08.10.2023

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Today’s Forecast

47º | Mostly cloudy | 7% chance of rain
Sunrise 8:00 a.m. | Sunset 5:39 p.m.

If you’re not first, you’re last

The St. James Court Art Show is one of the best in the US

Water fountain with a wrought iron fence.

This year marks the 68th annual St. James Court Art Show. | Photo provided by St. James Court Art Show

Good, better, best. St. James never rests.

Every October, the St. James Court Art Show transforms Old Louisville into an outdoor art gallery — and according to Sunshine Artist, it’s the best fine art and design show in the country.

While we already know our autumn tradition — colloquially known as “St. James” — has been the best since 1957, the magazine’s “200 Best” list backs up our claim to St. Fame.

Man wearing colorful beaded necklaces and a red top hat stands in front of paintings. — The juried art show features over 600 artists from around the US.
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Photo by St. James Court Art Show

As they say, the proof is in the pudding. Sunshine Artist’s art show rankings are based on the revenue reported by attending artists around the US.

It uses revenue as the deciding factor because it’s the most objective way to look at an art show’s future success versus subjective data, like artist treatment, attendance levels, and management.

St. James draws in roughly 250K people annually over the course of three days and has an ~$5 million impact on Derby City every year. The 2023 art show will take place from Friday, Oct. 6 to Sunday, Oct. 8.

LOUtoday_St James — The art show sets up among Old Louisville’s famous collection of Victorian homes.
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Photo by St. James Court Art Fair

“The credit for this wonderful honor goes to the team that makes this art show a success,” said Howard Rosenberg, the show’s director. “We never think about rankings. It’s about being the best we can be and improving every year.”

Landing the No. 1 spot for best art show isn’t St. James’ first time in the awards arena, either. Here’s a list of other accolades its racked up through the years.

Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville

Events

Friday, Aug. 11

Speakeasy on the River | Friday, Aug. 11 | 7-9 p.m. | Belle of Louisville, 401 W. River Rd., Louisville | $39.99 | Turn back time on this prohibition-themed boat ride with live music + a cocktail tasting experience at Captain’s Quarters.

Saturday, Aug. 12

Doggy Swim Pool Day | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 12-2 p.m. | GRRAND, 7924 Vine Crest Ave., Louisville | Free | Bring a bottle of bourbon to donate and let your dog make a splash.
August Biergarten | Saturday, Aug. 12 | 4-10 p.m. | German American Club, 1840 Lincoln Ave., Louisville | Free | Drink German-style beers from a stein + dig into German food served cafeteria style.
Leanne Morgan - “Just Getting Started” | Saturday, Aug. 12-Sunday, Aug. 13 | Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W. Main St., Louisville | $41.83-$69.91 | See this comedian who finds the humor within the chaos of marriage and motherhood + growing up in rural Tennessee.

Sunday, Aug. 13

The Watson Twins | Sunday, Aug. 13 | 8 p.m. | The Whirling Tiger, 1335 Story Ave., Louisville | $15 | Listen to this Americana band with opening support from local country musician Tyler Lance Walker Gill.

Wednesday, Aug. 16

Whiskey Wednesday | Wednesday, Aug. 16 | 6-9 p.m. | Oldham Gardens, 6300 Old LaGrange Rd., Crestwood | Free | Hear live music in the gardens + sip cocktails and craft beer from 3rd Turn Brewing.

Tuesday, Sept. 19

10th Annual 3686 Festival | Tuesday, Sept. 19-Thursday, Sept. 21 | 12-9 p.m. | Wildhorse Saloon, 120 2nd Ave. North, Nashville | $399-$549 | This multi-day entrepreneur festival will feature talks from leading entrepreneurial, tech + venture capital thought leaders, plus investor connections, networking sessions, meetups, and more.*

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Civic

Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel was sworn in as Louisville Metro Police Department’s chief of police last month. Louisville Public Media sat down with the former Atlanta, GA police officer to hear about her vision of moving toward a community policing model, which includes reinstituting officer foot patrols.

Ranked

Louisville ranked No. 11 on Livability’s “Top 25 Best Places to Live in the Southeast.” Cited for being a city that melds Southern hospitality with Midwest sensibilities, our spot was based on data regarding our economy, amenities, and more. We know, we’re a great place to live, work + play.

Try This

The Barbie hype continues tomorrow, Aug. 10 at Taj Bar. The NuLu dive bar is hosting Barbieoke starting at 10 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to dress up in their favorite Barbie or Ken outfits and sing their hearts out on the pink patio.

Eat

Harvest closed its doors in 2020, but you can relive its farm-to-table experience next Monday, Aug. 14 at Epiphany. The Highlands bar is getting the chef gang back together in the form of a pop-up dinner with Michter’s Distillery. The four-course meal is $125. Email Epiphany to save your spot.

Drink

Kentucky State Fair goers have a chance to sample Kentucky beer on Saturday, Aug. 19 during its new Beerfest. Early bird tickets ($15) are on sale until Wednesday, Aug. 16 and include 10, four-ounce samples. Regular admission to the fair is also required to enter.

Plan Ahead

Another Mulch Monday is coming up on Aug. 14. Jefferson County residents can pick up natural, undyed mulch for free from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Louisville Metro Office of Urban Forestry at 9200 Whipps Mill Rd. Just remember to bring your own container.

The Word

H.A.N.D.S. (AKA The Health Access Nurturing Development Services program). This program is free and available for new or expectant parents in our community looking for resources to help them navigate everything during pregnancy through their baby’s first years. Interested? Apply to participate.*

History

You’re in for a bumpy ride

Drive down one of Louisville’s last remaining cobblestone streets

Brick street on a slope with a white care driving down.

Back in the day, bricks were cheaper than clay or gravel — making them a popular material to make roads. | Photo by LOUtoday

If you’ve done any amount of driving in the Crescent Hill area, you’ve likely driven up or down the bumpy slope connecting Grinstead Drive to Frankfort Avenue.

Known as the Peterson Avenue Hill, The 603-ft by 30-ft cobblestone incline is one of the last remaining brick streets in Derby City. While the drive is short, its history is not.

📍 A road is born

Peterson Avenue was constructed in 1902 with vitrified bricks laid at an angle in a sand base for traction. It was built as the Peterson-Dumesnil House estate was divided into the growing Crescent Hill neighborhood. Named after Joseph Peterson, the prominent tobacco salesman who built the Peterson-Dumesnil home sometime between 1869-1870, the avenue was laid just west of the house’s original driveway.

The angling of the brick on the street is the only one of its kind still in existence in Louisville today.

2 more historical pit stops

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Katie

From the editor

We’ve got some great responses so far to our unwritten rules of Louisville survey — like reader Jill B.'s tip on being prepared to give directions based on where a White Castle located.

Keep the insider Louisvillan knowledge coming, y’all.

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