Fiction

• “The Last Cowboys of San Geronimo” by Ian Stansel | Release date: July 2017 | This contemporary Western drama follows the story of two brothers locked in a deadly feud.
• “Sister” by Sarah Anne Strickley | Release date: January 2021 | A woman named Sister attempts to make a family out of the wreckage of her youthful indiscretions in rural Southeastern Ohio.

For the family

• “L is for Louisville” by Gill Holland Jr. | Release date: January 2010 | Louisville artists created kid-friendly artworks to accompany 26 pieces of Louisville trivia in this abecedary.
• “Little Grump Truck” by Amanda Driscoll | Release date: August 2021 | Ride along with a cute, but moody dump truck learning mindful tools to handle emotions.

Learn something new

• “Waverly Hills Sanatorium: A History” by Lynn Pohl | Release date: June 2022 | Travel back in time to learn about Louisville’s famous sanatorium and its mixed legacy.
• “Bluegrass Brawlers: The Story of Professional Wrestling in Louisville” by John Cosper Release date: June 2014 | Basketball and horse racing isn’t the only sport obsession in the 502 — immerse yourself in the world of professional wrestling + the stars that got their start here in Derby City.

Part of a series

• “Horsepower” by Joy Priest | Release date: 2020 | In this breakout collection of poems about the backside of Churchill Downs is part of the Pitt Poetry Series.
• “A is for Alibi” by Sue Grafton | Release date: April 1982 | This is the first book in a 25 part series that follows the investigations of fictional character Kinsey Millhone.

Personal stories

• “Little Brother: A Memoir” by Sallie Bingham | Release date: May 2022 | This memoir tells the story of Sallie’s brother Jonathan and his all-too brief life and trouble relating to his large, prominent Louisville family.
• “A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City” by David Dominé | Release date: October 2021 | This true crime saga of the 2010 Old Louisville murder of James Carroll is told through David’s perspective as he sits in on trials + more.

• Japanese Garden Groundbreaking | Thurs., Sept. 29 | 10-11 a.m. | Waterfront Botanical Gardens | Free | Celebrate the start of the Japanese Garden with the designer, Shiro Nakane, visiting from Japan + enjoy green tea and cookies. 🌸
• Kentucky Author Forum | Thurs., Sept. 29 | 5-9 p.m. | The Kentucky Center, Bomhard Theater | $35+ | Hear a live interview featuring The Wall Street Journal’s China Deputy Bureau Chief Josh Chin — author of “Surveillance State.”

• Dr. Creepers Spookshow Spectacular| Fri., Sept. 30 | 8-11 p.m. | Pope Lick Park, 4002 S. Pope Lick Rd. | $5 | Hear local lore brought to life during a theatrical performance. 👻

• Louisville Taco Festival | Sat., Oct. 1-Sun., Oct. 2 | 2-7 p.m. | Fourth Street Live | $10+ | Dig into all things tacos at this two-day fest with 15+ food vendors, margaritas, a chili pepper eating contest, and giant beer pong. 🌮
• Loving Highsmith | Sat., Oct. 1 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Speed Art Museum |$12 | Watch this film about the life of American author Patricia Highsmith based on her diaries, notebooks + the intimate reflections of her lovers, friends, and family. 📽️
• Portland Museum Art and Heritage Fair | Sat., Oct. 1 | 12-5 p.m. | The Portland Museum, 2308 Portland Ave. | Free | Shop local makers, see live puppetry, try your hand at printmaking + more.

• First Sunday Nature Hike | Sun., Oct. 2 | 2-3:30 p.m. | Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest | $10+ | Hit the trails at Bernheim with a naturalist on this adults-only hike. 🥾

• Nikki Lane | Tue., Oct. 4 | 8 p.m. | Zanzabar, 2100 S. Preston St. | $20 | See this American country music singer-songwriter on her Denim and Diamonds Tour.

• 71º | Sunny | 10% chance of rain

• Soy wax candle company Commonwealth Candle is opening a brick-and-mortar inside the Mellwood Art Center in studio 155. The shop + candle bar will carry its bestselling scents — like Apple Bourbon — and have an option for patrons to create their own. Sniff its fall scent collection. 🕯️

• Kentucky Shakespeare is presenting a new, immersive experience at its headquarters in Old Louisville for the Halloween season. “Enter Ghost” is an interactive, hour-long performance inspired by Shakespeare’s longest play “Hamlet” — which is 29,551 words long. The show will run Wed., Oct. 5-Sun., Oct. 30 + tickets are available now. 💀

• Against the Grain’s cocktail bar and venue, The Whirling Tiger, has closed its doors in Butchertown. The iconic venue — known for its mid-century furniture and decor — was open less than a year. The closure comes almost exactly a month after Gold Bar, also in Butchertown, announced its closing.

• On Monday, former WAVE meteorologist John Belski was inducted into the Kentucky Broadcasters Hall of Fame. John worked at the station from 1987 to 2010. A few highlights of his tenure include meeting with former President Bill Clinton to discuss global warming + being the first person to present a daily 14-day forecast. (WAVE)

• National Coffee Day and we’re livin’ la vida mocha. Celebrate this brew-ti-ful holiday by visiting a coffee shop matching your zodiac sign. ☕

• Pinch your nose, Louisvillians. Complaints of a stinky odor have been traveling through the air almost as fast as the stench itself. Some say it smells like rotten eggs, others are getting a whiff of sulfur. Officials say it’s a common sewer gas (hydrogen sulfide) caused by the warm, dry weather. 👃 (WFPL)

• The annual Fairdale Fair, which can be traced back to 1930, begins today. Festivities which include a parade, car show, vendor booths, carnival rides + a performance by American Idol contestant Jackson Snelling will take place through Sat., Oct. 1 at the Fairdale Playtorium at 10104 Mitchell Hill Rd. 🎡

• Millions of photos taken during the 154 years of the Courier-Journal are being preserved thanks to a partnership with the University of Louisville. The collections range from the mid-1930s to the early 2000s — when digital photography replaced film — and cover events like the Great Flood of 1937, World War II + more. (WAVE)

• Did you know that several Louisville Free Public Library locations have public electric car charging stations? Crescent Hill, Jeffersontown, Northeast + Middletown all have outlets to recharge your wheels — just in time for Drive Electric Week. 🔌
• Stay in a piece of history and enjoy a night on Broadway in the same weekend? Sign us up for a quick fall getaway to the Nashville area in this gorgeous cabin built in the 1800s complete with a fire pit and rocking chairs on the front porch (average price of $145/night).*

• We want to make sure that you’re catching all the sports coverage you need to join the conversation. As the fall season gets going, tell us what kind of sports content you want to see in LOUtoday. By completing the survey, you’ll be entered in a drawing for a chance to win team-branded swag up to $100 in value.

• Exclusive birthday deals, shoutouts on our member wall, insider information from our team, discounts from our online shop — that’s just a few of the perks you get when you join the LOUtoday Membership Program. Learn more + sign up for this new way to support local journalism. 💻