Old Louisville Events
Calendar 2008

In addition to the community events below, please check the following links for current calendars of events from our neighborhood and city institutions:

• This month's neighborhood meetings & events calendar

• MetroFest  Louisville Festivals and Events

• Planetarium Schedule 

• Crane House Asia Institute Calendar

• Speed Art Museum Calendar of current exhibitions

• Belknap and Thrust Theater Calendar

• University of Louisville Music School Calendar 

• Filson Historical Society Calendar

Old Louisville Events:

**="must do's"

Have out-of-town guests? Looking for something different to do? Why not come and explore your own neighborhood?

**ALL YEAR LONG/ every day or every week
Tour Old Louisville
TourLouisville is currently offering the following guided tours:
(This schedule is good through at least September 1, 2008.)

Old Louisville Walking Tour, $15.00 per person
     Departs every day except Sunday at 11:00 a.m. 2 hours

Ghosts of Old Louisville Tour, $25.00 per person
     Departs every Friday evening at 7:30. 90 minutes

Moonshine and Madness Tour, $25.00 per person
     Departs every Saturday evening at 7:30. 90 minutes

Mansions and Milestones Tour, $25.00 per person
      Departs every Friday and Saturday at 2:30 p.m. 90 minutes

All tours depart from the Visitors Center at 218 West Oak Street. To confirm schedules or reserve tickets, call (502) 637-2922.

April 5, 2008
Central Park Cleanup
Join Old Louisville neighbors volunteers, and Metro Parks in this annual spring sprucing-up of our beloved Central Park.  It's all light work, planting, fertilizing, grading, mulching, seeding, trimming, painting, weeding and cleanup.  A barbeque lunch will be provided at noon for all workers.  Begins 8:30AM in the park.

April 2008
20th Annual 2nd Street Neighborhood Association Bedding Plant Sale
"Every gardener's dream from the best bedding plants to fantastic hanging baskets"  begins 9AM.  Send in your order form by April 20, and pick up on Friday April 25 (5:30-7pm) or Saturday April 26 from 9AM til noon at 1381 S 2nd St rear.  For more information, click here or contact the information center for details (see below) or see more information and order form in the April Newsletter.  Click here for an  Order form  For preorders, send checks payable to SSNA to SSNA Bedding Plant Sale, c/o JoAnn Lockhart, 1322 S Second Street, Louisville, KY 40208

**April 12-May 6, 2008

Kentucky Derby Festival - although the Derby Festival is city-wide, Old Louisville is conveniently located only minutes away by car from most major events, and a case can be made that Old Louisville may be the finest base of operations for out of town visitors.  It is possible to walk to most major events, including the Derby itself, from Old Louisville, if a 30-60 minute walk doesn't intimidate you.  Kentucky Derby Festival Headquarters are located at 3rd and Kentucky, on the northern edge of Old Louisville.

The festival includes hundreds of events, most notably the Opening Ceremonies/Thunder Over Louisville (good picture)  (Saturday, April 12) which is internationally known for its impressive air shows and spectacular world record displays of fireworks and a half-mile rainbow of fire, Chow Wagons (April 12-May 2), The Great Balloon Glow (Friday, April 25), The Great Balloon Race (Saturday, April 26), mini-Marathon (comes through Old Louisville, April 26) , The Great Steamboat Race (Wednesday, April 30), the Pegasus Parade (Thursday, May 1), the Kentucky Oaks (Friday, May 2), and of course, the 134th Running of the Kentucky Derby on Saturday, May 3.   It's an exciting fun-packed three weeks by anyone's standard, and the best (and most beautiful) time of all to visit the city.
Click here for the official event list (you can click on each event for more details, sort by date, etc.)

April 18-19 2008
Third Annual Festival of the Arts
9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m
In celebration of the Arts Council of Louisville’s 10th Anniversary of community arts, the "Third Annual Festival of the Arts" will be held at Central Park in downtown Louisville located at Fourth and Magnolia Streets. It will feature the outstanding  artistry of local visual and performing artists. To be a participating artist or vendor contact the Arts Council of Louisville at (502) 585-9525. The event is a non-alcoholic event with arts activities and "back-in-the-day" games for children and family fun. The Festival of the Arts is free and open to the public and accessible to all disabilities. For additional information call (502) 585-9525.

June through October 5, 2008
First Sunday Concerts Series in Central Park
 The Concerts are scheduled the first Sunday of each month from 4:00PM to 5:30PM with the exception of the concert offered during the St. James Court Art Show weekend when the concert will be held from 2:00PM to 3:30PM.
The June concert will also include a free Ice Cream Social.

**June 18 - July 20, 2008

Kentucky Shakespeare Festival
Performances are offered completely free of charge and are held in the C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater located in the middle of Central Park in the heart of Old Louisville's historic preservation district. (Some performances are at the Clifton Center in Crescent Hill.)  This outdoor amphitheater seats up to 1,000 audience members, with additional seating available on the lawn right and left of the stagehouse.  The Festival's average summer attendance is 10,000 people each season. In the last forty or so years, over one half million people have enjoyed the Festival’s summer productions.  All performances begin at 8:00 p.m., dress comfortably and casually for these open-air performances.  Concessions are available.  The amphitheatre is wheelchair accessible. 
All performances are FREE
This year: 
Julius Caesar (June 18-21, 25-28, July 9, 11, 13)
Pericles (July 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 12)
Twelfth Night (July 16-20)
(Calendar) 
Kentucky Shakespeare Festival web site

**June - late October
Farmer's Markets
The farmer's market is a compelling reason to look forward to summer. These markets are not huge, selling only the freshest of the season, but it gives Old Louisvillians an opportunity to purchase farm fresh produce never available any more in local groceries.  It's somewhat mind-boggling to realize how many (especially) younger people have little idea about simple pleasures of the sweet fully-developed flavor of a fresh tomato, strawberry, blackberry or peach.  Be discriminating, but, by example, we have gone to the market on Wednesday and purchased flavorful cucumbers at three for $1.00, because they were Monday's cucumbers, and not Wednesday's cucumbers for $.50 each.  And don't miss the honey lady, with her delightful variety of home-made honeys, berry-flavored honeys and honey salsas.  Come early in the season for the more robust Kentucky wildflower honeys.  Fresh herbs/plants and flowers are also sold when available. The selections change weekly.  

**July 12-13 2008
Old Louisville Hidden Treasures Garden Tour
Showcasing beautiful hidden gardens in the historic district of Old Louisville.   Tour hours are 10 am to 5 pm each day.  For ticket information call 502-635-5244. You may want more information or More information and tickets ON LINE .  Pictures from past years. 
www.oldlouisvillegardentour.com

*August 2, 2008
Old Louisville Yard Sale Extravaganza
Ten Blocks of Third Street, The Central Park Neighborhood and the Conrad Caldwell House on St James Court were just the highlights from last year's sale.  This year's sale will be bigger than ever,  a one-day summer yard sale extravaganza that may be the largest neighborhood sale in Louisville, with more associations joining than ever before... Just getting to wander around the front and back yards and gardens of all those Victorian mansions is treat enough for many.  Click here for more information, including (for yard sellers) 40 tips for a successful sale.
You can also contact the Old Louisville Information Center for more information.

**October 3-5,  2008 (Friday-Sunday)

St. James Court Art Show
Enjoy the fall weather and wonderful art work from all over the country in one of the nation's oldest, largest, and most prestigious open-air art shows: 10:00am-6:00pm Friday and Saturday, and until 5:00pm Sunday.

The St. James Court Art show is a juried show with nearly 700 artists exhibiting throughout St. James and Belgravia Courts, Fountain Court, along Third, Fourth and Magnolia Streets.  Come to the show rain or shine.  As well as artwork and crafts, you'll find plenty to eat and drink as well.
More info 
Art Show Web Site  
FREE

October 10-11, 2008
Garvin Gate Blues Festival
Oak Street at Garvin Place, (free)

Friday, 6:30-11 p.m.

6:30 Louisville School of Rock

7:00 Pure Gravel Blues Band

8:15 Robbie Bartlett

9:30 Nick Moss & The Flip Tops

 

Saturday, 2:30-11 p.m.

2:30 Louisville School of Rock

3:00 The Leisure Thieves

4:15 Da Mudcats

5:30 Sue O’Neil and Blue Seville

6:45 The Walnut Street Blue Band

8:00 The Cincinnati Blues Man, Mr. Keith Little

9:30 Eddy The Chief Clearwater

October 25, 2008 (tentative)
The third annual Spirit Ball
This is the Saturday before Halloween. The Spirit Ball will be a gala costume affair where guests can dance the night away in 19th-century elegance in one of the city’s most opulent mansions.  In addition to music, dancing, prizes and a silent auction to benefit local causes, party goers will sample gourmet cuisine and expertly mixed cocktails as they take in the Victorian splendor of the lovely Conrad-Caldwell House on St. James Court.  Tickets for first annual Spirit Ball cost $99.00 per person and include food and drinks provided by Brown-Forman. VIP passes including special access to the Spirit Lounge will start at $149.00 per person, and package deals with local B&Bs will also be available. Space is limited, so make reservations now! Call 502.637.2922!
(prices based on 2006)

**December 6-7, 2008 (Saturday-Sunday) (tentative)
Old Louisville Holiday House Tour
Take a look inside eight of Old Louisville's finest homes decorated for the holidays.  Enjoy a "Taste of Old Louisville."  $20 advance purchase, $25 on the days of the tour.   MORE Information, more info from the OLIC
Tours 12:00 noon until 6:00 P.M. both days  

The latest information and tickets for the Garden Tour, Victorian Christmas House Tour, etc. can be obtained from:

The Old Louisville Information Center
1340 S. 4th Street in Central Park
Louisville, KY 40208
olnc@bellsouth.net
Tuesday through Friday 1-5 PM
Closed Mondays
(502) 635-5244
fax (502) 635-5245
Please note: it seems the Old Louisville Information Center changes its hours between 3-6 times a year.  It is not always possible for OldLouisville.com to keep up with this, so it may be prudent to verify with them before you make a trip.

 

Also check out the Old Louisville Neighborhood Council's web site for more information on Old Louisville's neighborhood events and fundraisers.

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