Thousands expected to enjoy festivals in downtown Louisville this weekend

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Thousands of people are expected to sing, dance, and shout in downtown Louisville this weekend.

Hundreds kicked off the weekend with the Funk Fest music festival at Waterfront Park on Friday. Many told WDRB News they'll be going to Saturday's pride festival.

Long lines, lawn chairs, and lots of laughter all taking place on the waterfront.

"We're coming to see Jeezy," a group attending the first night of Funk Fest said.

"Come to party and have fun! Yes, yes, let the party begin," another group attending the first night of Funk Fest said.

The two-day Funk Fest music festival is a welcome sight as the the city is trying to revive the area.

"I'm excited about (Funk Fest), it has a little bit of old school and new school. So, we get a little bit of both," Carolyn Gunn, who came down from Dayton, Ohio, said.

If you missed the music on Friday, Jeezy, Fantasia, Jagged Edge and Ginuwine are performing again on Saturday.

"We all love music, and we all love funk," Gunn said.

And, if you're looking for more fun, the annual Kentuckiana Pride Festival kicks off Saturday with the Kentuckiana Pride Parade at noon.

"There's sometimes a lot of negativity in our in our world. And I think what this shows is, we are much more together than we than we think sometimes," Tamara Brown, who attended Funk Fest on Friday with her husband Eric Brown, said.

The pride festival starts with the parade starting in NuLu and ending on the Big Four Lawn at Waterfront Park.

"It just warms my heart to see that the whole community participates and supports all events, and we are allies to each other," Brown said.

A number of Juneteenth events are also scheduled for the weekend.

"I want to take advantage of everything that's going on in Louisville this weekend. Then, I'll go back home to St. Louis and celebrate Juneteenth there as well," a woman who attended Funk Fest on Friday said.

Saturday, you'll find the 4th annual Juneteenth festival at the Belvedere and more around town.

"Come out and have fun and enjoy your life, because you only live once! YOLO," another group at Funk Fest said.

If you're planning on attending these events, folks suggest wearing flats or comfortable shoes. You'll also want to tune into the WDRB's weekend morning show for updates on downtown traffic.

For more information on Funk Fest, click here. Tickets for Funk Fest can be purchased by clicking here.

For more information about the Kentuckiana Pride Festival, click here. Tickets for the Pride Festival start as low as $10, and can be purchased here.

For more information and a list of Louisville Juneteenth events, click here.

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