This Saturday from dusk until 10 p.m., the 27th Annual Bardstown Road Aglow will light up The Highlands as the Christmas season gets underway. The event began on the first Saturday of December in 1985 with a single candle lit and placed before each storefront along Bardstown Road, as well as Baxter and Barret avenues, symbolizing the warm, welcoming spirit of the season.
Here are a few events to check out during this year’s holiday gathering:
From 5 to 9 p.m. at Mid City Mall, the 4th Annual Highlands Beer Festival will have over 100 craft and import brews for guests to sample. A dollar is all you’ll need per 2-ounce sample, while $30 will give you unlimited opportunities. If you’re one of the first 500 to attend this festival, a free souvenir pint glass is in the offing. $5 will get you inside, the admission fee benefiting the Academy at St. Andrews for children with developmental disabilities.
At 5:30 at the Wendy’s on Grinstead, Santa will lend his magic to light up the big spruce tree in front of the restaurant, which also will be offering free small Redhead Roasters Regular Coffee all day, as well as free small Frostys between 5 and 10 with purchase.
Santa will then head over to Bearno’s at 1318 Bardstown, where he will be available for photos from 6 to 8 at $5 per photo. The fee benefits Gilda’s Club Louisville, a support group for those with cancer and their loved ones named after the late comedienne and “Saturday Night Live” alum Gilda Radner.
A van carrying celebrity judges – including our own Zach Everson, as well as WHAS-TV’s Andy Treinen, “The Bar Belle” Sara Havens of LEO, Christa Ritchie of The Courier-Journal, and Four Roses Master Distiller Jim Rutledge – will be patrolling The Highlands for the Aglow Holiday Decorating Contest, where businesses will be judged on their decorating skills and presentation. Three award categories – Grand Prize, Business Appropriate and The Griswold Award – will be given to the three businesses that best represent their holiday spirit. The van is provided by Winston’s Restaurant, who will also provide shuttle service from their location at Sullivan University to Bardstown Aglow.
