Cultural Pass 2025: Your passport to Louisville summer fun
The Cultural Pass is a joint effort between the Fund for the Arts, the participating libraries, the Arts and Cultural Alliance, Louisville Metro Government, and community partners. | Photo by LOUtoday
School is out, but that doesn’t mean LOU kids — or young adults — need to stop learning.
Now through Sunday, Aug. 10, Louisvillians up to 21 years old can use the 2025 Cultural Pass to get free access to over 50 museums, parks, theaters, and more. Here’s the run down:
Register for a pass at your local library. Passes must be picked up in person.
Passes are available through the Louisville Free Public Library or Bullitt County library in Kentucky + the Charlestown-Clark County, Floyd County, Harrison County, or Jeffersonville Township libraries in Indiana.
A pass is good for free, one-time admission to each participating venue.
Pass holders under the age of 17 also get one accompanying adult in for free on each visit.
Keep in mind — special-ticketed experiences, like the carousel at the Louisville Zoo or movies at the Kentucky Science Center, aren’t included.
With your pass in hand, it’s time to start planning your summer visits. Here are a few to get your wheels turning:
Conrad-Caldwell House Museum | Learn what life was like for the residents + staff of one of Louisville’s finest mansions on a self-guided tour with activities for all ages.
Louisville Zoo | Dinopalooza will continue throughout this year’s Cultural Pass season, so bring the kids for a walk through prehistory. Cultural Pass admission to the zoo is limited to Mondays and Tuesdays and does not include parking.
Kentucky Derby Museum | See special programming for Cultural Pass holders on thoroughbred care on Tuesdays at 10:30 a.m. Cultural Pass admission to the museum is limited to Tuesdays and Sundays.
Muhammad Ali Center | Walk through the life of The Greatest and learn about his legacy in Louisville.
Events
Tuesday, June 4
FUNishment Fitness Networking | Tuesday, June 4 | 4:30-7 p.m. | Spectra Press and Promotions, 1808 Cargo Court, Jeffersontown | Free | Get your sweat on while you network + sample food from local businesses.
A Taste of History with Jerome Bias | Tuesday, June 4 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Ln., Louisville | $65 | Learn the lost art of hearth cooking with Locust Grove’s first artist-in-residence.
Wednesday, June 5
Louisville Tree Plan Community Workshop | Wednesday, June 5 | 6-7 p.m. | Southwest Branch Library, 9725 Dixie Highway, Louisville | Free | Learn more about the urban forest master plan and offer your input.
Thursday, June 6
Voices Trivia Night | Thursday, June 6 | 6:30-9 p.m. | Play, 1101 E. Washington St., Louisville | $15 | Come with a team of up to six to compete in the “Olympics of the Mind” and support this local community choir.
Friday, June 7
Beechmont Summer Concert Series | Friday, June 7 | 6:30-8:30 p.m. | Beechmont Gazebo, Corner of Southern Pkwy. & W Woodlawn Ave., Louisville | Free | Kick off this annual live music event with jazz by the Ron Jones Quartet.
The Kentucky Humane Society is waiving adoption fees for dogs over a year old through Saturday, June 8. The lowered fees aim to help shelters impacted by last week’s severe weather make more room for pets. Learn how to adopt your new furry friend.
Theater
Waterfront Park is hosting auditions for its 4th of July celebration. Musicians, dancers, comedians, or other performers can audition in person at the Bomhard Theater (501 W. Main St.) Sunday, June 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. — or upload a video audition by Sunday, June 16 at 3 p.m.
Derby
And, they’re off! The James Graham Brown Foundation awarded the Kentucky Derby Museum a $1 million grant to remaster the museum’s iconic 360-degree feature film “The Greatest Race.” The remastered version of the film is set to premiere in April 2025 to celebrate the museum’s 40th anniversary.
Eat
Decade (1076 E. Washington St.) has announced its summer guest chef series. James Beard-nominated chef Alison Settle will offer a decidedly Southern a-la-carte menu this Thursday, June 6, featuring soup beans, cornbread, and green bean casserole. Another James Beard nominee, Kathy Cary, will come to Decade on Thursday, July 25.
Try This
Garage Bar in NuLu will feature expanded hours and a new post-dinner menu for the summer season. The new menu, which features waffle fries, a hot dog with kimchi, and a steam burger, will be available 10 p.m.-12 a.m., Thursday-Saturday. Looks like we need to update our late-night food guide. (LEO Weekly)
Louisvillian
A doctor from Louisville will be named the new president of the American Medical Association (AMA) later this month. Head and neck surgeon Dr. Bruce Scott runs a private medical practice in St. Matthews. The AMA is the nation’s largest and most prestigious medical association. (Courier Journal)
Job
Stop, drop, and roll into training. The Louisville Fire Department will accept online applications for the next class of firefighter recruits starting this Wednesday, June 5. Applicants must be 18 years old and possess a valid drivers license + high school diploma or GED. The paid training program lasts 26 weeks.
Sports
Wisconsin-transfer Chucky Hepburn might become a household name for Cards fans. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Cards with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Real Estate
Heritage Creek is about to get a little bigger
The Louisville Regional Airport Authority is selling 52 acres of land in Heritage Creek
No homes have yet been built on the plot. | Photo via Menish Commercial Real Estate
Got a spare $3.1 million laying around?
The Louisville Regional Airport Authority (LRAA) has listed for sale a 52-acre parcel of undeveloped land at the end of Justice Way in Heritage Creek. The plot is zoned for single-family homes — that means no apartments or commercial real estate.
But why does LRAA have land almost 15 miles southeast of Muhammad Ali International Airport?
The new development will expand Heritage Creek eastward.
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Photo via Menish Commercial Realty
A modest proposal
In the late 1980s, SDF added two new parallel runways and grew into the surrounding neighborhoods. Meanwhile, new flight plans offered a new problem — noise.
Homeowners in many of these neighborhoods were offered buyouts, but the people of the City of Minor Lane Heights had a different proposal: They asked the airport to move their entire town.
LRAA bought and developed land in what is now called Heritage Creek to replace Minor Lane Heights — the parcel for sale now is what’s left, and it could be yours.
The Buy
The Buy 6.03.24 (Affiliate + Six & Main)
Summer slides for Father’s Day. The OOFOS slides are easy to slip on and engineered to reduce stress on feet, joints, and back, so they’re perfect for Dad. Bonus: Grab a pair for yourself.
Answered
LOU gives back
Last week, we asked how often you volunteer. Turns out, LOUtoday readers are quite generous with their time — 57% of you said you volunteer once a week or more. ICYMI, here’s one LOU organization that’s always looking for volunteers.
Here’s a small-world story for you. My great-grandparents were among those who lost their houses when the airport expanded. Last year, I was on an Amtrak train from New Jersey back to Chicago (and eventually LOU).
I got talking to the woman next to me, and we learned that her parents not only lived in the same neighborhood, but just one block up from my great-grandparents. You never know who you’re sitting next to.
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