6AM City In-house

Meet our Hometown Heroes

Louisville’s Hometown Heroes then and now
LOUtoday: Hometown Heroes banner Muhammad Ali
To celebrate 20 years of Hometown Heroes, the Muhammad Ali banner was reinstalled in June. | Photo courtesy of the Louisville Downtown Partnership
Every Louisvillian has seen a jumbo version of another Louisvillian somewhere on a building throughout the city.

Jennifer Lawrence serving looks over I-64 and Harold “Pee Wee” Reese smiling on Main Street are just two of the Hometown Heroes celebrated in Derby City via giant photographic banners.

Currently, there are 31 vinyl banners — some as tall as 60 feet — honoring influential Louisville natives. Next year, six new people will grace Derby City as part of the Hometown Heroes relaunch.

The beginning

It started in 2002 with “the greatest of all time” — Muhammad Ali. Installing a giant photo of the legendary boxer was the sole project of the nonprofit Greater Louisville Pride Foundation (GLPF), but the program quickly expanded to recognize other famous people who have inspired others or represented Louisville to the rest of the world.

Hometown Heroes 2.0

In June 2022, the program celebrated its 20th anniversary with a reinstallation of the Muhammad Ali banner on the LG&E building at Third Street and River Road. GLPF also announced the re-launch of the program after laying dormant for five years.

The new Hometown Heroes promises to explore more sustainable and cost effective banners that can be easily updated. Organizers will also replace and remove faded banners to make space for new ones.
    Bonus: Watch how the giant banners are printed and hung.
    NEW BANNERS IN 2023
    Who would you want to be honored with a Hometown Hero banner?
    TELL US
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    Thursday, Dec. 1
    • Martinis & Mistletoe | Thursday, Dec. 1 | 5-8 p.m. | KMAC Museum, 715 W. Main St., Louisville | Free | Sip martinis and shop for artfully curated gifts at this downtown museum.
    • Partners and Pints with Forecastle Foundation | Thursday, Dec. 1 | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | West Sixth Taproom NuLu, 817 E. Market St. , Clermont | Free | Join the Forecastle Foundation and Bernheim Forest to learn about conservation and land protection while trying local beers.
    • “Pretty Woman: The Musical” | Thursday, Dec. 1-Sunday, Dec. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Whitney Hall, The Kentucky Center, Louisville | $36-$121 | See this musical based on the popular 1990 Julia Roberts romcom.
    Friday, Dec. 2
    • All is Bright! | Friday, Dec. 2 | 6-8 p.m. | Westport Village, 1315 Herr Ln., Louisville | Free | Swing by this holiday celebration featuring Santa Claus + live music, festive treats, stilt walking, and pop-up vendors like Smor Bakeri.
    • Liquor Lab Cocktail Class | Friday, Dec. 2 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Liquor Lab, 823 E Market St STE 103, Louisville | $65 | Mix three cocktails with drink experts during this hands-on class with bites from local restaurants.
    Saturday, Dec. 3
    • Santa Sleigh 5K for Kids | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 9 a.m. | Joe Creason Park, 1297 Trevilian Way, Louisville | $30 | Don your ugliest sweater in this family-friendly race benefiting Ronald McDonald House.
    • Old-Fashioned Family Holiday Festival | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 2-6 p.m. | Riverside, The Farnsley-Moremon Landing, 7410 Moorman Rd., Louisville | Free | Take a tour of the historic Farnsley-Moremen House + horse-drawn wagon rides, craft vendors, and holidays activities for kids.
    • Light Up St. Matthews | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 3-6 p.m. | Brown Park, 1000 Browns Ln., Louisville | Free | Snap a pic with Santa, ride the holiday train, go ice skating, and enjoy cookies with hot chocolate before thousands of lights turn on at 6 p.m.
    Sunday, Dec. 4
    • First Sunday Nature Hike | Sunday, Dec. 4 | 2-3 p.m. | Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, 2075 Clermont Rd., Clermont | $10-$12 | Trek the forest with a naturalist.
    Tuesday, Dec. 6
    We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

    100+ MORE EVENTS
    6AM City In-house

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    Weather
    • 42º | Partly cloudy | 3% chance of rain
    Award
    • GLI will give Silver Fleur-de-Lis awards at its Annual Meeting in February to honor the Louisville Urban League, Kentucky Derby Festival, and collectively, the Salvation Army, SOS International, and WaterStep. The event is the region’s largest convening of business leaders — and early bird tickets start at $195. 🏆
    Community
    • Several Kentucky animal shelters are participating in the Empty the Shelters Holiday Hope adoption event today through Sunday, Dec. 11. The nationwide movement reduces the cost of adoption fees. All pets are fully vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and microchipped. (WLKY)
    Legacy
    • Local artist and songwriter Mark Anthony Mulligan died on Monday, Nov. 28. If you live or spent any great amount of time in the Highlands, it’s likely you’ve encountered Mark. His works — notably his interpretive cityscapes — have been exhibited at the Swanson gallery, which also represented him for 10+ years. (LEO Weekly)
    Health
    • Norton Healthcare’s new mobile primary care unit will be making weekly visits to the Nia Center at 2900 W. Broadway in West Louisville. The mobile unit will offer general care appointments for new and existing patients, as well as vaccine appointments. (WAVE)
    Drink
    • St. Matthews health food cafe Honeydew is expanding its menu to include bubble tea starting on Friday, Dec. 2. Swing by Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. or Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Don’t skip trying a croffle — a croissant made in a waffle iron. 🧋
    Arts
    • The last exhibit of the year for NuLu gallery Paul Paletti is a showcase of California photographer Diana Schoenfeld. “Finding Melancholy Past” combines several of her works, including pieces from her “Schoolhouse Odyssey” documenting 170+ ghost schools in California. The exhibition opens today and will run through March 31. 📷
    Read
    • The Louisville Free Public Library’s Books & Brews 502 kicks off today and will run through February at various library programs, coffee shops, and breweries. The adult reading program gives you the chance to earn points towards prizes to places like Kentucky Kingdom and Logan Street Market. Start drinking, uh, we mean reading. 📚
    Seasonal
    • Ooh-wee-hoo, you look just like Buddy Holly. This Saturday, Dec. 3 snap a free vintage photo with Santa at Derby City Market (978 Barret Ave.) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Kids and pets are welcome. Plus, refreshments will be served and ugly Christmas sweaters will be awarded. 🎅
    Shop
    • If you work from home like us, you’ve likely become accustomed to having stiff muscles at the end of a workday due to prolonged sitting. Combat this with a little office upgrade — an electric standing desk paired with a sleek under desk treadmill. Oh, and don’t forget to stay hydrated.*
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    History bites 🥘

    New food tour in Derby City
    Four small glasses of beer in a wooden holder.
    You’ll learn how Goodwood Brewing incorporates bourbon into its beers. | Photo by LOUtoday
    There’s a new foodie tour in town and it’s not just for tourists. The NuLu Food & History Walking Tour takes a bite of history and bourbon balls in one of our city’s most popular neighborhoods.

    The ~1.5 mile trip covers six stops in three hours and unpacks a lot of NuLu history, as well as the neighboring Butchertown area. Even the most knowledgeable Louisvillian will learn something new — like how Kentucky is the beer cheese capital of the world.

    A blue plate holds two pork cakes topped with slaw.

    The pork cakes and slaw from Feast BBQ were one of our favorite dishes.

    Photo by LOUtoday

    Here are few highlights from the tour:
    • Mini biscuits with Goetta gravy from Biscuit Belly
    • The Thomas Edison House
    • Feast BBQ’s pork cakes and slaw
    Tours are $89 a person and max out at 12 people, so choose your group wisely. The next available dates for booking are Friday, Dec. 9, Saturday Dec. 10, and Friday, Dec. 16.
    6AM City In-house
    THE WRAP

    Today’s issue was written by Katie.

    Editor’s pick: Earlier this week, I was driving along Preston Street near Zanzabar and saw the most Louisville address plaque ever. Hanging from the lip of the porch roof were four red boxing gloves displaying the house numbers. It was the greatest of all time.

    Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Attend an upcoming concert in LOU.
    Connect with us.

    Editorial: Katie Molck, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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