Kiptoo Tarus posing outside his studio near the East End neighborhood. | LEXtoday
Folks choose to come and visit the Bluegrass for a handful of reasons — to sample our bourbon, cheer on the Cats, or maybe attend college.
Most head back home after a visit, but some — after experiencing our unique culture + hospitality — choose to plant roots.
That’s exactly what happened to local artist Kiptoo Tarus ~10 years ago when he first made the trek to Kentucky, all the way from Kenya.
Kenya
“I was a banker in Nairobi,” recalls Kiptoo. “I worked for a bank doing marketing while also attending art school.”
While in school, Kiptoo met a professor from UK who specialized in sculpting. He was traveling to Kenya for vacation + was introduced to Kiptoo by his professors. “He spent two days in the studio with me, talking and critiquing my work. And then he mentioned graduate school.”
Kiptoo did what any reasonable artist would do. He quit his job, applied to an art school that was ~8,000 miles away + began perfecting his art in Kentucky.
Kentucky
In 2015, he got his first commissioned work from the city — six different pieces that were placed around town for the 2015 Breeders’ Cup.
Kiptoo’s Will Harbut and Man O’ War sculpture outside of DV8 Kitchen. | Photo by LEXtoday
“I mainly sculpted the human figure, and those pieces were a series of hands,” said Kiptoo. But after the Breeders’ Cup, he thought to himself, “what if I actually do equine art?”
Hiking Club | Fri., Sept. 9 | 5 p.m. | West Sixth Farm, 4495 Shadrick Ferry Rd, Frankfort | Free, price of purchase | Join West Sixth Farm’s hiking club with Woods and Waters Land Trust — beers and camaraderie to follow. 🥾
Studio Players presents “It Runs in the Family” | Fri., Sept. 9 | 8 p.m. | Otis A. Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose St. | $12 | This comedy play will leave you laughing and smiling with its quirky cast of characters. 🎭
Smash Mouth | Fri., Sept. 9 | 9 p.m. | Christ the King, 412 Cochran Rd. | Free, price of purchase | Hear this iconic 2000s rock band at CTK Oktoberfest — one of the city’s largest Oktoberfest events. 🎸
Saturday
Expansion | Sat., Sept. 10 | 1:30 p.m. | The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd. | $59 | This psychedelic music festival features headliners The Black Angels with out-of-this-world visuals. 🎶
Monarch Fest | Sat., Sept. 10 | 10 a.m.-3 p.m. | Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, 3885 Raven Run Way, Lexington | Free | Celebrate the Monarch butterfly as they begin their return to Mexico for the winter. 🦋
Symphonic Stroll | Sat., Sept. 10 | 4 p.m. | Josephine Sculpture Park, 3355 Lawrenceburg Rd., Frankfort | $25. | Explore the grounds of Josephine Sculpture Park while enjoying live chamber music from Lexington Philharmonic. 🎶
Un Wine’d with R&B in the Vineyard | Sat., Sept. 10 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Harkness Edwards Vineyards, 5199 Combs Ferry Rd., Winchester | $25 | A variety of wines, from dry to sweet, will be sampled to taste and purchase with music from DJ Rob Slob. 🍷
Laser Tag at the Library | Sat., Sept. 10 | 2-4 p.m. | Northside Branch, 1733 Russell Cave Rd. | Free | Meet at the Northside Library for laser tag fun. 📚
Lexington Comic and Toy Convention | Sat., Sept. 10 | 10 a.m. | Central Bank Center, 430 W Vine St. | $10 | This convention will highlight old-school comics + collectible toys. 💥
UK vs. Florida | Sat., Sept. 10 | 7 p.m. | ESPN | Free | The Wildcats are facing off against the Florida Gators in their first official SEC conference game of the season. 🏈
Sunday
Lexington 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb | Sun., Sept. 11 | Kroger Field | $25 | Climb the stairs of Kroger Field to honor the lives of first responders who died during the 9/11 tragedy — proceeds benefit the Lexington Fire Department. 👟
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
reAlpha uses AI-driven technology to select + manage properties. | Photo provided by reAlpha
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The annual Bourbon on the Banks Festival is returning to downtown Frankfort on Sat., Oct. 1. Attendees will get the opportunity to sip on 50+ different bourbons while enjoying views of the Kentucky River at Riverview Park, 404 Wilkinson Blvd. Live music, food trucks, and shopping from local artists will also be featured. 🥃
Concert
A celebration concert for local blues guitarist Tee Dee Young will take place at the Lyric Theatre on Fri., Sept. 23 at 6 p.m. The concert will celebrate the five-year anniversary of former Lexington Mayor Jim Gray’s proclamation of September 13 as Tee Dee Young Day in Lexington. 🎸
Drink
Local distiller RD1 Spirits will be releasing two new bourbons this Sat., Sept. 10 — the RD1 Straight Bourbon + the RD1 Straight Bourbon finished with french oak. Both bottles will be released at its Distillery District store, 1170 Manchester St. Swing by to snag a bottle of Lexington’s newest bourbon.
Eat
Epping’s on Eastside — a locally-owned Warehouse Block restaurant — is hosting a four-course wine dinner on Tues., Sept. 27. Chef Nathan Voorhees will be crafting a locally-sourced menu, pairing each course with a unique sommelier. 🍽
Legacy
Yesterday, Queen Elizabeth IIdied at the age of 96. She visited Keeneland in 1984, attending the inaugural race + presenting the trophy to that year’s winner — Sintra. Check out this photo gallery of her other four trips to the Bluegrass. While she was not a Kentuckian, Kentucky surely had a place in her heart. (ABC + LEX18)
Sports
The No. 14 ranked UK women’s volleyball team is red hot right now — so hot that the program is adding a shuttle service to Friday night’s 6 p.m. match against No. 6 Wisconsin. The shuttle service starts at 4 p.m. + will take guests from outside the Cornerstone Garage to Memorial Coliseum. 🏐
Shop
Local outdoor gear shop J&H Lanmark is giving out free donuts and coffee this Sat., Sept. 10. Additionally, a free L.L. Bean tote bag will be given to customers who spend $75+ and drawings for free door prizes will also be held throughout the morning. Prizes include boots, sunglasses, packs, and more.
Community
Here’s your early notice that Jacobson Park will be closed to citizens on Wed., Sept. 14 until 3 p.m. If this park is a go-to of yours, consider using this time to explore one of the city’s other 100+ parks and green spaces.
Kids
Registration is now open for a new youth football camp that will feature UK Wildcats — Tyrell Aijan, Chris Rodriguez, and Jordan Wright. Henry Clay High Schoolwill host the camp on Sun., Oct. 23. Kids ages 8-18 are encouraged to attend + hone their skills. 🏈 (LEX18)
Health
A new Radiation Oncology Center has officially opened in Georgetown. Georgetown Community Hospital + Central Kentucky Cancer Care cut the ribbon on Wednesday morning. The new facility was made possible by a $7.8 million gift from Lifepoint Health Clinic, a healthcare delivery network. (ABC 36)
Volunteers in Eastern Kentucky went out of their way to restore beloved family heirlooms + return them to a family affected by the flooding. Read about how these hand-stitched quilts were recovered, cleaned, and delivered back to a family who lost the loved one who made them. (Lexington Herald-Leader)
Development
Notice anything new lately? Our newsletter is currently “under construction” (you can read more on that here), so please bear with us as we fix some of these pesky formatting issues. If you see anything amiss over the next few weeks, please don’t be shy and pass it along.
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Food
Prost 🍻
Oktoberfest beers in Lexington, Kentucky
The English translation of Prost is cheers.
Early September is the perfect time to get a taste of October, Oktoberfest beers that is.
We’ve seen almost every brewery in Lexington release a seasonal version of this German-style lager. We’ve sampled a few, but still have a few more to go.
Here are a few seasonal beverages to be on the lookout for the next time you’re at the pub:
Did we miss one that you love? Let us know. We’re thirsty for fall.
THE WRAP
Today’s edition was written by City Editor Aaron.
Editor’s pick: Today’s Feel Good news note really hit home for me. Quilting is a tradition in my family. I was gifted a quilt by each of my grandmothers before they died + I received a slew of handmade baby quilts when my son was born. My mother is currently working on a quilt for the arrival of my best friend’s baby. I’m glad to see these handmade keepsakes are cherished all across our state.
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