A comprehensive look at the upcoming season of local festivals & events, as featured in our September 2024 Fall Arts Preview.
Click the following links for more Fall Arts Preview listings: Visual Arts • Dance • Literary & Film Events • Theatre & Performance
FESTIVAL & EVENTS
The Burl County Fair
Sept. 6-7 • The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd. • theburlky.com
For the second year in a row, The Burl County Fair returns to the Distillery District, transforming the parking lot connecting The Burl music venue, arcade and brewery into a playground for adults, with county fair-style rides, games, food and performances by Keller Williams’ DeadPettyKellerGrass, Cole Chaney, Kelsey Waldon, Mama Said String Band and more.
Lexington Roots & Heritage Festival
Sept. 6-8 • Elm Tree Lane • www.rootsfestky.com
Several city blocks along Elm Tree Lane between Fourth and Short Streets will be blocked off for this annual event, which has been running for more than 30 years.This celebration of cultural diversity in will feature food and retail vendors, live music, parades, family activities and more.
St. Andrew Orthodox Church Annual Heritage Festival
Sept. 7-8 • St. Andrew Orthodox Church,1136 Higbee Mill Road • www.standrewlexington.org
For more than 30 years, St. Andrew Orthodox Church has celebrated the rich and widely varied cultural heritage of its parish community with this two-day event, which features an assortment of international foods (like falafel, gyros and baklava) as well as entertainment, church tours, a silent auction and a bookstore.
Southland Street Fair
Sept. 15 (12-9 p.m.) • Southland Dr.
www.southlandassociation.com/ southland-street-fair
Organized by the Southland Association, this annual street fair celebrates all that Southland Drive has to offer, with food trucks, local vendors, family-friendly activities and live entertainment curated from the organizers of the Tahlsound Music Series, including Andrew Moore & Hooch, Candi Jenkins, The Doug Ford Ensemble, The Univibes and a special appearance from a Tahlsound alumni performer, to be announced day-of-show.
Christ the King Oktoberfest
Sept. 20-21 • Cathedral of Christ the King, 299 Colony Blvd. • www.ctkoktoberfest.com
This lively annual Oktoberfest celebration features fun for all ages, including live music, German food offerings, beer vendors, kids’ games, arts and crafts, inflatables, bingo, and more. This year’s music lineup will be headlined by Tyler Farr (Friday) and Zack Attack (Saturday).
Festival Latino de Lexington
Sept. 27-28 • Robert F. Stephens Courthouse Plaza,• 120 N. Limestone • lexingtonky.gov/festival-latino-de-lexington
Celebrate Latin American art and culture in the heart of downtown Lexington at this two-day festival, presented by Lexington Parks & Recreation and the Foundation for Latin American and Latino Culture and Arts. Attendees can enjoy live music, dance, visual arts and authentic cuisine.
Bourbon & Belonging
Oct. 2-6 • Various locations • www.bourbonandbelonging.com
Queer Kentucky, a Louisville-founded nonprofit focused on uplifting LGBTQ+ lives, is introducing what it claims to be the first LGBTQ+ inclusive bourbon festival in the country. The five-day event, will feature tastings and tours, pool parties, drag brunches, art events and more, across eight cities and regions in Kentucky. Lexington-area events include a guided tour through private barrel selections at 21c Museum Hotel (Oct. 2); a single barrel selection experience at Elkwood Farm in Midway (Oct. 4); a gel-printing Maker’s Mark label printing workshop at ArtsPlace (Oct. 5) and a brunch experience hosted by Bespoken Spirits and Old North Bar at Greyline Station (Oct. 6).
Scarefest Horror & Paranormal Convention
Oct. 18-20 • Central Bank Center, 430 West Vine St. • www.thescarefest.com
The nation’s largest horror and paranormal convention, Scarefest celebrates its 16th installment this year with dozens of exhibits, vendors, seminars, meet-and-greets and photo-ops with celebrities from the horror, sci-fi or paranormal genre. This year, special guests include actors from “Chucky,” “Children of the Corn” and “Halloween.”
WORTH THE DRIVE
The regional music festival The Moonshienr’s Ball, taking place along the banks of the Rockcastle River, celerbates its 10th anniversary this October. Photo by Tara Young
The Moonshiner’s Ball
Oct. 10-13 • Rockcastle Riverside, Livingston, Kentucky • www.themoonshinersball.com
This grassroots regional music festival is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year with a weekend of music, camping and fun for all ages at the idyllic Rockcastle County venue Rockcastle Riverside, located just over an hour from Lexington. Following the loose tagline “folk by day, funk by night,” the festival features a diverse and robust music lineup of local and national talent. This year’s performers include Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country, The Jerry Douglas Band, The Soul Rebels, S.G. Goodman, and Ghost Funk Orchestra.
Bourbon & Beyond
Sept. 19-22 • Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center
This four-day music and bourbon festival features a massive lineup focusing on popular mainstream and emerging artists from a variety of genres. Sting, Beck, Tyler Childers, My Morning Jacket, Zach Bryan, Dave Matthews Band and The National are among the more than 100 featured acts this year. The event also features multiple bourbon and culinary experiences incorporating celebrity chefs, bourbon stewards and musical guests.