LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The weekend is upon us, and there are plenty of things to do and see across Kentuckiana.
Here are a selection of events, markets, concerts and more happening the weekend of Friday, Nov 27 to Sunday, Nov. 30.
Thanksgiving at Churchill Downs
Horse racing fans with or without Thanksgiving plans are invited to take part in a Louisville tradition this holiday.
Thanksgiving at the track has been a Louisville tradition since 1969. Organizers say Levy Restaurants chefs will serve more than 7,000 turkey dinners throughout the day, making it the "largest number anywhere in the region."
Chefs will begin making the meal when many of us go to bed, around 1 a.m. They'll prepare 550 10-pound turkeys, 6,000 pounds of spiral ham, 250 gallons of rosemary gravy, 5,000 pounds of mashed potatoes, 150 gallons of cranberry sauce and more than 900 pumpkin pies.
The track opens at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 27 and the first of 12 Thanksgiving races starts at 11:30 a.m., with the final race at 4:43 p.m.
To learn more or purchase tickets, click here.
UofL, UK football Governor's Cup rivalry game
The Cards and the Cats will meet on the field for the Governor's Cup rivalry football game Saturday, Nov. 29.
UofL has lost three straight and scored just two touchdowns in their last nine quarters.
The Cards will enter the game without its top three running backs, who are all injured, and its top two wide receivers, who are also injured. The status of starting quarterback Miller Moss was questionable as of Monday.
UK, meanwhile, was out eight defensive starters at last check Monday. The Cats are coming off a 45-17 loss to Vanderbilt.
WDRB's Eric Crawford breaks the teams down before kickoff.
Louisville: Once 7-1 and dreaming of the College Football Playoff, now they’re having night terrors about third-and-anything. The passing game has ground to a halt. They didn’t throw for enough yards at SMU to get back to the locker room. The receivers are open, but only emotionally. Louisville threw for just 20 yards in the second half. I don’t even have to write a joke for that. The defense is hanging in the best it can in a what’s-the-point situation.
Kentucky: Having won three straight games in what looked like a late-season revival, they gave it all back in a four-touchdown loss at Vanderbilt that players hope their grandkids don’t someday discover in a YouTube rabbit hole. Midtown Nashville used to be known for gold records. Now it’s known for passing records, and Diego Pavia torched Kentucky for a career high. His mother got more airtime than Kentucky’s quarterbacks.
The Governor's Cup is set for noon Saturday, Nov. 29, at L&N Stadium in Louisville.
For more information or to purchase tickets, click here.
Small Business Saturday
We've all heard of Black Friday, but the Saturday after Thanksgiving is dedicated to buying local for the holidays.
Communities on both sides of the Ohio River will participate in Small Business Saturday, which encourages residents to keep their money in their towns and cities by shopping locally instead of at a big-box store or website.
In Louisville, the Louisville Independent Business Alliance will host its Small Business Saturday event at the B.A. Colonial, 818 W. Kenwood Dr., in south Louisville.
More than a dozen vendors will be on hand, including Fraziertown Artisan Soaps, Psyched About Crafts, FoxFire Creations, Garage Pig Print Works and more.
To learn more and explore a list of vendors and other Louisville businesses participating in Small Business Saturday, click here.
Some other Louisville businesses participating in the event include: Carmichael's Bookstore, The Breeze/Canary Club, Maria Napoli Studio, Peace of the Earth, Meg's Magical Morsels, Margaret's Fine Consignments, Above the Dirt Garden Shop and Hadley Pottery.
Other areas of Louisville that are full of locally-owned shops include NuLu; the Bardstown Road corridor in the Highlands and Original Highlands neighborhoods; Barrett Avenue between East Breckinridge Street Winter Avenue; and Frankfort Avenue. There are also a number of shops in Butchertown, just outside downtown Louisville, including Work the Metal; the Germantown-Schnitzelburg neighborhoods; and Shelby Park. Logan Street Market also has a number of local vendors.
In Mt. Washington, The Small Business Association is taking Small Business Saturday to another level by making a Shop Small Weekend from Nov. 28-30. They'll be giving out gameboards for shoppers to have a little fun while supporting local businesses. Organizers said shoppers can get a stamp at each store to be entered into drawings for door prizes. Prizes include gift cards and $500 to ValuMarket. To learn more, click here.
Across the river, downtown Jeffersonville will hold Small Business Saturday on Spring Street and surrounding streets from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. A directory of shops and restaurants can be found by clicking here.
Downtown New Albany also boasts a handful of local businesses. Several local shops, including Eureka! Menswear, Vetiver, Hazel Jane, The Spice & Tea Exchange, The Woldflower, The Whimsical Cookie, The Mercantile and more, are hosting an event for shoppers. Organizers say shoppers at those stores can get more chances to win prizes.
To learn more, click here.
Fête de Noël
Paristown will kick off its seventh annual Fête De Noël winter festival on Friday, offering six weeks of holiday activities through Jan. 4.
The festival, located at 731 Brent St., features an authentic outdoor ice skating rink, photos with Santa, the Brent Street Holiday Market, trackless train rides and more.
The Crystal Ice Skating Rink at 720 Brent St. is a 100-by-50-foot sheet of ice with holiday music, skate rentals and concessions. General admission includes 60 minutes of ice time and complimentary skate rental.
The Brent Street Holiday Market is free and open to the public, with about 20 pop-up shops offering gifts from local and regional makers. Photos with Santa are available at his new Louisville workshop on Brent Street.
Visitors can also take a ride on the Kroger Fresh Express trackless train through the Paristown Arts District.
Food and drinks will be available from four bars, five restaurants and Jeff’s Donuts inside The Village Market Food Hall. Guests can enjoy breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner before or after skating, or sip hot cocoa while browsing the holiday market.
To learn more, click here.
Lights On Main
The Frazier History Museum in downtown Louisville is in the holiday spirit, inviting guests to step into a magical winter wonderland with its annual "Lights On Main" event.
Three floors of the museum have transformed into a holiday forest, with trees decorated in holiday cheer by local schools, organizations, families and individuals.
The special exhibition hosted in partnership with the nonprofit I Would Rather be Reading runs through Jan. 4 and is included with museum admission.
The exhibition also features an opening party on Dec. 4, a homeschool day, winter camp, a free family day, a late night Thursday, holiday activities with Santa and the Grinch, live music, Bearno’s pizza and much more.
Free and discounted admission will also be available on special days.
To learn more or purchase tickets, click here.
More Thanksgiving Week Events:
Jonson Family Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast
- Nov. 27, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m.
- Vine Grove City Hall
- 300 W. Main Street
- Vine Grove, Kentucky
All food and drinks are free. To send donations or volunteer call Jennifer Banks at 270-304-5101.
- Friday, Nov. 28 starting at 5 p.m. in Greenway Park on Spring Street in Charlestown
- Flipping of the light switch is at 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Nov. 29 at 5 p.m.
- Held in Bicentennial Park, 118 E. Spring St., New Albany
- Enjoy crafts, cookies, hot cocoa, face painting, a photo booth and visits with Santa.
Ongoing Holiday Events:
Louisville Mega Cavern’s Lights Under Louisville
- Nov. 14 to Jan. 3, 2026
- Opening Day: November 14, 6 to 10 p.m.
- Daily Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Thanksgiving Day: 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Christmas Day: 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Christmas Express: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m
A beloved holiday tradition for 17 years, is back and bolder, bigger and brighter than ever! Presented by Fifth Third Bank, Lights Under Louisville is a drive through the 30-minute illuminated wonderland! Featuring 40+ themed displays, nearly 1,000 illuminated characters, new projections and more than 7 million points of light. Beginning at $42.99 per vehicle and $49.99 on select Saturdays, tickets are available online at lightsunderlouisville.com.
- Opens Friday, Nov. 21 at Waterfront Park, 231 E. Witherspoon St.
- Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Nov. 21 until inventory is gone
A beloved holiday tradition at Louisville's Waterfront Park with Book's Christmas Trees offering a variety of trees, wreaths and seasonal greenery.
- Runs on select days from Nov. 29 to Jan. 3, 2025
Get ready to immerse yourself in the magic of the season among dazzling displays of over 1.5 MILLION lights, over 300 Christmas trees and holiday decor as far as the eye can see. Take your experience to new heights on the LARGEST snow tubing hill in Kentucky, racing down a 175-foot-long hill covered in real snow. Create family memories, including meeting the Most Famous Reindeer of all and SO much more! For tickets and more information, KentuckyKingdom.com.
6th annual Gardens Aglimmer at Waterfront Botanical Gardens
- Runs Nov. 28-Dec. 30 on select days at Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Ave.
- Tickets: adults 13 or older - $17 for nonmembers and $12 for members; children 3-12 - $10 for nonmembers and $8 for members; children 0-2 - free
Stroll through pathways illuminated with giant glowing flowers, shimmering snowflakes, twinkling archways, and sparkling deer. There will be lots of children's activities like writing a letter to Santa, crafts and meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus. There will also be warm drinks and sweat treats with beer, wine and festive signature cocktails to choose from.
These are just a handful of events scheduled for this weekend. Click here to look at what else is happening across Kentuckiana this weekend.
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