Imagine this, but full of stars. | Photo by @u2photography
Did you know that the starry sky in Louisville is one of a kind? Seriously, no two places in the world have the same view of the stars â talk about local.
The thing is, itâs likely youâve never gotten to fully appreciate the night sky. For example, if you live downtown, you probably wonât see:
Zodiacal lights, the cone of light above sunrise and sunset points
Meteor showers, like the Geminids on Wednesday, Dec. 14 or the Eta Aquariids in April
The Milky Way, visible as a yellow-orange band of light in the night sky
In fact, weâre betting the sky at night is light gray or orange, and bright enough to read by. So, are we psychic? Well, maybe â but these are all effects of light pollution.
Light?!
Light. You may not think of light as a pollutant, but 628,000 people all pointing lights into the night sky can have a serious effect on natural cycles that rely on light and the stars. Think:
Birds that pathfind using constellations
Insects attracted to light (like a moth to a flame, you could say)
Plants that use light to know when to grow and shed leaves
All creatures (even humans) that rely on day-night cycles for sleep
This is really good news. Of all the pollution that feels out of our control, light pollution is actually completely reversible. The International Dark Sky Association has resources to help you use artificial light conscientiously. Hereâs some tips to get you started:
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.
The Soul of Christmas | Friday, Dec. 2, Sunday, Dec. 4 | 7:30 p.m. | Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W. Main St., Louisville | $43.88-$67.28 | Capture your holiday spirit with renditions of holiday songs you know and love.
Lights on Main | Friday, Dec. 2-Sunday, Dec. 11 | Times vary | RePurposed, 611 W. Main St., Louisville | Free | See a display of decorated Christmas trees in this multi-purpose lot downtown.
Holiday Tea at Hermitage Farm | Friday, Dec. 2-Sunday, Dec. 4 | 12 p.m. + 4 p.m. | Hermitage Farm, 10500 US-42, Goshen | $65 | Sip tea in the historic main house of this farm with mini sandwiches, desserts, and carolers.
Carmel Christkindlmarkt | Friday, Dec. 2-Friday, Dec. 30 | 4-11 p.m. | Carmel Christkindlmarkt, 10 Carter Green, Carmel, Indiana | Free | This award-winning authentic German Christmas market features unique market gifts, sips and bites like GlĂŒhwein + mulled beer, outdoor ice rink, and more.*
Saturday, Dec. 3
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.
Country Divas Christmas Drag Brunch | Saturday, Dec. 3 | 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. | Le Moo, 2300 Lexington Rd., Louisville | $40 | See local queens perform your favorite country Christmas hits at this all ages show with a brunch buffet.
Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour | Saturday, Dec. 3-Sunday, Dec. 4 | 12-5 p.m. | Old Louisville Visitors Center, 1340 S. 4th St., Louisville | $30-$35 | Get a glimpse inside Victorian mansions decorated for the holidays.
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.
You could be one giveaway entry away from a trip to New Orleans, Charleston, Los Angeles, Orlando, or Boston. | Photo provided by Louisville Regional Airport Authority
LOUtoday readers have another chance to win two roundtrip airline tickets out of SDF to their choice of a nonstop destination from a list provided by the airport.
Ready to hit the skies? Enter below by Wed., Dec. 21 at 11:59 p.m. âïž *
Country music star Morgan Wallen announced that his âOne Night At A Timeâ world tour is coming to Louisville in the spring. Morgan will play at the KC Yum! Center on April 20, 2023 â one of 44 stops in four countries. Tickets go on sale Friday, Dec. 9.
Development
The Kentucky State Fair Boardâs $711 million renovation plan for the Kentucky Exposition Center includes a tunnel connecting the fairgrounds to downtown. The plan, including cost analysis, was sent to committee yesterday morning for approval. As of now, the tunnel is purely conceptual. đ (WDRB)
Seasonal
PriceWeber wants you to help name its 40-foot-tall nutcracker. The PR agency has transformed its belltower into a giant (and functional) nutcracker since 2015, and through Friday, Dec. 9, it will accept name suggestions from the community. The winner will receive a holiday prize package valued at $1,000. đ°
Edu
The UofL Board of Trustees named Kim Schatzel the universityâs new permanent president by unanimous vote, effective February of next year. Kim served as the president of Towson University in Maryland since 2016, where she oversaw $1 billion in capital investment into the university. đ« (Louisville Business First)
Louisvillian
The United Soccer League recognized LouCityâs Aaron Fink as their 2022 USL Groundskeeper of the Year. USL groundskeepers manage the pitch to keep grass healthy and safe for players â so next time you see the boys in purple, you should really root for them, too. Learn how the stadium maintains the field.
Try This
Gore Club is hosting its 5th annual Louisville Krampus at Art Sanctuary (1433 S. Shelby St.) this Saturday, Dec. 3 at 6 p.m. Krampus celebrates the goth side of holiday legends and features live magic and music, burlesque, and food from Fright Bites. If you canât make it, try Gore Clubâs free movie night the following day, from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. (LEO Weekly)
Shop
Your holiday music just got better. 1byoneaudio sells high quality and easy-to-use turntables equipped with incredible sound quality and hi-fi speakers, plus some that connect to Bluetooth headphones. Think: a great gift for the record lover in your life (or even an early present for yourself). đ¶*
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THE WRAP
Todayâs issue was written by Dayten.
Editorâs pick: I donât know how you roll with respect to civic lighting practices, but I find research on light pollution extremely comforting. If all of us shielded or shut off our light fixtures, light pollution in Louisville would disappear in about 20 minutes.
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