Catch firework shows from across the Ohio River in Southern Indiana, too. | Photo by @u2photography
The Fourth of July and fireworks go together like — well — hot dogs and a cookout. Can you tell what our holiday plans are?
But what’s legal in LOU? Which fireworks are allowed, and which aren’t? We dove into the local ordinances so you can focus on what color sparklers to buy.
What’s legal
In Louisville, in order to purchase or ignite a firework, you must be at least 18 years old. Here’s a list of what you can light up around LOU:
Novelties and trick noisemakers — think: party poppers, booby traps, snappers, trick matches, cigarette loads, and auto burglar alarms
“Snakes” or “glow worms”
Smoke devices
Wire sparklers
Cylindrical or cone fountains
Wheels
Ground spinners
What’s not
Aerial devices — think: fireworks like bottle rockets, helicopters, and aerial shells with wings, fins, or other mechanisms designed to cause them to fly — are illegal. Additionally, any firework with a description that includes any of the following terms isn’t allowed:
“Explosive”
“Emits flaming pellets”
“Flaming balls”
“Firecracker”
“Report”
“Rocket”
Events
Events
Friday, July 4
Paristown’s 6th Annual Fourth of July celebration | 10 a.m.-10 p.m. | Christy’s Garden | $15+ | Shop local artisans, ride the trackless train, and compete in a donut hole eating championship with a $1,000 grand prize.
Saturday, July 5
Try Dragon Boating: Weekly Intro Sessions in Louisville | 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. | RiverPark Place Marina | $0+ | Try your hand at paddling a boat on the Ohio with a team of other newcomers. “Cymbeline” | Saturday, July 5-Sunday, July 27 | 8 p.m. | C. Douglas Ramey Amphitheater | Free | Catch an outdoor performance of this Shakespeare play — don’t worry if you haven’t heard of it, it’s a deep cut.
Tuesday, July 8
Live With Jake Shane | 8 p.m. | Louisville Palace | $47+ | This influencer and comedian known for his TikTok videos + podcast is bringing his live show to the stage.
Wednesday, July 9
Toddler Takeover | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | Speed Art Museum | Free with admission | Bring the kids for activities and crafts throughout the museum.
Independence Day. America has been celebrating this day for 246 years since the Declaration of Independence was formally adopted on July 4, 1776. Round up the kids, friends, or just yourself and head to Paristown or Waterfront Park to celebrate.
Watch
Is it really July already? You know what they say, “It’s astounding, time is fleeting.” Catch a free screening of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” at the Iroquois Amphitheater tomorrow at 8 p.m. If that’s not enough, check out our guide to other outdoor movie theaters.
Outdoors
Going camping soon? Hipcamp allows you to browse campsites by location, date, and even party size. It looks like Happy Hollow Homestead up in Indiana has availability this weekend — you get to stay in a treehouse.
Try This
“We’ll take “ACC! ACC!” for $600, Ken.” The University of Louisville was an answer on “Jeopardy” this week. It’s far from the first time Derby City has been featured on the show — take our quiz of previous Louisville-themed questions.
Chris Bell’s breakout potential takes center stage as Louisville’s wide receiver core prepares for the 2025 season. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Cardinals with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
The Buy
Coco & Eve’s award-winning hair mask. It’s formulated with clean ingredients like coconut, fig, and shea butter to provide instant frizz reduction and maximum shine.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
According to the Kentucky Humane Society, more pets go missing on July 4 than any other day of the year. Keep a close eye on your furry friends tonight, and consider attaching your phone number to your pet’s collar, just in case.
}})
