Southland Jamboree
In the spring of 2006, Michael Johnathon, host of Woodsongs Old Time Radio Hour, invited Phil Wyant and Angie Smith to sit down to discuss bluegrass music and its growing international popularity - and also the fact that Lexington, in many ways, had failed to stake its claim as the Bluegrass Capital of the World.
"Right away we recognized an opportunity to bring more people into the area, and provide something for free for those who live here," said Wyant, president of the Southland Association. "It really just clicked from the beginning."
And so the Southland Jamboree, a summer series of free weekly bluegrass concerts for audiences of all ages, was born. The concerts last about an hour each week and are followed by informal jam sessions, in which musicians in the audience often find themselves jamming with members of the band.
According to Billy Sherrow, bluegrass musician and Southland Association director in charge of booking the shows, the series is unique for audience members and musicians both. "There's no other place around here where you can hear bluegrass music weekly in a concert format," he said. "There are also very few places around here where bluegrass musicians have the opportunity to play in front of a crowd of 400-500."
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It's a Grand Night for Singing
Now in its 17th year, "It's a Grand Night for Singing" is one of Lexington's most popular summer events. Produced by Everett McCorvey and directed by James W. Rodgers and Peggy Stamps, the two-hour "song and dance fest" features some of the greatest voices from the central Kentucky community, including Everett McCorvey, Sherrie Phelps, Eric Brown, Jennifer Parr, Whit Whitaker, Reginald Smith, Jr., Amanda Balltrip, Alicia Helm McCorvey, Pamela Perlman, Jan Hooker, Susan Rahmsdorff, Luther Lewis and more.
Orchestra conductor Robert Baldwin, associate music director Tedrin Blair Lindsay and assistant music director Nan McSwain also lend their talents to this year's event. Titles from the "From Billboard to Broadway" theme this year will include "Hairspray," "A Chorus Line," "South Pacific" and more.
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Ballet Under the Stars
Ballet Under the Stars will be bringing a mix of emerging local talent and professional ballet to Woodland Park for the 20th year this summer. The pre-show production will present local dancers, ranging in age from 7 - 18, while the main show will feature renowned professional ballet dancers from around the globe.
Resurrecting a recurring tradition, live music will accompany the dances this year. According to Amber LuAllen, cultural director for Lexington Parks & Recreation, the program aims to appeal to a wide audience that may not typically be interested in ballet by incorporating a variety of dances that include comedy, contemporary and traditional. "We try to mix it up so that people can appreciate all that ballet can be," she said.
Guests are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic dinners; concessions will also be available at the park.
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Summerfest
In February 2007, the Kentucky Classical Theatre Conservatory (KCTC) was formed, in large part as a response to the November 2006 announcement that the Lexington Shakespeare Festival would no longer continue its annual outdoor theater productions, which had been a Lexington summer tradition since 1982.
While KCTC board president Joe Cannon Artz says that the theater group wants to "establish [its] own identity" - which may not necessarily revolve around "The Bard" - for the time being, they are sticking to at least one Shakespeare production a season.
In addition to the Shakespearean "Henry IV (Part I)," this summer's season includes "Once on This Island," a Caribbean-themed adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Little Mermaid," and an adaptation of the beloved 19th century "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde."
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Bluegrass State Games
Offering over 31 sports categories for competiton, and with more than 15,000 participants (and even more spectators) from across the state, the Bluegrass State Games are held just about anywhere in Fayette County and some of the contingent counties (as well as Franklin Co.) with bleachers.
Undoubtedly, the most popular sports are soccer and volleyball, which have fierce competitions and rivalries, but some of the more unconventional events include table tennis, flag football, disc golf, chess and, of course, corn hole (this year, bike polo was even added to the mix).
Nearly all of the events, each with its own sports chair expert, are broken down into skill levels to encourage participation from novice and experienced competitors, and they are open to people ages 5 and up. While competing against other individuals and teams is important, Games organizers want to emphasize that the true intention for the event is to promote healthy activity for anybody.
This year marks the 25th anniversary for the games, and organizers have planned some special events to mark the occasion.
For more information on the Bluegrass State Games, such as venue locations, registration information, competition rules, and volunteer opportunities, visit www.bgsg.org or call (800) 722-2474.
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Talon Winery & Vineyards Summer Concert Series
In honor of Talon's Summer Concert Series celebrating its fifth anniversary, organizers are offering tickets to this monthly romp at a recession-proof $5. Instead of having pricier tickets as in previous years, which also came with a dinner, this year patrons can visit onsite food vendors or bring a picnic along (no outside beverages; of course, there's plenty of wine on hand).
Bands perform on the winery's Monarch Pavilion while audience members loosen up at tables and kick back on the lawn (or dance in the pavilion, if the mood hits them). Organizers say as many as 500 revelers can show up for the concert each month, depending on the weather. This year's music ranges from R&B to bluegrass.
Also, beginning in June, Talon will host the relaxed Wine Down Fridays (6 - 8 p.m.) on the first and third Friday of every month, where local musicians play on the back porch and corn hole boards are set up in the lawn. And be sure to check out the Kentucky Wine & Art Festival June 19 - 21, featuring some of the areas finest artists, wine samples, performing arts and children activities.
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Equus Run - Concerts in the Vineyard & Tunes in the Vine
Having recently celebrated its 11th anniversary, with nine years of summer concerts, Equus Run may boast the longest running live music series of any Bluegrass winery.
Two different concert series offer a variety of local, regional and national bands. Tunes in the Vine promotes local bands, and takes place every Saturday through September, with the exception of the six dates reserved for the Concerts in the Vineyard dates. Tickets for the Concerts in the Vineyard shows include a catered meal, and locally produced wine is available at all events.
With 35 lush acres nestled next to South Elkhorn Creek, Equus Run offers an idyllic backdrop for the concerts, which are held in an arbored covered stage in the vineyard's stone terraced amphitheatre, overlooking the ground's horse farms and creek.
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Central Bank Thursday Night Live / Tuesday Night Live
For over a decade, Thursday Night live has delivered free weekly summer concerts in downtown's Cheapside Park. Featuring beer and food vendors, children's activities and a "dog swim," downtown is the place to be every Thursday from 4:30 - 8 p.m. Downtown Lexington Corporation president Renee Jackson and event coordinator Laura Farnsworth have noticed that in recent years, the audience has shifted from a mostly after-work business crowd to a more diverse crowd that includes families and professionals alike.
This year for the first time, an additional event, Tuesday Night Live, has been added to the mix. Featuring a different high school-aged band each week, Tuesday Night Live is an opportunity for budding musicians to showcase their work, as well as a chance for a younger audience to enjoy live music downtown. The event will be alcohol-free, and the most popular band will have the chance to play for a different crowd at the Aug. 20 Thursday Night Live.
In case of rain, the event will be held inside the Lexington History Museum (in the old courthouse building).
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Swingin' on Main
Celebrating its 10-year anniversary in bringing hundreds of dancers (some with two left feet) and all their moves to the streets of downtown Lexington, Swingin' on Main is a highly anticipated, family-friendly event.
Don't worry if you can't cut a rug - the festivities open with a free swing dance lesson provided by Arthur Murray Dance Studio and the Hepcats Swing Dance Club. From there, the band takes over and the street in front of Victorian Square is filled with jiving renditions of the Lindy Hop, the Balboa and the Charleston. There is also a dance contest, and food vendors will be onsite.
Bleachers are set up for those who would prefer to sit back and watch, but don't be intimidated - organizers estimate that around 50 percent of attendees can actually hold their own on the floor. The entire event, for spectators and participators, is free and open to the public.
Performing at this year's event, and back by popular demand, is Blair Carman & The Belleview Boys, a piano driven outfit playing the hits from the early days of rock 'n roll.
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2009 Fourth of July Festival
Over 150,000 thousand festival goers descended upon downtown Lexington last year for the annual Fourth of July Festival, and organizers this year hope to see even more.
Interestingly, in Lexington, the festival isn't restricted to just one day - it is spread out over the course of four days, with some events prior to the Fourth just as anticipated as the fireworks, such as the Patriotic Music Concert in Gratz Park (featuring the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra and Lexington Singers Young at Heart Jazz Band) and the Great American Pie Contest and Ice Cream Social in Cheapside Park.
Aside from the immensely popular parade, which had 94 entries last year, the festival is also host to the Bluegrass 10,000, the Vine Street Festival, the Waiter's Race, "Red, White and Boom" (featuring Hank Williams Jr.), and a plethora of other live music options (last year, over 30 musical acts were peppered across nine different venues downtown, with musical genres ranging from Zydeco to hip hop).
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Festival of the Bluegrass
For thousands of bluegrass music fans across the state and nation, the second weekend in June means only one thing: the Festival of the Bluegrass, a four-day, three-night rollicking concert and campout held on the Kentucky Horse Park's campgrounds.
What started out as an intimate gathering spearheaded by Bob and Jean Cornett at Walnut Hill Farm, now the location of the Kentucky Horse Park, in 1974, has blossomed into an internationally renowned, authentic bluegrass festival. For 15 years, the festival was held at Masterson Station Park, but in 1990, it made its move back to the horse park. In 2007, the International Bluegrass Music Association awarded the festival its "Event of the Year" designation.
The festival's success is due in large part to the Cornetts' disregard to commercial appeal, emphasis on hospitality, and having a whole army of family members who do everything from working the sound system for the festival's three stages to taking tickets at the gates. A large portion of the 16,000 or more fans who attend the festival are repeat visitors, many forming small communities, such as "Wooville" - friends who only see each other once a year. Of course, the festival's stellar lineup year after year probably has something to do with its success as well.
Organizers say that over 85 percent of attendees camp each night, but individual day tickets are available.
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Free Friday Flicks
One of the longest running summer series for kids, Free Friday Flicks at Jacobson Park offers more than just the flicks. With pre-show activities that include face painting, a petting zoo, inflatables, and water balloon and hula hoop contests, this event offers hours of family-friendly evening entertainment each Friday through the month of June.
Newly released children's movies are shown each week on a 40-ft. screen, and are announced the Monday prior to the event (call 288-2900 to inquire about the week's flick selection). Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs, blankets and a picnic dinner if they choose; concessions will also be made available by on-site vendors.
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Super Sunday
For over 30 years, Douglass Park has been home to the famed Lexington "Dirt Bowl" basketball league in July, ranked at one time as one of the top outdoor basketball leagues in the United States.
One of the few summer leagues around the country in which college athletes are allowed to participate without violating NCAA bylaws, the event also features live music, vendors, food and crafts, and many families utilize the event for family reunions.
In 2008, the basketball courts at Douglass Park received renovations tallying up to nearly half a million dollars.
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Lexington Pride Festival
Last year marked the first incarnation of Lexington Pride Festival, a family-friendly event geared to raise awareness of the local GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transsexual) community. With the theme "We Are Family," the event saw upwards of 3,000 supporters and revelers. Building on the success of the inaugural event, the theme for this year's festival is "Stonewall Lives: Remembering Our Past, Forging Our Future" in honor of the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in New York City, an important event in GLBT history. Aside from food vendors, there will also be advocacy tables, musical acts (including a performance by Josh Zuckerman) and other activities planned for the day-long event. For more information on the festival, including volunteer and alcohol and food vendor applications, as well as other local GLBT resources, visit the festival's Web site at www.lexpride.com.
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The AFB Art Fair @ Woodland Park
Though it has a new name (formerly the Woodland Arts Fair), the AFB Art Fair @ Woodland Park still promises to keep up with the tradition that the thousands of art fans have come to expect from this weekend-long festival. Consistently voted one of the top art fairs in the nation by trade publications (most recently named a top 15 fine art fair by "Sunshine Artist Magazine"), the art fair saw roughly 60,000 people come through the park during its two days of operation last year. This fair will boast 200 juried artists, and as part of the Lexington Art League's effort to keep visitors' experiences fresh, there will be several new artists from around the state and region. Many of the past favorites will be set up as well. Scheduled music performances, children's activities and food vendors will also be on hand.
An added bonus to the fair this year is the inclusion of Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom Adventure Tour, a state-of-the-art traveling exhibition of lifelike, animatronic animals. Every year, the Lexington Art League depends on a dedicated arsenal of volunteers working a wide array of jobs to make the fair run smoothly, and this year isn't any different. If you'd like to experience another side of the fair and offer some of your time, contact jcuriel@lexingtonartleague.org.
Visit www.lexingtonartleague.org after the end of June to see a list of participating artists in this year's fair.
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KY Theatre Summer Classic Series
May 27 kicked off this year's Kentucky Theatre classic film series with "The Apartment," the 1960 film that won five Oscars, including best film, best director and best writing. The rest of the line-up proceeds with 14 classic films, originally released anywhere between the years of 1933 and 1980.
Kentucky Theatre manager Fred Mills says the series, which started in 2003, offers "something for everyone." The 15 films were chosen from a long list that included hundreds of customer suggestions, which were written in, phoned in or given across the concession counter. Six of the films are new prints, and Mills estimates that at least one of the films, "Leave Her to Heaven," probably hasn't been to Lexington in 60 years.
The series has historically been very popular, so it is advisable to arrive early to find good seats. Advance tickets are available at the theatre the Sunday prior to each show.
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