Saturday May 4, 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.
Photo: Louisville Metro Council
The 62nd Annual St. James Court Art Show will once again bring the best artisans and craftsmen along with hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Old Louisville area during the first weekend in October.
More than 700 artisans from all over the United States return to one of Metro Louisville’s unique and historic neighborhoods for the nation’s premier arts and crafts venue.
“There is a new Kentucky Historical Marker in place this year that tells the story of how the St. James Court Art Show came to be in Old Louisville. Over the years, St. James has welcomed thousands from all over our country to a truly great event. It’s an event that also brings yet another boost to economic development and tourism,” says President David James (D-6).
“We are looking forward with a great deal of excitement to the first week-end in October as we celebrate the 62nd Annual St James Court Art Show. The St James Court Art Show is one of the top-rated art shows in America featuring over 700 artists from all over the United States. Please join us in celebrating one of Louisville’s most iconic events,” says Howard Rosenberg, Executive Director of the St. James Court Art Show.
The Art Show offers a wide variety of booths featuring furniture, pottery, jewelry, glassworks, photography and paintings.
Rain or shine, the Art Show will take place on October 5th through October 7th. There is no admission fee. No Pets are allowed unless they are a service animal.
Sponsors for the 2018 St. James Court Art Show are: Anheuser Busch/Goose Island, President David James District 6 Metro Louisville, Pepsi Co., Superior Van and Mobility, StorAll Self Storage, Kentucky Monthly Magazine, KET Public TV, Louisville Magazine, Louisville.com, and TARC.
While the Art Show is a fun time for many, the President’s office also reminds everyone that there will be many street closures and no parking areas around the St. James Court area:
- 6 am (Thursday, October 4, 2018) – 11:30 pm (Sunday, October 7, 2018)
- Alley between Third Street and Fourth Street from Magnolia Avenue to Hill Street
- Alley between Fourth Street and Saint James Court from Magnolia Avenue to Hill Street
- R Chin Alley from Sixth Street to Hill Street
- Saint James Court from Magnolia Avenue to Hill Street
- Magnolia Avenue from Third Street to Sixth Street
- Gaulbert Avenue from Third Street to Fourth Street
- Fourth Street from Park Avenue to Hill Street
No Parking Areas
- 1 am (Thursday, October 4, 2018) – 9 pm (Sunday, October 7, 2018)
- Park Avenue (south side) from Fourth Street to Sixth Street
- Gaulbert Avenue from Third Street to Fourth Street
- 1 am (Thursday, October 4, 2018) – 10 pm (Sunday, October 7, 2018)
- Third Street (west side) from Park Avenue to Hill Street
- Third Street (east side) from Magnolia Avenue to Hill Street
- Fourth Street from Park Avenue to Hill Street
- Sixth Street (east side) from Park Avenue to Hill Street
- 1 am (Thursday, October 4, 2018) – 11:30 pm (Sunday, October 7, 2018)
- Saint James Court from Magnolia Avenue to Hill Street
- Magnolia Avenue from Third Street to Levering Street
- 9 am (Thursday, October 4, 2018) – 7 pm (Thursday, October 4, 2018)
- Hill Street from Second Street to Sixth Street
- Fourth Street (east side) from Hill Street to Gaulbert Avenue
- 1 am (Friday, October 5, 2018) – 8 pm (Sunday, October 7, 2018)
- Hill Street (north side) from Second Street to Sixth Street
Handicapped Parking
- 8 am (Thursday, October 4, 2018) – 10 pm (Thursday, October 4, 2018)
- Sixth Street (east side) near Magnolia Avenue along Central Park
- 9 am (Friday, October 5, 2018) – 10 pm (Sunday, October 7, 2018)
- Hill Street (north side) from Third Street to Saint James Court
- NOTE: No Handicap Parking at Saint James Court and Fountain Court (across from the fountain on the east side of the street)
A spin-off of the Clifton Roots, Jazz, and Heritage Festival held at the Clifton Center last year, Butchertown Roots continues the quest to bring the best in roots, jazz, and world music to Louisville audiences. Featuring five Grammy nominees, a National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Award recipient, and a MacArthur Foundation genius grant award winner, Butchertown Roots welcomes internationally renowned performers, as well as several of Louisville’s most celebrated local artists. Both concerts will be held at Louisville’s most exciting new venue, Odeon, located at 1335 Story Avenue in Louisville’s Butchertown neighborhood.
Masters of the infectious Brazilian music known as “Choro”, Trio Brasileiro, will kick off the festival on Saturday, September 15th at 8:00 pm. Recipients of a 2017 Grammy nomination for Best World Music Album for their recording with clarinetist Anat Cohen, Rosa dos Ventos, the Trio includes world-renowned guitarist Douglas Lora, mandolin virtuoso Dudu Maia, and percussionist Alexandre Lora, and is regarded as one of the world’s leading exponents of Choro, a musical style that has been described by some as a Brazilian cross between bluegrass and ragtime. With heart-wrenching harmonies and blazing virtuosity, Trio Brasileiro has brought crowds to their feet in concert tours throughout the U.S., South America, and Europe.
Butchertown Roots continues Sunday, September 16 with True Blues, an inspiring evening of music and conversation with legendary blues artists Corey Harris and Phil Wiggins. Harris, the phenomenal blues guitarist and singer who was a featured artist and narrator of Martin Scorcese’s 2003 documentary, “Feel Like Going Home”, which traced the evolution of the blues from West Africa to the southern U.S., will be joined by legendary blues harmonica virtuoso Phil Wiggins. Wiggins was recently awarded a National Heritage Fellowship by the National Endowment for the Arts in honor of his many accomplishments, which included a 32-year stint as a member of one of the most famous duos in blues history, Cephas & Wiggins. Continue reading
Bourbon & Beyond music festival has launched a new mobile app to use at the second annual festival at Champions Park Saturday, September 22 and Sunday, September 23. Through the app, attendees can build their own schedule, learn more about the artists and personalities appearing at the festival and get the latest must-know information through push notifications. The app is available to download through the Google Play and Apple stores.
The schedule of events for Bourbon & Beyond has been announced offering a weekend of bourbon, area food and music assembled by festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents along with local culinary curator Edward Lee and bourbon curator Fred Minnick.
In addition to sets from Sting, Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters, John Mayer, Lenny Kravitz, Counting Crows and David Byrne and many more on three stages, there are workshops from the many distilleries present at the festival, plus demos from culinary experts Tom Colicchio, Stephanie Izard, Aarón Sánchez and Ray Garcia on The Mash Stage.
Band performance times and the schedule for bourbon workshops and culinary demos are as follows (subject to change): Continue reading
Music Industry Veteran Danny Wimmer knows a little about producing music festivals, and he should… he has been at it since 1993 with big name events like Rock on the Range, the Aftershock Festival, Carolina Rebellion, Rock Allegiance, and others.
Evidence of his expertise can be seen with the huge crowds that he’s drawn to Louisville over the past half-decade with music festivals that may sound a little more familiar. Last year alone, Danny Wimmer Presents Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life Festivals drew a combined 110,000 fans to Champions Park for four amazing days of music, food, and great times.
Later this month, both festivals return with back-to-back weekends jam packed with dozens of favorites and new acts ready to expose attendees to the upcoming crop of artists in their respective genres. Continue reading
Hundreds of bikes will roll into Louisville for the 6th Annual Kentucky Kick Down vintage motorcycle festival, held September 14-16, 2018. For the first time, the event will be held at Turners Louisville, a 13-acre historic riverfront complex located at 3125 River Road.
In addition to the bike show, the event will feature more local bands than ever before. The lineup includes the Falls City Drifters, Hot Wires, Vice Tricks, Riflemen, Relic, Voodoo Economics, The Feedback, and Johnny Berry and the Outliers.
Moto enthusiasts will enjoy the variety of vintage bikes on display, burn out pits, stunt shows, and mud drags. Other festival highlights will include the Miss Kentucky Kick Down Contest, a VIP area and the annual charity ride benefiting Home of the Innocents. Beginning at 10:00am on Saturday, September 15th, the route will wind through picturesque two-lane roads to the tiny riverside town of Westport in Oldham County before returning back to the city by 1:00pm.
Attendees can enjoy swimming, bowling, and other retailers and vendors. Local food trucks including La Chandeleur, Red Top Gourmet Hot Dogs, Germany’s #1 Food, Bourbon Bent Barbeque, and Three Girls and A Guy Fish Fry will also be available on site.
Admission is $5 per day, and parking is $10 per day. Kids 12 and under are free. Discounted weekend pricing is also available. On-site camping fees range from $65 for the baseball field to $100 for riverside. Continue reading
Boone and Minnow, two male gray seals, have joined the other pinnipeds on regular rotation at the Louisville Zoo’s Glacier Run exhibit. Both seals come to Louisville from Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo.
Minnow (bottom right), who is 31 years old, and Boone (top right),13, join California sea lions Triton (28), Bart (25), Gremlin (14), Riva (4), along with harbor seal Toney (16) and gray seal Rona (4) in the popular habitat.
The Louisville Zoo has a rich history with this species of animal. Eight seal pups have been born at the Zoo and when twin seal pups were born in 1979, they were the first twins to be documented in a managed system such as a Zoo.
Gray seals are natively found in temperate and subarctic waters on both sides of the North Atlantic. Seals have good senses to help them hunt. Their eyesight is excellent because of the time they spend underwater. Baby seals, called pups, are born with a soft, white hair coat called the lanugo. By the time they are weaned the lanugo is molted and the pups assume the adult coloration. Seal pups don’t swim until they have molted. Seal pups are weaned after nursing only four weeks during which they gain 100 pounds. Gray seals can sleep underwater for up to 30 minutes at a time. This species can be distinguished from harbor seals by their longer noses, wider set nostrils and size, which is approximately twice as large as harbor seals. They primarily eat fish.
The Louisville Zoo, a nonprofit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
You can visit the Louisville zoo at 1100 Trevilian Way. Gates are open 10am through 5pm until September 23. From September 23 through March 15, gates are open 10am to 4pm.
