Connecting with local government

City departments in Lexington, KY

Lexington’s local government has departments designed to help improve the quality of life for its citizens. | Photo by Femi Branded

Whether you need to register to vote, inquire about residential services, or just stay in the know about civic happenings, we’re here to connect you with the right department in the City of Lexington.

“I want to license my pet.”

Animal Care and Control | Dogs and cats must be licensed starting at six months old.

“I want to explore Lexington’s art scene.”

LexArts | Get updates on artist grants, citywide creative programs, and public art projects.

“How do I best prepare for a disaster?”

Emergency Management | Learn how to prepare an emergency preparedness kit and stay connected with local response teams.

“My garbage hasn’t been picked up.”

Waste Management | Call for waste collection, street sweeps, or recycling and water services.

“I’d like to plan a city festival or parade.”

Special Events Planning | This guide will help you book your next public event or assembly.

“How do I start my own business?”

Business Licensing and Taxes | Register your business, pay taxes, and apply for permits and grants.

“I need help finding a place to live.”

Housing Advocacy & Community Development | View available housing programs and find tenant resources.

“Which parks are the best for...?”

Parks & Recreation | Explore a directory of local parks, natural areas, sports, community centers, and programs.

“I’d like to work for the city.”

Human Resources | View the City’s employment opportunities and applicant resources.

“What is going on with all these electric scooters around?”

Infrastructure and Streets | Report flooding, learn about upcoming road work, and locate nearby transit.

And that’s not all. There are even more city departments to address your concerns — so let us know which ones you’re curious about and we’ll continue this series. Need urgent city services? Call 311.

Click here to have your event featured.

Tuesday, Dec. 6

And So We Are Found: Fiber Art by Kris Grier | Tuesday, Dec. 6 | 9:30 a.m.-7 p.m. | Eastside Branch Gallery, 3000 Blake James Dr., Lexington | Free | This new gallery showcases unique fiber art pieces, all of which are inspired by the natural landscape of the Western US.
Lexington Legends Listening Session | Tuesday, Dec. 6 | 12-1:30 p.m. | Online - Virtual, Lexington | Free | The Lexington Legends’ new owner is hosting a series of listening sessions designed to seek public input about how the overall fan experience can be improved upon for future seasons.

Wednesday, Dec. 7

Pottery Introduction: Wheel Throwing | Wednesday, Dec. 7 | 6-8:30 p.m. | Kre8Now Makerspace, 305 Codell Dr., Lexington | $85-$95 | Learn how to prepare clay before throwing and how to safely operate the pottery wheel with a hands-on demonstration — all materials provided.

Thursday, Dec. 8

Magnolia Boulevard & Wayne Graham | Thursday, Dec. 8 | 7 p.m. | The Burl, 375 Thompson Rd., Lexington | $15 | Local blues rockers Magnolia Boulevard are playing a hometown show to showcase some new tunes.

Friday, Dec. 9

The Nutcracker | Friday, Dec. 9-Sunday, Dec. 18 | 7:30 p.m. | Central Bank Center, 430 W. Vine St., Lexington | $31 | This holiday tradition is an enchanting production that will delight every member of the family.

Saturday, Dec. 10

YMCA of Central KY Reindeer Ramble | Saturday, Dec. 10 | 10 a.m. | Keeneland, 4201 Versailles Rd., Lexington | $25-$35 | This festive 5K will be held on the beautiful grounds of Keeneland.

We have a calendar filled with events and activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

60º | Showers likely | 60% chance of rain

Opening

Freshie’s, a locally-owned ice cream shop, is expanding and will be opening a second location in South Lexington, 4379 Old Harrodsburg Rd. Freshie’s is known for its nostalgic 1950s soda fountain vibes + premium hand-dipped ice cream. 🍨 (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Community

Beginning in 2023, parking services will cost a bit more in Lexington. LexPark will be applying a 6% sales tax to on-street metered parking + hourly or daily parking in garages. 🚙 (WKYT)

Biz

Economists from the University of Kentucky are predicting record-high receipts from the state’s agriculture and forest economies. Despite weather + supply chain challenges, sales are expected to reach $8 billion. Sales in 2021 totaled $6.9 billion. (UK College of Agriculture, Food, and Environment)

Holiday

Lexington’s “Christmas House” is back on display for the holiday season. Located at 1008 Chinoe Rd., this residential home boasts a massive holiday light display that’s free for visitors to view. It takes the owner six weeks to install the lights and draws in an average of ~8,000 visitors every season. 🎄 (WKYT)

Civic

Today’s City Council meeting will be the last one of the year. Council will be making its final vote on whether or not to proceed with the installation of more Flock cameras. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. and can be live-streamed via LexTV.

Health

The holidays can be both joyous + stressful. If you’ve been feeling the extra pressure of the holidays, read these tips for managing the stress of the season — written by a psychologist at the University of Kentucky. (UK NOW)

Shop

We can’t stop thinking about the luxurious floral embroidery on this beautiful red and black dress — and it’s giving us major downtown Lexington at Christmas vibes, too. The best part? It can be in your closet by Saturday with code RTRx6AM.*

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Bidding for a Cause

The Highest Bid at LexArts’ Horse Mania Auction

Local artist Wylie Caudill poses with his completed Horse Mania horse titled “Sweet Cerulean.”

Over the weekend, LexArts held its annual Horse Mania Auction, raising money for arts programs in Fayette County schools.

At the event, ~35 different horses were auctioned off, but one horse came out as the front-runner.

“Sweet Cerulean” was created by local artist Wylie Caudill + sold for $21,500 — more than any other horse at the auction.

That number was also record-setting for the artist, who had never sold a piece of his artwork for more than $20,000 prior to this event.

Other pieces of artwork from Wylie can be found all across town. Check out the following murals he has painted in Lexington:

“Big Lex” at The Summit at Fritz Farm
“Kentucky Proud” at West Sixth Brewery
“The Horse on High Knoll” downtown

THE WRAP

Today’s issue was written by Aaron.

Editor’s pick: If you’re a regular reader, then you probably know I am a pretty big fan of craft beer + not really a cocktail person.

However, I was recently turned on to the espresso martini at Harvey’s Bar, located at 200 W. Main St.

Wow. This is a delicious drink. This is going to become one of my go-to winter drinks this season.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Read about the history of Julietta Lewis, here.

Connect with us.

Editorial: Aaron Mikel, Molly Thompson, Jessalin Heins-Nagamoto, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

Sales: Marin Fiske | Advertise with us.

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