Independence Day Celebration to take place July 3 this year
This year, Lexington's popular Fourth of July Festival will take place on Saturday, July 3, with the annual Bluegrass 10,000 starting at 7:30 a.m.
The all-day street fair will include activities for all ages, including the Kids Zone and Kids Craft Activities. This year vendors will be set up in Courthouse Plaza along Limestone Street and Cheapside Park along Short Street, instead of along Vine Street as in years past.
Entertainment is scheduled at six different locations from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Cheapside Park, the Lexington History Museum, the CentrePointe block, Phoenix Park, the corner of Limestone and Short Streets, and the Upper Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza.
The parade is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Midland Avenue, where it will continue west on Main Street to Broadway.
CD Central and Local First Lexington will continue their tradition of Independent Music on Independence Day at Phoenix Park Stage, with music starting at 11 a.m. The line-up includes The Bleats, Randy Tuesday & the Two Two Tuesdays, Ford Theatre Reunion, The Rough Customers and Frank Rocket. The evening continues with the Red, White and BOOM! concert in the Rupp Arena Cox Street parking lot at 4 p.m., and concludes with fireworks at 10 p.m.
The festivities actually begin at noon on June 30 with the Great American Pie Contest and Ice Cream Social at Cheapside Park. The annual Patriotic Concert will be held on July 2 at Gratz Park, with The Young at Heart Dixieland Band opening at 6:30 p.m., followed by The Lexington Philharmonic and the Lexington Singers at 8 p.m. For more information, visit www.lexingtonky.gov.
Second Sunday draws big crowds despite the heat
Despite temperatures over 90 degrees, thousands of people gathered at the Bluegrass Airport's new 4,000-foot runway on June 13 to participate in 2nd Sunday, a unique series of events designed to encourage health and fitness across Kentucky.
Councilman Jay McChord and Bluegrass Airport Executive Director Eric Frankl decided to host the event on the runway, hoping to give people a chance to experience the airport in a completely new way - rather than flying, participants rode bikes, walked or roller-bladed over the 1.4 mile runway, scheduled to open for the 2010 Equestrian Games.
Local businesses set up tents and provided participants with activities, health tips and water. The next 2nd Sunday Lexington event will be a bike a ride from Cheapside Park to Jacobson Park on July 11. Visit www.2ndSundayky.cm for more details.
Azur chef takes first place in the Great Kentucky Seafood Cook-off
Chef Jeremy Ashby of Azur Restaurant & Patio placed first in the Great Kentucky Seafood Cook Off in Louisville on June 7. Ashby will represent Kentucky in the Great American Seafood Cook Off on Aug. 7 in New Orleans.
Ashby's winning dish was Kentucky freshwater woven prawn with buttermilk, Kentucky paddlefish caviar crËme fraiche, pea sprouts and avocado mousse.
Azur Restaurant & Patio is located at 3070 Lakecrest Circle. For more information, call (859) 296-1007 or visit www.azurrestaurant.com.
Lafayette student and teacher invited to Aspen Ideas Festival
Lafayette High School senior Jonathan Karp and science teacher Zachary Matson have been invited to this summer's Aspen Ideas Festival as 2010 Bezos Scholars in early July.
Twelve high school students and 12 educators from across the country will spend seven days taking in special events and engaging in roundtable discussions with international leaders, acclaimed thinkers, policymakers and artists on topics ranging from the economy to the environment.
After the festival, each team will plan a local ideas festival focusing on a relevant issue for the scholars and their respective schools. The most impressive plans are rewarded with $1,000 grants to use as seed money.
The scholars program reviews applicants based on academic achievement, demonstrated leadership and community engagement.
Karp and Matson will be blogging about their experiences at the festival for this magazine's sister publication Business Lexington, visit www.bizlex.com from July 5 - 11 to read their posts.
LemonAiD Campaign proves that kids can help kids
With the 4th annual LemonAiD Campaign running from July 1 -
29, The Salvation Army of Lexington will offer local kids and their families the opportunity to raise money for homeless children in the area, by operating their own lemonade stand.
LemonAiD proceeds support The Salvation Army's Emergency Homeless Shelter and help cover the cost of child-care, food, formula, clothing, school supplies, professional case management and furnishings for children staying at The Salvation Army's Lexington Shelter.
In 2009, 1,881 youth registered to operate a LemonAiD stand, and the campaign raised $43,540.65 for homeless youth. Registration is now open at Whitaker Banks, The Salvation Army and online at www.lemonaidDays.org.
Arboretum celebrates 4th Annual Tomato Festival in August
The Arboretum's 4th Annual Tomato Festival will take place from 2 - 5 p.m. on Aug. 8. Local farmers will exhibit their tomatoes at the event, with local caterers and restaurateurs creating unique tomato dishes.
Throughout the day, there will be presentations on seed saving, germinating and tomato growing basics, as well as tours of the Aboretum's Demonstration Vegetable and Herb Garden. Question and answer sessions on tomato diseases and insects will also take place.
Children's events include a tomato hunt and a tomato art contest. Anyone can bring their own tomatoes, with contests held for the Most Vibrantly Colored, Ugliest, Largest and Smallest Red, and Most Nearly Perfect tomatoes. Admission is a voluntary donation of $1 per person.