The Jefferson Street Soirée, a celebration of local food, drink and music, is set to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 14, in conjunction with this year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Twelve area restaurants and bars are scheduled to participate with food and beverage tastings at the event, which will be held from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. between Short Street and Maryland Avenue on Jefferson. The event will also feature live entertainment from The Wooks and Tee Dee Young.
“Keeneland and the Jefferson Street culinary corridor are uniquely Lexington,” said Mary Quinn Ramer, president of VisitLEX, in a release announcing the event. “For the third consecutive year, this party will showcase one of the community’s culinary and cocktail hot spots for visitors and locals alike.”
The Soirée is presented by Beyond Grits, the local dining guide produced by VisitLEX. The latest edition of Beyond Grits, which will be available at the Jefferson Street event, includes a new three-level farm-impact designation for restaurants that source products directly from Kentucky farms. The new designation, developed with Bluegrass Farm to Table, indicates a one-tractor rating for restaurants with up to $14,999 in documented annual Kentucky farm purchases; a two-tractor rating for $15,000 to $29,999 spent with Kentucky farms; and a three-tractor rating for spending of more than $30,000.
“Bluegrass Farm to Table is thrilled to partner with VisitLEX to highlight the restaurants in Lexington that regularly source from Kentucky farmers,” said Ashton Potter Wright, local food coordinator for the city of Lexington. “We hope that the guide will serve as a tool to educate consumers and generate increased demand for Kentucky farm products.”
Beyond Grits will be available starting in mid-September at the Visitors Center in The Square on Main Street.
For more information on the Jefferson Street event, check the website jeffersonstreetsoiree.com.