Lexington Picnic with the Pops announced that it will donate $1.2 million toward the construction of a new downtown amphitheater, to be built as part of the the planned Town Branch Park project adjacent to Rupp Arena and the Lexington Center.
The money has been collected from proceeds of the organization over its nearly 40-year history. Funding a permanent outdoor amphitheater that could host the organization's annual signature event as well as other community events has long been a part of the Picnic with the Pops organization's mission. Run by a commission of volunteers appointed by the mayor, Picnic with the Pops hosts a two-night outdoor orchestral performance event each August featuring the Lexington Philharmonic and rotating guest artists. The event, which attracts around 5,000 attendees each year, was held at the Kentucky Horse Park for decades before moving to Keeneland in 2010.
“The proceeds from decades of food, and fun, and music will fund a new home for Picnic With the Pops,” Lexington mayor Jim Gray said in a release announcing the gift. “Thousands of people who have enjoyed this favorite Lexington tradition will be making a contribution to a permanent home for it, an amphitheater downtown in Town Branch Park.”
“We are so fortunate that our founders, as well as our patrons, have put us in position to make this transformational moment possible,” said Kip Cornett, current president of the Picnic With The Pops Commission. “Great cities not only have great parks, but they are home to great events that can be enjoyed by everyone in the community.”
“Great cities not only have great parks, but they are home to great events that can be enjoyed by everyone in the community.” —Kip Cornett, Picnic With The Pops Commission president
Town Branch Park will be on a 10-acre site adjacent to the recently approved expansion of Rupp Arena and Lexington Center. When completed in 2022, the signature park will contain green space, water features, a dog park and a “Great Lawn” area that will be anchored by a performance amphitheater with space to host up to 5,000 patrons.
“Town Branch Park is going to be a sensation and a destination with gravitational pull,” Gray said. So far, an estimated $6 million in private gifts has been raised to pay for the privately funded park.
“Town Branch Park will be designed so residents and visitors have access to all types of art,” said Ann Bakhaus, Town Branch Park Advisory Board chair. “This exciting investment creates a tremendous opportunity for outdoor performing arts as a focal point for the park and for the entire community.”
Town Branch Park has been planned as part of Town Branch Commons, which includes the park and trails. The trail follows along the path of Lexington’s original water source (Town Branch) through downtown. Town Branch Commons, for which the city held its official groundbreaking earlier this month, will link the City’s two main trails, Town Branch Trail and the Legacy Trail, giving Lexington 22 miles of uninterrupted bike and pedestrian paths, and connecting downtown to the rural landscape.