Festivals

The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.
Events
Plan Ahead: Don’t miss these events happening in Louisville
Bookmark this guide for a curated list of events taking place each month that we’re most looking forward to.
January 02, 2026 10:00 AM
 · 
Jeff Milby
Light-up reindeer.
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Louisville’s loveliest holiday tradition
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Events
The strangest fall festivals you’ve probably never been to
“Stranger Things” better buckle up for this.
September 8, 2025
 · 
Katie Molck
LOUtoday_Oktoberfest
Events
Four places to celebrate Oktoberfest in Louisville
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for beer.
August 29, 2025
 · 
Katie Molck
A festive parade float themed "Irish Fivi-O" features people dressed in green and police-themed attire, waving and celebrating. The float is decorated with an Irish flag, gold coins, and cityscape imagery with police badges. A person in a green and white striped prisoner costume with a colorful wig stands at the edge, adding to the lively atmosphere. The parade is taking place on a street lined with leafless trees and a church visible in the background, under an overcast sky.
Events
Your guide to Louisville’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade
From pro tips to paddy parties, it’s your lucky day.
March 6, 2025
 · 
Katie Molck
A band playing music.
Culture
Plan ahead for Bourbon & Beyond + Louder Than Life
Louisville’s two biggest music festivals are still months away, but it pays to be prepared.
February 5, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
Water fountain with a wrought iron fence.
Culture
The St. James Court Art Show is one of the best in the US
This fall art show in Derby City ranked No. 3 on Sunshine Artist magazine’s “200 Best.”
September 30, 2024
 · 
Katie Molck
Melissa Etheridge performing live on stage
Culture
Bourbon & Beyond vs. Louder Than Life
We pitted Louisville’s two biggest music festivals head-to-head.
September 23, 2024
 · 
Declan Lowthian
2023-0915-Experience-Nathan Zucker-DSC_3855 (1).jpg
Culture
Bourbon and Beyond by the numbers
The Louisville music festival pulls thousands of visitors — and tourism dollars — to Derby City.
September 19, 2024
 · 
Declan Lowthian
LOUToday_worldfest
Events
Plan your Labor Day weekend in Derby City
These five events are just the tip of the three-day-weekend iceberg.
August 29, 2024
 · 
Katie Molck
A stage at the Bourbon and Beyond music festival in Louisville, KY, with thousands of fans in the foreground.
Food
What to eat and drink at Bourbon and Beyond
The biggest music festival in Louisville has a lot more than music.
August 26, 2024
 · 
Declan Lowthian
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Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City Missouri
Travel and Outdoors
2026 travel trends in Louisville
Airbnb’s travel predictions for the year + how you can take part starting in Louisville.
January 5, 2026
 · 
Brianna Williams
A collection of social media-style posts praising the 6amCity newsletters.
What our readers love about LOUtoday
We compiled all of the feedback from our Giving Campaign to learn what readers love most and want to see more of in our newsletters. Here’s a peek at what they said.
December 30, 2025
 · 
Staff
Four people stand together, including actor Dustin Hoffman and Louisville mayor Craig Greenberg.
Culture
Your top stories of 2025
Let’s take a look at LOUtoday’s most-read articles of 2025.
December 30, 2025
A bridge hangs over a frozen river, as a tow boat pushes through the ice. On the banks, snow covers the walkways.
Live
It’s a winter-ful life
Average temps and more snow than usual are in our future.
December 10, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
A rendering of proposed developments in the lot adjacent to Louisville's Slugger Field.
Real Estate
Two Louisville development projects one year later.
These two projects were announced this time last year — what’s their status?
December 8, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
paristown ice skating
City
3 places to go ice skating in Louisville
Lace em’ up, LOU — let’s hit the ice.
December 2, 2025
 · 
Jeff Milby
a row of holiday pop-up shops
Events
Holiday markets in Derby City
From pop-up shops to season-long shopping sprees, we have all your local gift giving needs covered.
November 24, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
The exterior of Carmichael's books with a banner that reads "Est. 1978 Carmichael's Books" and posters on the wall on the left. The front doors are windowed and made on wood.
Our Louisville-based Small Business Saturday shopping picks
The 16th annual edition of Small Business Saturday falls on Nov. 29 — the perfect time to help you add a local sparkle into your holiday shopping.
November 24, 2025
 · 
Laura Figi
dx murphy
History
Flashback Friday: D. X. Murphy
The architect whose firm was behind Churchill Downs’ iconic spires also designed churches and hospitals all over town.
November 20, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian
a row of holiday pop-up shops
Culture
Fête de Noël returns to Paristown
The seventh annual event brings ice-skating, holiday shopping, and the second annual Skillet Curling Competition to Paristown.
November 12, 2025
 · 
Declan Lowthian