Have you drank water today? (If you haven’t, this is your reminder to hydrate.) Maybe you enjoyed a latte from Quills Coffee or are looking forward to a sip of Rabbit Hole bourbon tonight. As we call closing time on Drink Up Week, we’re diving into the details of the company that makes all our favorite drinks possible: Louisville Water Company.
Louisville Water Tower is currently being renovated. | Photo by @louwatertowerpark
🚰 History
1853: Louisville Water Company was chartered by a special act of the Kentucky State Legislature.
1860: Louisville Water begins operations as Kentucky’s first public water provider.
1879: Crescent Hill Reservoir opened to filter mud from the water cleaning process.
1909: The Crescent Hill Treatment Plant opened.
1917: US government sanitary service deems Louisville water “almost perfect.”
1997: Louisville Water Company trademarked the term “Louisville pure tap.”
2014: The new WaterWorks Museum opens to the public.
Now: The Louisville Water Company provides water to over 800,000 people in Louisville.
🚰 Uses
Our distilling + brewing industries are Louisville Water’s best friend. Kentucky bourbon distillers rely on Louisville Water’s quality-control scientists to monitor the water quality. For example, Louisville Water reduces the levels problematic metals — like iron, which can affect the barrel maturation process.
Water quality affects the beer brewers, too. Louisville’s reputation for good beer is partially owed to the high water quality. Louisville Water also provides brewers with chemistry reports to help them maintain a consistent profile.
What The Lou Fest | Fri., July 29-Sun., July 31 | Multiple times | Spratt St. + Goss Ave. | Free to attend | See live wrestling, burlesque + comedy shows at this first-ever Germantown-based festival.
Moth Ball | Fri., July 29 | 5-10 p.m. | Beckley Creek Pavilion | Free to attend | Learn about butterflies of the night, enjoy local food trucks and cocktails + live music.
Saturday
Christmas in July 5K | Sat., July 30 | 9-11 a.m. | Big Four Lawn, Waterfront Park | $30 | Wear your ugliest Christmas sweater or maybe a tank top for this 5K and enjoy cookies and iced cocoa after. 🎅
2022 Buy Local Fair | Sat., July 30 | 12-6 p.m. | Louisville Water Tower Park, 3005 River Rd. | Free | Browse booths from local businesses and artists + enjoy music, food and drinks. 🛍️
Sunday
Glibchella Music and Art Festival | Sun., July 30 | 8:30 p.m.-1 a.m. | Mile Wide Beer Company, 636 Barret Ave. | $20 | Stretch at morning yoga, twerk by the afternoon, listen to live music + participate in a corn hole tournament. 🎶
Tuesday
Best of the Collection Series: Annuals and Tropicals | Tues., Aug. 2 | 6-7:30 p.m. | Yew Dell Botanical Gardens | $25+ | Grow your plant knowledge in this workshop which shows off the newest plants from the gardens. 🌼
Wednesday
Anastasia | Wed., Aug. 3-Sun., Aug. 7 | Various Times | Kentucky Performing Arts Center | $46.22+ | Travel back to Europe in the 1920s as Anastasia sets out to discover her mysterious past.
Friday
70s Night | Fri., Aug. 5 | 8 p.m.-2 a.m. | Howl at the Moon | Free to attend | Bust out your bell bottoms for free admission to this throwback party with themed drinks, 1970s music + giveaways. 🕺
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
Construction is underway on a five-story, 52-unit affordable housing complex with counseling services in Louisville’s Portland neighborhood. The complex — known as the Main Street Project — is spearheaded by Ladies of Promise, an addiction treatment center in the area. The complex is expected to open in December 2023. 🏗️ (The Courier-Journal)
Trending
Katy Perry was anything but a plastic bag drifting through the wind during her recent jaunt around Jefferson County. The pop starposted pictures to Instagram that showed her painting at Whet Your Palette, visiting to the zoo, and candle making at Maddox & Rose. (WLKY)
Biz
Permits filed with the city earlier this week reflect that a J. Crew Factory Store is coming to the Shelbyville Road Plaza — near the Mall St. Mathews. The permit estimates that the store will take up 7,732 sqft of space + neighbor Nordstrom Rack, World Market + Guitar Center. 👚 (The Courier-Journal)
Civic
Starting Sun., Aug. 7, TARC will run three new routes to help people travel more easily between Louisvillie and Indiana. Using a $2 million federal grant, the routes will be a more affordable option for people traveling across state lines. 🚍(WLKY)
Community
If you live, work, or own a business along the Broadway corridor, Louisville Metro is looking for your feedback. You can use the interactive map, take a survey or attend a community event or workshop to identify changes you’d like to see and what you’d like to stay the same.
Arts
Louisville Creative Connection, in partnership with the KMAC Museum, has officially launched. The group’s mission is to make Louisville an arts city by investing in up and coming artists by providing infrastructure + workshops. It also hopes to engage local high schools through a community partnership program. 🎨 (LEO Weekly)
Eat
North of Bourbon is hosting a multicourse dinner with James Beam Master Distiller Freddie Noe on Tues., Aug. 9 at 6:30 p.m. The dinner will feature the recently released Hardin’s Creek: Jacob’s WellandColonel James B. Beam bourbons + a Southern-inspired menu that emphasizes local ingredients. Tickets are $150. 🥃
Theater
Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore. Travel to the Emerald City with The Wizard of Oz at Derby Dinner Playhouse through Sun., Aug. 21. Tickets include dinner + start at $40. 👠
Award
Louisville-Jefferson County Metro Historic Landmarks & Preservation Districts Commission received the Commission Excellence Award for its work to survey thousands of properties + identify sites worthy of preservation. The accolade was awarded by the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions. 🏆
Announced
Congrats to reader David K. who was randomly selected to win $1,000 cash as a thank you for completing our recent product survey. David has been contacted by our team. Thanks to all of you who let us know your preferences about our product so we can continue making it better. (Didn’t share your thoughts? You still can.)
Local
In case you missed it, LOUtoday just launched our very own membership program. Membership starts at just $25 and helps keep our local news products free to all Louisvillians — plus, members get perks like birthday deals, personal shoutouts, Six & Main discounts + more. Sign up. 🎉
Shop
Gas prices are fluctuating, so we need all the help we can get. Earn two-times the Fuel Points at Kroger when you become a boost member for just $59 a year. ⛽ *
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“Louisville” isn’t hard to pronounce for us, but we know its a tongue twister for out-of-towners, which is why we think the perfect solution next time you’re asked how to say it is to hand them a Loo-A-Vuhl hazy pale ale from Against the Grain Brewery.
It was made with the phonetic spelling in mind + the artwork on the can depicts two famous Kentuckians in one fell swoop — Johnny Depp (from Owensboro)as Hunter S. Thompson (of Louisville, obvi) in the movie “Fear And Loathing in Las Vegas.” Does it get more Louisville than this?
#DYK that your photos and quotes could be featured in our newsletter?
Editor’s Pick: Last week, in preparation for Drink Up week, I asked you: “If Louisville was drink, what would it be?” and reader Virginia S. came in strong with the perfect drink to describe Derby City — the La Ville de Lis.
“It has all my fave ingredients and is raucous enough for an eclectic town and suave enough for the Ville’s French connections,” she wrote.
Here’s how to make one according to Virginia:
La Ville de Lis
2 ounces of bourbon over a sugar cube
St. Germaine liquor
5 dashes Bittermens Buckspice Ginger bitters (sounds horsey to me!)
lime juice
Garnish with a lime slice and a twisted bit of orange peel — because twisting is just too-too The Ville.
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