When you clock out tonight, provided your car is stocked with a duffle’s worth of clothes and toiletries, you could probably just FEST the entire weekend away. Start off at the Old Louisville Springfest, stay until 9 p.m., then at 10 a.m. the next day take your furry friend to the Festival for the Animals at Waterfront Park.
By noon you should be ready to attend the St. Matthews Street Fest, and by 3 p.m. you should be ready to get a buzz at the Highlands Beer Fest, learn something at the Festival of Faiths at Actors Theatre, or wild out at Forest Fest. Still feeling festive? Don’t forget that Buy Local Fair is happening Sunday, and the Moonshiner’s Ball music festival is going on in Berea.
Here’s where to go and what to do in Louisville this weekend:
Old Louisville Springfest | Old Louisville
The SpringFest is a market and street fair celebration of Old Louisville's love of history, culture, diversity, food, style, family and philanthropy and will be held on the 1200 and 1300 Blocks of First Street and one block in each direction on Ormsby.
When: May 20 noon – 9 p.m. and May 21 10 a.m. – 9 p.m.
Where: Old Louisville, Historic First St. 40229
Website: www.oldlouisvillespringfest.org
Cost: Free
Passion Meets Fashion: A Charity Fashion Show | PLAY
This show will feature BLoFISH Clothing Co. and rescue dogs from Saving Sunny, Inc. There will be rescue dogs available for adoption and a silent auction, all benefitting Saving Sunny Inc.’s lifesaving programs in Louisville. 18+
When: May 20, 7 p.m. – 2 a.m.
Where: Play Louisville, 1101 E. Washington St. 40206
Website: www.playdancebar.com
Cost: $10
Looking for Lilith Theatre Company | “Marsha Norman's Getting Out” | Thrust Theatre
“ Getting Out,” the first play written by the nationally-acclaimed award-winning Kentucky native Marsha Norman, which premiered at Actors Theatre of Louisville in 1977, closes out Looking for Lilith's mainstage season in May. Recently released from prison, Arlene moves into a one-room apartment in Louisville, KY, prepared to start her life over. She interacts with different people in her present, who have the potential to pull her back into or away from her former life, while remembering her past experiences and the people in it that led her into that life and her years in prison.
When: May 19-21, 23, 26, 28, 7:30-10 p.m.
Where: Thrust Theatre at UofL, 2314 S Floyd St. Y 40292
Website: lookingforlilith.org
Cost: $20 - General Admission; $15 - Students/Seniors; $10 - Community Night (May 23 ONLY)
Ivory Consignment Women's Secondhand Pop-up Event | Celebration Hall
Don't miss Louisville's first ever women's secondhand pop-up event, hosted by Ivory Consignment and happening at Celebration Hall in Middletown. At Ivory, you'll find discounts and inventory rivaling shops such as Margaret's Consignment, Clothes Mentor, and Urban Attic. Imagine name-brand labels at prices so low, you won't feel guilty leaving with your arms full and wallet happy.
When: May 20, 9 – 5 p.m.
Where: Celebration Hall, 11711 Main St. 40243
Website: www.consignivory.com
Cost: Free
An Evening with Jon Carloftis | Waterfront Park Place
Kentucky native Jon Carloftis—award-winning garden designer, garden writer, television guest, author, and lecturer—is a great American gardener. His more than 25-year career in gardening began far from home in New York City where he has become one of America’s pioneers in rooftop/small space gardening
When: May 20, 6 – 8 p.m.
Where: Waterfront Park Place, 222 E. Witherspoon St. 40202
Website: kilgoregardentour.org/2016/02/01/an-evening-with-jon-carloftis
Cost: $100
Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters | Zanzabar
Louisville Americana rockers play a hometown show at the Zanzabar this weekend.Watch Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters perform “Just my Job” for Louisville.com’s Louisville Studio Sessions here. 21+
When: May 20, doors at 8, music at 9 p.m.
Where: Zanzabar, 2100 S. Preston Street Louisville, KY 40217
Website: www.nickdittmeier.com
Cost: $8
Waggin' Trail Walk and Festival for the Animals
The Kentucky Humane Society’s Waggin’ Trail Walk & Festival for the Animals is a pet-friendly walk and festival that raises money for the state’s largest pet adoption agency and no-kill animal shelter. The event will feature adoptable pets, vendor booths, beer, wine, food, live music, yoga, belly dancing, games for children, dog contests and more.
When: May 21, 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Where: The Big Four Lawn at Waterfront Park, 40202
Website: www.kyhumane.org
Cost: Free to attend the festival, $35 to walk for adults or $25 for children 12 & under
Attendees may pre-register online or register at the event
St. Matthews Street Festival
This Saturday, Frankfort Avenue between Lexington Road and Bauer Avenue will be transformed into the 5th Annual St. Matthews Street Festival! You’ll find bands, food, vendors and activities for both adults and children. Showcased will be area retailers, restaurants and live entertainment. Family fun and activities include the free Kids Zone, Fun Zone and Wellness Fair.
Here’s the main stage lineup:
· 12 – 1:30 p.m. – The Rigbys
· 1:45 – 3:15 p.m. – The Tarnations
· 3:30 – 5 p.m. – Fine Vinyl
· 5:15 – 6:45 p.m. – Midnight Radio
· 7 – 8:30 p.m. – Jordan English Band
· 8:45 – 10:15 p.m. – Soul Circus
When: May 21, 11 a.m. – 10 p.m.
Where: Frankfort Avenue between Lexington Road and Bauer Avenue
Website: www.stmatthewsstreetfestival.com
Cost: Free
Highlands Beer Festival | ValuMarket
The 9th annual Highlands Beer Festival is presented by ValuMarket and The Back Door. All proceeds will go to Bluegrass Center for Autism. There will be live music provided by Hot Iron Skillet and an after party at The Back Door. 21+
When: May 21, 3 – 7 p.m.
Where: ValuMarket Supermarket, 1250 Bardstown Rd. 40204
Website: louisvillebeer.com
Cost: $5 admission, $1 per 2oz pour or $6 16oz pour
Festival of Faiths | Actors Theatre of Louisville
The 2016 Festival of Faiths will explore how different spiritual traditions, teachers and practitioners address violence, heal our wounds and teach active commitment to nurturing peace in ourselves and in the world. It's a five day festival of music, poetry, film, art and dialogue with internationally renowned spiritual leaders, thinkers and practitioners.
When: May 17 – May 21
Where: Actors Theatre of Louisville, 316 W. Main St. 40202
Website: festivaloffaiths.org
Cost: Ticket prices vary
Forest Fest | Jefferson Memorial Forest
Enjoy a free day of music and fun in the 6500-acre Jefferson Memorial Forest! The 2016 lineup includes Maiden Radio, Blue River, Blue Belles, newly-reunited The 23 String Band, Louisville favorite Ben Sollee and 10-time IBMA award-winning Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper. Bring a blanket or chair. Food will be available for purchase from The Comfy Cow Ice Cream, Holy Molé Taco Truck, Shack in the Back BBQ and more. Craft beer will also be available for purchase. Local artists and crafters will be selling their work, and kids will have plenty of activities to participate in. There will be a silent auction fundraiser. Outside alcoholic beverages are prohibited. Well-behaved dogs are welcome.
When: May 21 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Jefferson Memorial Forest, 11311 Mitchell Hill Rd. Fairdale, KY 40118
Website: louisvilleky.gov/Jefferson-memorial-forest
Cost: Free admission, $10 parking
Annual Arts and Crafts Fair | Cedar Lake
This free family-friendly event includes arts and crafts for sale that are handmade by those supported at Cedar Lake Lodge, as well as hourly door prizes, food, games and children’s activities. All of the proceeds will support Cedar Lake Lodge art program. Attendees can also take part in creating a masterpiece on canvas using paint-filled water guns!
When: May 21, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: Cedar Lake Lodge, 3301 Jericho Road, LaGrange, KY 40031
Website: www.cedarlake.org
Cost: Free!
Berea Garden Tour | Berea Arts Council
The Berea Arts Council presents a tour of six unique home gardens (three incredible gardens never on a tour before) on Saturday, May 21, from 9am to 4pm. This year’s tour also includes seven public gardens to visit! Tickets are just $15 or advanced tickets can b e purchased after May 2 for $12. Visit the Berea Arts Council's website for more details - www.BereaArtsCouncil.org
When: May 21, 9 – 4 p.m.
Where: Berea Arts Council, 139 N. Broadway, Bera, KY 40403
Website: www.BereaArtsCouncil.org
Cost: $15, advanced tickets $12
ECO Kids Discovery Day: BloomFest | Bernheim Forest
Join in Bernheim’s annual celebration of spring will also include local artisans, food vendors, a farmers market, musical entertainment, a series of short garden lectures, and tons of great activities for children including arts, crafts, garden faerie house construction and naturalist-led discovery stations. The day also includes the annual Spring Plant Sale. The annual Spring Plant Sale features Bernheim Select™, a distinctive variety of plants propagated from Bernheim’s own collections, along with a varied selection of other unique trees, shrubs, grasses, perennial herbaceous plants and summer garden plants. All plants are suitable for north central Kentucky growing. Quantities limited.
When: May 21, 9- 4 p.m.
Where: Bernheim Forest, 2499 Clermont Road, Clermont, KY 40110
Website: bernheim.org/event/eco-kids-discovery-day-bloomfest
Cost: FREE event. $5 environmental impact fee for Non-Members still applies.
2016 Kilgore House and Garden Tour
Named as Louisville’s Premier Garden Tour, the event will include six gardens and three homes open for tours. Proceeds from the Tour provide scholarships for those unable to pay the full fee of counseling services. The Kilgore Samaritan Counseling Center was founded in 1987 as a ministry of the Second Presbyterian Church and St. Francis in the Fields Episcopal Church. The Center is open to the public. No one is turned away. www.kilgoregardentour.org
When: May 21, 10 – 5 p.m.
Where: Kilgore House, Louisville, KY
Website: www.KilgoreGardenTour.org
Cost: $30 for adults; $5 for children under 6
Ride for the Promise: 100 Mile Motorcycle Ride for Charity | Sellersburg
This 100-mile charity ride through Kentuckiana is hosted by Gatlin and Sons Knife Company benefiting the Portland Promise Center. The Portland Promise Center is celebrating their 60th year pouring into the community of Portland in Louisville. Join us for this scenic ride benefiting a great cause! The $20 pre-registration per rider guarantees t-shirt on day of the event. All riders must confirm registration the day of the event. Registration begins at 10 am. Kickstands go up at noon. The event will begin in Sellersburg, Indiana and end at the Portland Promise Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
When: May 21, 10 - 3 p.m.
Where: Gatlin and Sons Knife Company, 129 E. Utica St. Sellersburg, IN 47172
Website: www.gatlinandsonsknifecompany.com/Index.asp?PageID=4&ProductID=394909
Cost: $20 per ride
Cancer Awareness Show: Arts, Crafts, Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, Model Trains | Hillview Community Center
Something of interest for the entire family – and the chance to help the fight against cancer – will be on tap at the Cancer Awareness Show. Proceeds from the day’s activities will benefit research, community outreach and patient support programs of the James Graham Brown Cancer Center at the University of Louisville. The event is comprised of three shows-within-the-show: a model train show including 9X9, 4X16 and 3X6 layouts; an arts and crafts show; and “Cruizin’ for Cancer,” a car, truck and motorcycle show and a model car show. Also included are a fire safety house sponsored by the Zoneton Fire Protection District; food and other vendor booths and prize and cash raffles. Representatives from Be The Match will be on hand to provide information about bone marrow donation. The James Graham Brown Cancer Center also will disseminate information on cancer prevention and treatment.
When: May 21, 11 – 5 p.m.
Where: Hillview Community Center, 298 Prairie Dr. Hillview, KY 40129
Website: https://www.facebook.com/Cancer-Awareness-Craft-and-Train-Show-590438671098140/
Cost: A donation to the James Graham Brown Cancer Center or canned goods for donation to local food pantries
The Magic & The Wonder Benefiting Kosair Charities | Kentucky Center
Incredible illusions will take center stage during 9th annual “The Magic & The Wonder” to benefit Kosair Charities and The Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies. With four talented entertainers sharing the stage for a good cause, audiences of all ages are in for a night full of dazzling displays of deception and sidesplitting laughter. Internationally renowned comedy magician and native Kentuckian Mac King headlines the show. Doors open at 4 p.m. and early arrivals will be treated to close-up magic inside the lobby. For more information visit www.LouisvilleMagicShow.com.
When: May 22, 5:15-7:15 p.m.
Where: Whitney Hall at The Kentucky Center, 501 West Main Street, Louisville, KY 40202
Website: http://www.kentuckycenter.org/all-shows/magic-and-wonder
Cost: $17.50 - $34.50 All net proceeds from ticket sales support the children of Kosair Charities and the Kids Center for Pediatric Therapies.
Buy Local Fair | Louisville Water Tower
The 8th annual Buy Local Fair is presented by the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) and will include a marketplace of more than 200 booths from local businesses, artists and craftspeople, community organizations and farmers, as well as a craft beer tent, 25+ food and drink vendors, a cooking competition, aerial circus acts, a silent auction and the H2O Kid's Zone sponsored by Louisville Water. Last year’s fair drew over 8,000 attendees!
When: May 22, noon – 6 p.m.
Where: Louisville Water Tower Park, 3005 River Rd. 40207
Website: www.keeplouisvilleweird.com/buylocalfair
Cost: Free admission, parking $5 per vehicle or free for bicycles
Moonshiner’s Ball 2016 | Berea
Load up the car and leave the city. Go out to where the Appalachian hills frame the horizon; where the air is clear, the water clean and the night skies dotted with the light of a thousand stars. Trust that every musician, artist, poet, dancer, yogi, chef, merchant and volunteer has been painstakingly curated to maximize your buzz. The Ball is not a corporate mega-festival. It's homegrown and musician-run. The artists are selected because they're original, because they will compel you to dance or to think. Come be immersed in music and claim your space in the growing community that The Moonshiner's Ball has become. Let your kids run wild in the creek, pluck crawdads and smash geodes. Or steer clear of family camping and rage until a drum circle heralds in the misty dawn.
When: May 20 – May 22
Where: HomeGrown Hideaways, 500 Branch Road Berea, KY 40403
Website: themoonshinersball.com
Cost: Ticket prices vary
Wondering why your event wasn’t included on the Weekender? Add your event to our calendar and you’re automatically qualified for inclusion. Here’s how: