Today’s Forecast

38° | Partly cloudy | 7% chance of rain
Sunrise 7:54 a.m. | Sunset 5:30 p.m.

Collect rain, plant flowers, save money

Meet the Fayette County Conservation District

FCCD can help you plan a pollinator + rain garden. | Photo courtesy of FCCD

Have you ever wanted to start a pollinator garden or determine which vegetables + plants would grow best in your backyard? Well, look no further than our special-purpose government agency known as the Fayette County Conservation District (FCCD).

According to FCCD Director Heather Silvanik, the agency serves as a connector between the local community and various USDA + state programs, like the National Resource Conservation Service.

Public programs

There are ~12 programs the public can benefit from, but here are the three most popular + well-utilized.

Backyard Conservation — FCCD will split your conservation effort expenses 50/50 + reimburse up to $200. Heather advises to still apply for the waitlist, as some funds that go unclaimed will be made available.
Soil Voucher Program — The organization will fully cover the cost for someone to get a soil sample.
Conservation and Education Grant —These grants go towards plans like community gardens, outdoor classroom space, and field trips. This year they received 21 applicants, but could only fund six.

Heather said that in recent years these programs have gained in popularity, often filling up in a matter of days.

Two women sitting a table with a Fayette County Conservation District banner — FCCD Director Heather Silvanik (left) + board member BJ Bentley (right) | Photo courtesy of FCCD

So, how are these funded?

The agency’s budget is a blend of grants, a little state funding, and a teeny tiny percentage — .0006% to be exact — a millage tax.

As Fayette County residents continue to take an active interest in their spaces, Heather plans to ask for the millage tax to be increased to .001% to help fund more projects.

Check out the FCCD’s YouTube channel where you can see video messages from various partners as well as program explanations. And its Facebook + Instagram pages offer tips and community event updates.

Events

Wednesday, May 10

DIY Bath Bombs | Wednesday, May 10 | 5-6 p.m. | Central Library, 140 E. Main St., Lexington | Free | Treat your mother (or yourself) to relaxation by making your own bath bomb with recipes inspired by Lush.
Zumba Fitness Express | Wednesday, May 10 | 6:30-7 p.m. | The Salsa Center Dance Studio, 817 Lane Allen Rd., Lexington | $5-$20 | All levels are welcome to get their heart pumping in this quick dance workout class.

Thursday, May 11

Elevate Your Personal Brand | Thursday, May 11 | 7 p.m. | Greyline Station, 101 W. Loudon Ave., Lexington | Free | Get a set of fresh headshots and learn the best strategies for elevating your personal brand on LinkedIn.
Jazz at the Library | Thursday, May 11 | 7-9 p.m. | Central Library, 140 E. Main St., Lexington | Free | This month’s concert will feature the jazzy sounds of Dave Clark, Keith McCutchen, Ryan McGillicuddy, and Dave McWhorter.

Friday, May 12

Bird Walks | Friday, May 12 | 9-11 a.m. | Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, 3885 Raven Run Way, Lexington | Free | Beginner + experienced nature enthusiasts are invited to explore and learn about birds of the Bluegrass with staff at Raven Run.
Brew & Groove Salsa Night | Friday, May 12 | 8-11 p.m. | Blue Stallion Brewing Company, 610 W. 3rd St., Lexington | Free | Sip local brews while you move and groove to free dance lessons from The Salsa Center

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Festival

🥃 Don’t miss your chance to be a bourbon VIP

A close-up shot of people holding bourbon glasses.

Kentucky Bourbon Festival tickets always go quickly, so don’t wait to snag yours. | Photo by Zach Sinclair

A celebration of bourbon and the people who make it? Count us in.

Tickets go on sale tomorrow (Thursday, May 11) for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Returning for its 32nd year, the festival runs Friday, Sept. 15-Sunday, Sept.17 in Bardstown, KY and features 50+ Kentucky distilleries for an experience you won’t find anywhere else — except in the Bourbon Capital of the World.

Don’t miss your chance to snag a VIP experience (which includes the all-new, super exclusive Decanter Club package that gives access to all the premium distillery showcase events) before they sell out.*

Become a bourbon VIP

News Notes

Civic

Head to Council Chambers at 200 E. Main St. this Thursday, May 11 at 6 p.m. for a public hearing on Mayor Linda Gorton’s proposed budget. This will be your time to share comments on the projects you’d like to see funded. If you can’t make it in person, tune in online.

Community

Applications are currently being accepted for the 2023-24 Leadership Lexington program. Sponsored by Commerce Lexington, the leadership development program gives participants the chance to learn from speakers firsthand + understand our city and its challenges. Submit your application by Monday, May 15 at 5 p.m.

Eat

Nourished Folks has created a new monthly dinner series called Womenfolk: A Celebration of Women in Food. The next event will be Thursday, May 18 at 6:30 p.m. featuring four, thoughtfully-crafted courses by Kelly Heironymous. Grab your seat at the table.

Sports

Lexington Sporting Club’s W League team will host its inaugural home match tonight at 7 p.m. at Toyota Stadium. Tickets are available for $35 for the team’s whole season (five matches), or ~$7 per event.

Concert

The Lexington Opera House released the lineup of its 2023 Variety Live Season, which features five shows including musicals + tribute concerts. Tickets go on sale this Friday for the Lexington Theater Company’s production of “The Sound of Music,” Gary Mullen & The Works’ “One Night of Queen,” and more.

Edu

Yasmin Mohamed and Peiwen Qin, graduate students at UK’s College of Design School of Interiors, were selected for Metropolis’s Future 100 Program. The architecture magazine recognizes interior design + architecture graduate students who are “leaders on their campus” and are dedicated to equity and inclusion.

Finance

Refinance rates are skyrocketing. But home equity rates remain relatively low — which means that now is a great time to borrow against your home. Calculate your payment.*

Holiday

How to win Mother’s Day? Send the mother figure in your life iconic meals and desserts from across the country with Goldbelly. Think: Ina Garten’s coconut cake, a New York bagel brunch kit, and a chef’s steak dinner for four. Yup, it’s all on Goldbelly.*

Music

🎟️ Step right up

It’s all fun and games at the Burl County Fair

There’s nothing like a Burl sunset. | Photo by @expansionlex

In case you missed it, The Burl announced it will be hosting its inaugural Burl County Fair Friday, Sept. 8-Sunday, Sept. 10. Think: Music festival + the nostalgic fun of a small town fair.

Here’s what you can expect to experience:

Various vendors
Carnival games
A tarot reader
A petting zoo
Dunking booths
Giant slides + more.

Yesterday, they released the lineup featuring nationally-recognized musical acts across genres like Bluegrass, Rock, Country, Americana, Indie, and Soul.

There are individual day tickets available starting at ~$54 or a three-day pass option which starts at ~$144. The event is standing room only, but with a VIP package, you get a table with seating by The Burl Food, and a special sticker + koozie pack.

Sign up to receive the code for pre-sale tickets, which are available today at 10 a.m. General tickets go on sale this Friday, May 12 at 10 a.m.

The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Molly

From the editor

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week, y’all. Did you have a local educator that made a big impact on you or your child’s life? Show them some love + give them a shout-out — we might just include it in an upcoming newsletter. Be sure to include what year, the school, and why they were special.

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