05.29.2024

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Sister, sister

Louisville’s sister cities

A sign post features blue signs pointing in the direction of cities across the world. A tall building looms in the background.

This sign at Jefferson Square Park can point you in the direction of Louisville’s Sister Cities. | Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Sister, sister... Never knew how much I missed ya...

Louisville is part of a growing family, paired up with eight sister cities including Europe, South America, Africa, and Asia. So break out the map, as we take a look.

Montpellier, France

Montpelier is Louisville’s oldest sibling, with the two becoming sisters in 1954. The relationship started as a student-exchange between the Universities of Louisville and Montpellier — a program that continues on today.

Quito, Ecuador

The largest of Louisville’s sister cities, Quito is also the only one that is a national capital — but there’s no need to brag at the family dinner table, Quito. The city is home to two active volcanoes, called Cotopaxi and Pichincha — talk about twin spires.

Tamale, Ghana

Like Montpelier, this relationship has paid academic dividends, with the UofL School of Medicine working with a Tamale-based Ghanaian health organization.

Mainz, Germany

The relationship between Derby City and Mainz goes back to 1977, but they made it official in 1994. Like Louisville and bourbon, Mainz is known for a signature sip — it’s the wine capital of Germany.

A gothic cathedral stands over a public greenspace, with a statue in the foreground. — The Cathedral in La Plata is the largest churchi in Argentina and the 58th-largest in the world.
|
Photo via Wikimedia Commons

La Plata, Argentina

The provincial capital of Argentina’s Buenos Aires province, La Plata became Louisville’s sister in 1994.

Jiujiang, People’s Republic of China

It’s not just sister cities with Jiujiang — Jiangxi Province and the Commonwealth of Kentucky also have a sister state relationship.

Leeds, England

Law students at UofL’s Brandeis School of Law have the opportunity to study abroad at the University of Leeds.

Adapazari, Turkey

The newest of Louisville’s sister cities, this Turkish town of Adapazari and Derby City were paired in 2012. Instead of a Hot Brown, try Kabak Talisi: a sweet dish of candied pumpkin + nuts.

Bonus: Until 2022, Louisville and Perm, Russia were also sister cities.

Want to learn more? Check out the World Affairs Council of Kentucky and Southern Indiana, which serves as the administrator of Louisville’s Sister Cities Program.

Asked

Which of Louisville’s Sister Cities would you most like to travel to?

A. Montpellier, France
B. Quito, Ecuador
C. Tamale, Ghana
D. Mainz, Germany
E. La Plata, Argentina
F. Jiujiang, People’s Republic of China
G. Leeds, England
H. Adapazari, Turkey

We all have a favorite sister

Events

Wednesday, May 29

Mary M. Miller: S.T.E.A.M.boat Kids Cruise | Wednesday, May 29 | 1-2 p.m. | Belle of Louisville, 401 W. River Rd., Louisville | $14.99 | Bring your kids for an educational, 90-minute cruise aboard Louisville’s other steamboat.

Thursday, May 30

Gardens Walk & Talk | Thursday, May 30 | 5:30-6:30 p.m. | Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Ave., Louisville | $15-$20 | Take a guided walk through the gardens + learn some gardening tips from a horticulturist.
Basic Knife Skills Class | Thursday, May 30 | 6-8 p.m. | Sullivan University, 3101 Bardstown Rd., Louisville | $25-$35 | Make sure your skills in the kitchen are sharp — and also safe.

Friday, May 31

Jeffersontown Farmers’ Market | Saturday, June 1 | 8 a.m.-12:30 p.m. | Jeffersontown Farmers’ Market Pavilion, 10434 Watterson Trail, Jeffersontown | Cost of purchase | Shop local produce, flowers, baked + artisanal goods, and more.
The Prince Experience | Friday, May 31 | 8:30 p.m. | Mercury Ballroom, 611 S. 4th St., Louisville | $20-$39.50 | Party like it’s 1999 to this pop music legend tribute band.

Saturday, June 1

An Evening with Ira Glass: Seven Things I’ve Learned | Saturday, June 1 | 8 p.m. | The Brown Theatre, 315 W. Broadway, Louisville | $40.25-$115 | Join the creator, producer, and host of iconic weekly public radio program “This American Life” as he shares lessons from his life and career in storytelling.

Events calendar here

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News Notes

Civic

Iroquois Park has several new spots to play ball, as the result of a now-complete $500,000 project that’s been under construction since September. The upgrades include four pickleball courts, two new tennis courts, and a futsal court.

Arts

Louisville Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams has received a one-of-a-kind podium + conductor’s rail. Abrams called the sculpture by Irish artist Joseph Walsh “a piece of music that’s been put into sculpture.”

Outdoors

Summer is officially here, LOU. Kentucky’s state park pools and beaches are now open for the season. Take a trip to one of the commonwealth’s 17 swimming locations for a dip in the blue waters of the Bluegrass State, through Labor Day.

Kids

A Louisville student competed in the preliminary rounds of the Scripps National Spelling Bee yesterday in Washington, D.C. Zachary Rara of Meyzeek Middle won a regional bee earlier this year, qualifying for the big stage. Did you know: The first two winners of the national spelling bee were from Louisville?

Legacy

The local drama + thespian community is mourning the loss of John Leffert, an actor and director, who died at the age of 59. Leffert served as the artistic director for CenterStage, the theater at Louisville’s Jewish Community Center, for over 20 years.

Sports

Could Louisville football be College Football Playoff-bound this fall? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Cards with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Travel

In our opinion, you should always have a vacation booked on your calendar. Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) offers a range of low-fare options perfect for a summer vacation (think: Boston, San Francisco, and Los Angeles). Explore flights — and plan your next getaway.*

Shop

Cozy Earth’s best-selling bamboo viscose sheets — featured on Oprah’s 2018 Favorite Things list — are temperature-regulating and keep you cool on even the hottest summer nights.*

Home

Did you know you could finance your fixer-upper with home equity? You could get up to $50K with a HELOC — calculate your payment.*

Try This

City

Cyclouvia returns to downtown Louisville

A family rides bikes down an urban street, with pedestrians watching from the sidewalk.

CycLOUvia offers bikers of all ages the opportunity to take over Louisville’s streets for a day. | Image via the Louisville Downtown Partnership

Earlier this month, we told you about biking groups in Louisville, and that got our wheels spinning.

If you’ve also got bike on the brain, get ready to take a spin downtown. CycLOUvia is set to return to Derby City on Sunday, June 9.

Jump on your bike, scooter, or just lace up your shoes for a walk from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m., as 4th Street will be shut down to car traffic from Main Street to just south of Broadway — that’s about six blocks.

It’s the latest installment of the event, which dates to 2012. In years past, bikers had the right of way on Bardstown Road, Frankfort Avenue, and Main Street — and there might be more of them in the future.

Did you know: CycLOUvia draws inspiration for its name from the Colombian concept of ciclovía, meaning “cycleway.”

The Buy

Handcrafted candles. Transport yourself to the breathtaking landscapes and scents of your favorite National Parks with scents from The Roosevelts Candle Co.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Jeff

From the editor

Louisville hoopers rejoice: If you look closely at the mayor’s photos from the Iroquois Park sports courts announcement, you’ll spot that the basketball courts now have new backboards.

It’s welcome news because back when I was still playing ball, those Iroquois rims were notoriously unforgiving, or maybe I was just in denial about how bad my jumpshot was.

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