Get excited about Louisville City FC’s 2025 season
Presented by Louisville City FC
An exciting season at Lynn Family Stadium is right around the corner. | Photos courtesy of Louisville City FC
Calling all soccer fans: Louisville City FC’s 11th-anniversary season is here.
LouCity enters the 2025 season with high expectations again. Last year’s squad posted a 16-1 home record and earned the club’s first Players’ Shield, awarded for a regular season USL Championship title.
To kick things off, the team is hosting Loudoun United during its home opener on Saturday, March 22 at 4 p.m. Fans are encouraged to arrive early to check out the nearby NuLu Bock Fest starting at noon. Along with happy hour, gates open 90 minutes before kickoff to the stadium’s BlueOval SK Fan Zone with inflatables, mini pitch soccer, face painting, and more.
Getting excited? We’ve got the inside scoop on the best games of the season. Mark your calendars for:
Saturday, March 22 vs. Loudoun United | 4 p.m. | The first 2,000 fans into the stadium for the home opener will receive a commemorative 2025 pennant. Pro tip: Arrive early for a $2 beer happy hour.
Saturday, March 29 vs. Detroit City FC | 4 p.m. | In celebration of the upcoming Derby 151 Day, LouCity is partnering with Churchill Downs — don’t miss photo ops with the Derby trophy and an appearance from the track’s mascot, Churchill Charlie.
Saturday, April 26 vs. Richmond Kickers | 7:30 p.m. | Calling all college students: You’re invited to enjoy a Greek life contest, a silent disco in the BlueOval SK Fan Zone after the final whistle + more — don’t forget to snag $8 student tickets.
Saturday, May 10 vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC | 7:30 p.m. | It’s Pups at the Pitch: Bring your furry friends and visit the BlueOval SK Fan Zone for photo ops, pup cups, and dog bandanas — proceeds will go to the Kentucky Humane Society.
Saturday, Aug. 9 vs. Charleston Battery | 8 p.m. | Fill the Fam, a popular fixture on the calendar, returns for a rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Final with a pregame T-shirt giveaway.
LOUtoday readers are in for a treat this season. They can snag exclusive discount tickets for the whole season, not just one game (yes, you read that right).
“Intimate Apparel” | Thursday, March 20-Sunday, March 23 | Times vary | Bellarmine University | $10+ | See a play about a Black seamstress in early 20th-century New York.
Friday, March 21
Trap Karaoke: Louisville | Friday, March 21-Saturday, March 22 | 7 p.m. | Mercury Ballroom | $38+ | Sign up to perform your favorite hits live in front of a crowd.
Ukrainian Easter Eggs Workshop | 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Preston Arts Center | $75 | Decorate eggs with a wax-resist painting method, with all supplies provided.
Sunday, March 23
Kentucky Derby Museum Hat Show | 10 a.m.-1:30 p.m. | Kentucky Derby Museum | $75+ | Step into style at the kickoff to Derby season, featuring a showcase of the season’s most stunning hat and jewelry trends, complimentary bites + sips, and more.
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Jerusalem Kitchen, which closed in January, will reopen inside Logan Street Market. The Mediterranean restaurant will take over the V-Grits space with its old menu, plus some added vegan options. (Louisville Business First)
Try This
Khao Boys, a new Thai-inspired pop-up, will be at Trellis Brewing this Friday, March 21 and Saturday, March 22. Try fried chicken, curry, and som tum papaya salad while you watch the Cards game on TV.
Drink
Tickets for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival go on sale on Thursday, April 17. Last year’s VIP passes sold out in 10 minutes — so mark your calendars. The festival runs Friday, Sept. 5-Sunday, Sept. 7 in Bardstown.
Eat
The third Playa Bowls location in Louisville will open this summer, taking over the former Joy Luck space. The fast-casual restaurant serves tropical-inspired acai + pitaya bowls. (Louisville Business First)
Health
Starting next month, Louisville’s EMS services can now give trauma patients blood before they reach the hospital — the first agency in Kentucky to do so. This improvement has increased survival rates by up to 85% in other cities.
Mailbag
Everyone say welcome, Lynne. We received an email from a new reader: “We are new to Louisville and a friend suggested that I check you out to find out what is going on.” Whether you’re new to town or a Louisville old-timer, our City Guides have you covered.
Ranked
What’s taking you so long? Louisville ranked No. 15 on a list of the most impatient cities in the US by Solitairebliss. Customer service was the top test of patience for Louisvillians. Next time you’re feeling impatient, consider decompressing at one of LOU’s many yoga studios.
Sports
The Louisville Cardinals take on the Creighton Bluejays tonight in Lexington (we see you, LEXtoday.) Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Cardinals with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Plan Ahead
Don your finest Derby attire and indulge in an elegant luncheon at the 4th Annual Fascinator Affair on Monday, April 10. With stunning creations by Ashley Russell Millinery, Frances B. Hats + more, this fashion show is a must-see. Grab tickets (hint: proceeds support Waterfront Botanical Gardens’ mission + programs).*
Travel
Need a vacation? We feel you. Luckily for Louisvillians, getting away is even easier thanks to Spirit Airlines. You can now fly from Derby City to Myrtle Beach + Tampa with ease, making your coastal dreams a reality. Imagine basking in the sun with the sound of waves as your soundtrack.*
Fact or Fiction
Fact: Some credit cards can actually help you get out of debt faster. (It sounds wild, but it’s true.) The secret: Find a credit card with a “0% intro APR” period for balance transfers. This one even offers 5% cash back on your purchases.*
Stat
Every six seconds. That’s how often a pet owner spends $1,000+ in unforeseen care costs for their fur baby. Pet insurance could cover up to 90% of these costs — find the right plan.*
Category
Festival
Tangled up in Nu(Lu)
The Last Refuge was the location for the Louisville premiere of the Oscar-nominated biopic “A Complete Unknown.” | Photo by Bob Fest
NuLu will be hopping with goats, bratwurst, and German beer this weekend. But if you head to The Last Refuge, you might also catch guitar music, local art, and raspy-voiced poetry.
On Saturday, March 22 from 4 to 8 p.m., Louisville’s “High Church of Bourbon” will be the site of the first-ever Bob Fest, a festival celebrating local artists in the spirit of Bob Dylan.
Dylan is most famous for his music, of course, but he’s an accomplished artist in multiple other disciplines as well. Bob Fest will honor that spirit with local artists like Bri Bowers + Traci Kayrouz, plus vendors like Derby City Market.
It wouldn’t be a Bob Dylan festival without music, of course. Here’s the lineup:
Louisville Folk School Ensemble, 5 p.m.
Kathryn Brooks Band, 6 p.m.
Tyrone Cotton, 7 p.m.
Bob Fest is a free-to-attend 21+ event.
Bonus: For a bonus Bob Fest celebration, head to the Royals Hot Chicken mural and shout the “Tombstone Blues” lyric: “The sun’s not yellow, it’s chicken.”
Asked
Bob Dylan was part of the rock super group The Traveling Wilburys. Which two other Wilburys have performed in Derby City?
A. Jeff Lynne
B. Roy Orbison
C. Tom Petty
D. George Harrison
I’m looking forward to BobFest this year — if you haven’t been to The Last Refuge, you’re missing out.
You might know that Heaven’s Door whiskey is not Dylan’s only connection to Derby City, but I have a personal connection to the singer — I competed in a high school speech meet at his school in Hibbing, MN. Not to brag, but I did win.
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