08.24.2023

Today’s Forecast

94º | Partly cloudy | 11% chance of rain | Sunrise: 7:00 a.m. | Sunset: 8:19 p.m.

Consider us your tour guide

Your ultimate guide to tours of Lexington

Erin Goins with Bites of the Bluegrass Tour leading a group.

Take a bite out of some delicious local eats paired with a helping of history. | Photo courtesy of Bites of the Bluegrass

Whether you’re a lifelong Lexingtonian longing to embrace your inner tourist, or you have a limited amount of time in the Horse Capital of the World, here are 14 tours guaranteed to show you the sights you want to see.

Note: Price estimates are based on individual adult rates available at the time of publishing. Check each company’s website to see current pricing.

Eat and drink

Bites of the Bluegrass | $75 per person | These walking history tours will have you taste, sip, and savor the flavors of different neighborhood bars + restaurants.

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. | $12 per person | This two-for-one tour will take you along the journey of creating Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale + Town Branch Bourbon — plus you’ll get to sip samples along the way.

James Pepper Distillery | $20 per person | This guided experience takes you into the museum, working distillery, and includes a tasting of award-winning whiskeys in your own complimentary tasting glass.

A horse standing in a field during sunset — It comes as no surprise that our beautiful Bluegrass and horses are a must-see. | Photo by @syd.uncharted

Horsin’ around

Visit Horse Country | ~$30 per person | You can’t visit Lexington without seeing our region’s beautiful horse farms. Visit Horse Country will give you an inside look at different aspects of the thoroughbred industry.

Keeneland | $15-$65 per person | See the historical racetrack like never before with a behind-the-scenes look at the sales operation, morning workouts, and stable tours.

An aerial shot of a historic Shaker village — The BBC has even named Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill one of the top five hidden travel destinations in the entire country.
|
Photo by Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill

Outdoor exploration

Shaker Village | ~$16 per person | Thousands of acres of beautifully preserved land, historical buildings, and farm animals await you on your visit to Harrodsburg. Take a self-led hike, tour the historic villages, or ease your way along the Kentucky River by canoe or kayak.

Rail Explorers | $40+ per person | With both two- and four-seater options, these pedal-powered rail vehicles (complete with electric assist) will have you cruising along picturesque horse farms + the Kentucky River.

7 more tours to try

Asked

If you could design your team city tour, which of the following features would you include?

A. Historic landmarks and iconic buildings
B. Local cuisine tastings
C. Street art and vibrant murals
D. Other

Share your thoughts

Events

Thursday, Aug. 24

Thursday Night Live | Thursday, Aug. 24 | 5-8 p.m. | Fifth Third Bank Pavilion, 251 W. Main St., Lexington | Free | Head downtown for the perfect post-work wind down featuring live music, tasty beverages, and delicious food.
Lil’ Lambs Fall Children’s Consignment Sale | Thursday, Aug. 24-Saturday, Aug. 26 | Times vary | Centenary Church, 2800 Tates Creek Rd., Lexington | Free | Stop by to shop for clothing, shoes, and toys in support of women + children’s charities.

Friday, Aug. 25

Golden Hour: $5 Friday | Friday, Aug. 25 | 5-8 p.m. | Harkness Edwards Vineyards, 5199 Combs Ferry Rd., Winchester | Free | Soak in the sunset + sip on specially priced glasses of wine, sangria, or cocktails.
Shaker Village Music on the Lawn | Friday, Aug. 25-Saturday, Aug. 26 | 6:30-9:30 p.m. | Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, 3501 Lexington Rd., Harrodsburg | Free | Venture out to historic Harrodsburg for an evening of live music, outdoor dining, and drinks around the fire pit.

Saturday, Aug. 26

Yoga with Art | Saturday, Aug. 26 | 9-10 a.m. | 21c Museum Hotel, 167 W. Main St., Lexington | $5 | Rejuvenate your mind + body with an all-levels yoga class surrounded by art.
Pasta Garage After Dark | Saturday, Aug. 26 | 8 p.m.-2 a.m. | Banchetto 972, 972 Delaware Ave., Lexington | $10 | Mix and mingle at Pasta Garage’s event space while enjoying live music, drinks + food.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

Plan Ahead

How to experience Kroger’s Ultimate Tailgate this football season

LEX-Kroger Ultimate Tailgating-8.24.23.jpg

You might be a fan of UK, but Kroger is a fan of you: The free VIP event is just for Kroger customers who complete a qualifying purchase. | Photo provided by Kroger

Ah, football season — the thrill of the game, the change of the season, the camaraderie of cheering fans at Kroger Field. But the most exciting thing of all? Yes, the tailgating.

When it comes to tailgating, Kroger proves they believe in going big and going home by providing an Ultimate Tailgating Experience for football fans at every UK home football game.

The all-out, pre-game tailgating event — complete with free food, two free drinks (beer, seltzers, or non-alcoholic bevs), music, corn hole, and giveaways — is free + open to Kroger customers who:

(New this year) Show a $35 Kroger receipt within the seven days prior to the game

The tailgating tent opens two hours prior to UK home football games and is located in the parking lot of Kroger Field.

See you there, LEX.

Get in free: Shop Kroger

News Notes

Open

Ramsey’s newest location in the new Leestown Road/Great Acres development is officially open. This is the fourth location for the local chain. In addition to its classic comfort food menu, it will carry Missy’s Pies, grab-and-go items, preserves, and feature a drive-thru for takeout. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Coming Soon

Another addition to the Leestown Road/Great Acres development is a second Biscuit Belly location, expected to open in the next two-three months. The brunch spot will be located at 112 Lucille Dr., Ste. 150. Its hours will be open Monday-Thursday, 7:30 a.m.-2 p.m. + until 3 p.m. Friday-Sunday. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Community

Blue Grass Airport is seeking volunteers to participate in its full-scale emergency preparedness exercise. The volunteers will portray passengers in a disaster drill for airport staff + first responders to practice their training, recovery procedures, and evaluate response efforts.

State

Beginning Monday, Aug. 28, Kentuckians will be able to pre-register on approved mobile apps for sports betting. Seven racetracks around the state received temporary licenses for sports wagering by Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. In-person betting will begin at The Red Mile on Thursday, Sept. 7. (WKYT)

Active

Running + wine — do we have your attention? This Friday, Aug. 25 at 6:45 p.m., the Cabernet Canter Cross Country 5K/10K returns to Talon Winery. Explore scenic views and rolling hills, then be greeted with live music + a glass of wine when you’re done.

Lexingtonian

Send some well wishes to Shaun Smith, a junior at Lexington Catholic High School, who will be competing at the 2023 Xfinity USA Gymnastics Championships this weekend — among the likes of Olympians Simone Biles + Sunisa Lee. Shaun is ranked in the top 20 for Junior Men’s Gymnastics in the US.

Civic

Support for smart growth is gaining momentum across our community, and residents are asking city officials to make growth decisions based on data and research. Want your voice to be heard at City Hall? Local nonprofit Fayette Alliance is asking anyone who supports smart, sustainable growth to sign this petition.*

Outdoors

Explore the beautiful, rolling hills of Horse Country right in Lexington’s backyard with Meet the NEIGHbors, Visit Horse Country’s community-based event returning on Saturday, Aug. 26 and Sunday, Aug. 27. Book a free tour to meet famous stallions, foals, and yearlings, and peek behind the scenes at a real equine medical clinic.*

Coming Soon

Unearthing local artifacts

Lexington History Museum celebrates its grand opening this Saturday, Aug. 26

An exterior photo of the Thomas Hunt Morgan House a yellow building with gray columns and a blossom tree out front.

LexHistory will lease the space from the Blue Grass Trust for Historical Preservation. | Photo courtesy of Lexington History Museum

This Saturday, Aug. 26 at 10 a.m., the Lexington History Museum (LexHistory) will celebrate its grand reopening in its new home.

This match made in historical heaven will see LexHistory open alongside the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation at 210 North Broadway in the Thomas Hunt Morgan House.

“We are thrilled to welcome visitors and share Lexington’s incredible history. Lexington deserves a museum where all our history — the known and unknown, the celebratory and the cautionary — can be told,” said Dr. Amanda Higgins, LexHistory Executive Director, in a press release.

After spending more than a decade in storage and temporary spaces, the collection of materials will once again be visible to the public. Now, the community, group tours, and school field trips can explore our city’s vibrant and interesting history at LexHistory’s new space.

Free admission to the museum will be available after the opening until 2 p.m. on Saturday.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Molly

From the editor

The re-opening of the Lexington History Museum is such an exciting time for our city. I can’t wait to see all of the hard work from Dr. Higgins + her team come to fruition. To me, this is also a special moment to remember the OG of local history, Foster Ockermann Jr.

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