The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts is home to three venues, including Whitney Hall. | Photo by Steve Grider
We’re back with our monthly Plan Ahead, a list of some of the biggest events to plan for that are taking place throughout Louisville each month. December is packed with shows to see, gifts to buy, and even fun for the little ones.
Yuletide 2025 | Thursday, Dec. 4-Saturday, Dec. 20 | Times vary | Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, Crestwood | $15 | Explore a model train village with festive music and lights while sipping a complimentary cup of hot cocoa.
“A Christmas Carol” | Friday, Dec. 5-Sunday, Dec. 21 | Times vary | Actors Theatre of Louisville | $30 | The ghosts of this theatrical classic return to the Actors Theatre stage.
Shop til you drop
Wallitsch Gardens Winter Festival | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Wallitsch Garden Center | Free | Shop local vendors and holiday plants while listening to live music and meeting adoptable pets.
6th Annual Sellersburg Christmas Craft Market | Saturday, Dec. 13 | 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | Life Center, Sellersburg, IN | Free | Shop local for your gifts this year at this annual market.
For the kids
2025 Winter Break Camp | Monday, Dec. 22-Wednesday, Dec. 31 | 8:45 a.m.-4 p.m. | The Frazier History Museum | $55+ | Learn about Kentucky’s holiday traditions, make some crafts, and explore three floors of decorated trees.
Winter Camps | Monday, Dec. 29 + Tuesday, Dec. 30 | 9 a.m. | KMAC Museum | Keep the kiddos busy learning about painting, printmaking, sculpture, and more.
Both squads are coming off playoff runs, so fans are extra excited for the 2026 season. | Photos by Louisville City FC
Our favorite holiday gifts? Local experiences.
Enter: The highly anticipated 2026 season of Louisville City FC men’s soccer and Racing Louisville FC women’s soccer.
Both pro teams are offering a flexible six-ticket Holiday Pack starting at $99 that can be used however works for your giftee: a group outing for six to one matchup, multiple home games for one, or anything in between.
Bonus: A co-branded team stocking is also included. So no wrapping necessary.
Four Pegs is taking orders for holiday meals to be picked up on Tuesday, Dec. 23. Get prime rib, prime brisket, stuffing, collard greens, and bourbon bundt cake for dessert. Order by Friday, Dec. 19.
Try This
The Louisville Urban League will host a West LOU Black History Tour this Saturday, Dec. 6 at 12 p.m. Starting at the Baxter Community Center, visitors can learn about West Louisville’s history from historian Donovan Taylor.
Drink
The winter drink menus are here — we’ll start you off with a couple. Old Louisville Coffee Co-op has the Winter Fog, a fogged spearmint tea with vanilla, and Safai has the Pecan Pie Chai topped with buttercream whip.
Weather
If this feels like a lot of snow, you’re not wrong. Tuesday saw 4.7 inches of snowfall at SDF, the most Louisville has ever received on December 2. Keep scrolling to learn about the biggest snow day on record, period. (Courier Journal)
Arts
A new student newsroom covering the local art world will launch next year. Local high school students can apply to join as writers or editors and have their work published in local outlets. (Louisville Public Media)
Sports
The Louisville Cardinals face a major early-season test as they travel to Bud Walton Arena for a high-stakes showdown with the Arkansas Razorbacks. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the Cards with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Try This
The holidays are here. Celebrate with festive events, winter workshops, delicious food, and peaceful nights at Kentucky’s largest National Historic Landmark. Our advice?Plan your visit and make the most of the season.*
Finance
This just in: 6% is the new 2%. This card is every reward-seeker’s dream, offering up to 6% cash back in categories you’ll actually use. Bonus: You can get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers into 2027. Learn more and apply.*
Shop
If you’re a Costco shopper, you know about the $1.50 hot dog. But are you in on these other 10 lesser-known hacks all Costco shoppers should know about? Wait until you see number six.*
Asked
Answered
What is Louisville’s snowiest day on record?
We may have set a daily record for the most snow on Dec. 2 this year, but Louisville has seen a lot more snow than that in the past. Yesterday, 76% of you correctly guessed that 15.5 inches on Jan. 17, 1994 was the snowiest day in Louisville history.
The Buy
Discover clever, useful tech that solves everyday problems in this guide to 2025’s coolest gadgets. We’re talking a small but mighty home security upgrade, a power bank the size of a credit card, and more.
How’s your Spotify wrapped looking this year? Louisville Parks and Rec shared its own year-end wrap up, including the most visited parks, the biggest projects, and the number of pool visitors. Spoiler alert: Cherokee Park was the most visited.
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