover the world around them,” said Chuck Denny, PNC regional president for Louisville.
The PNC Music Garden was designed by Chris Fry from Play Pros of Kentucky and Indiana formerly Countryside Play Structures. An exclusive Landscape Structures dealer and authorized installer. Play Pros dedicates a majority of their time and efforts to inclusive play.
“We believe every child has a right to build priceless memories of childhood through play,” said Fry.
An official ribbon cutting will be held at Shelby Park on Tuesday, April 2 at 10:00AM.
Councilman Brandon Coan (D-8) is encouraging property and business owners along Bardstown Road, Baxter Avenue and the Douglass Loop to attend the next public meeting for the proposed creation of the Highlands Management District on Tuesday, February 12th at HopCat,1064 Bardstown Road beginning at 1:00pm.
“Since the first public meeting in 2018, we have been working to contact each and every property owner in the proposed service area to educate them about our plan,” said Coan. “This meeting is part of a homestretch effort to secure the commitments we need to move forward.”
The Councilman is proposing the creation of the Highlands Management District, a nongovernmental safety and cleanliness workforce, along the Bardstown Road/Baxter Avenue business corridor.
Management districts are funded by special assessments against properties located within service area boundaries, and they are managed by a voting board comprised of district property owners. The proposed Highlands Management District special assessment is $0.1745 per $100 PVA.
Coan’s proposal is the result of months of studies, reports and recommendations by an exploratory committee comprised of property owners and other stakeholders in the corridor, in consultation with the Louisville Downtown Partnership.
For more information about the proposed Highlands Management District, contact Councilman Coan’s office at 574-1108 or visit www.tinyurl.com/BardstownRdBID for more information.
Historic Locust Grove, a National Historic Landmark established c. 1792, is planning a year of programming centering on The Age of Hamilton, the period of time from c. 1770- 1805 that encompasses the American Revolution and the early years of American independence.
Keyed to the arrival in June 2019 of Hamilton: An American Musical, at the Kentucky Center for the Arts, Locust Grove will look at the personalities and events of the era of the American Revolution through the Early National period in depth. Washington, Jefferson, Burr, and Hamilton all were part of the world of William Croghan and George Rogers Clark.
The story of Locust Grove finds its roots in the American Revolution, through the military service of Major William Croghan, who established and lived at Locust Grove from 1792-1822, and his brother-in-law, General George Rogers Clark, who founded Louisville in 1778 and led the Illinois Campaign that brought the western territories under the control of American forces at the same time George Washington commanded the Continental Army in the east. Croghan fought with the Continental Army and was a participant in the battles of Trenton, Princeton, Brandywine, and Germantown. He wintered with Continental forces at Valley Forge and witnessed the British surrender at Yorktown in 1781. Washington, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, the Marquis de Lafayette were all part of the world of both Croghan and Clark.
“The experiences of the people of the Revolutionary era presented in Hamilton are mirrored in the stories of the people of Locust Grove and early Louisville,” says Carol Ely, Executive Director of Locust Grove. “It’s exciting to have the chance to explore the personalities and ideas of the era in fresh new ways.”
Locust Grove kicks off The Age of Hamilton this month with A Winter’s Ball, just in time for Valentine’s Day. This historical ball will be held on Saturday, February 9 from 7:00 – 10:00 pm, and will feature live music and period dancing. Co-sponsored by The Jane Austen Society of North America—Greater Louisville Region, guests will be asked to wear historical dress from their favorite time period as we capture the atmosphere of the ball where Alexander Hamilton met his bride, Eliza Schuyler in 1780.
Guests should look for a trio of Punch with the President evenings in March, April and May focusing on the lives and libations of presidents George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. Led by visiting historians, including Dr. Matthew Costello of The White House Historical Association, Gwynne Tuell Potts, and historical interpreter Peyton Dixon, these evening programs find connections between the first three presidents, early American history, and Locust Grove, along with period drinks. Locust Grove’s Afternoon Lecture Series, held on the first Wednesday of each month, will focus on revolutionary topics such as African Americans in the Revolution and dueling in Early Kentucky. A subsequent program on June 6, Hamilton: How the Musical Remixes American History, presented by Dr. Richard Bell, will explore the historical origins of the blockbuster musical.
This season of programming at Locust Grove also engages the site’s educational mission, with a professional development opportunity for teachers on February 16, and a student competition where students will perform using historical documents as their inspiration. Thanks to the generosity of the Louisville Theatrical Association/PNC Broadway in Louisville, participants in these programs will have the opportunity to win tickets to see Hamilton when it arrives in Louisville. Members of the public will also have the chance to win tickets for the show.
Finally, Locust Grove’s Age of Hamilton will culminate with The Hamilton Festival on June 16, 2019. This celebration of the Revolution will feature student performances of original pieces, a re-creation of the Hamilton-Burr Duel, a sing-a-long, and presentation on clothing of the period, Aaron Burr’s time in Louisville, and more.
According to Brian Cushing, Locust Grove’s program director, “The site has explored a lot of exciting directions over the years but the contributions to the United States of America by the Revolutionary War veterans connected with Locust Grove, especially George Rogers Clark, remains the cornerstone of our story. Now that Hamilton is shining a spotlight on that era, we’re able to draw our visitors, into the core of our mission of the exploration of history.”
A full calendar of The Age of Hamilton events and more information can be found at www.locustgrove.org/revolution.
