Cheers! Here’s to the 16 best things to do in and around Lexington this weekend
Here is a Lexington list and guide of the best weekend events around Central Kentucky on Friday, Saturday and Sunday if you are bored and need things to do from live music concerts and Fall festivals to an Oktoberfests and Kentucky’s oldest festival, Court Days in downtown Mt. Sterling.
Mt. Sterling Court Days
Kentucky’s oldest festival, Mt. Sterling’s Court Days, returns from Oct. 15-18 with food and craft vendors, a best mullet contest and live music (headlined by a square dance on Oct. 17 at 2 p.m. led by the Local Honeys, Swift Silver and others). The event is free to attend. 33 N Maysville St., Mt. Sterling. MtSterlingTourism.com/Court-Days/.
Mary Queen Fall Festival
The annual Fall Festival is back 4 p.m.-11 p.m. Oct. 15-16 at Mary Queen of the Holy Rosary Church, 605 Hill N Dale Rd., with food, beer, kids and casino games, raffles, inflatables and more. Free to attend. mqhr.org/fallfestival
Secretariat Festival at the Kentucky Horse Park
The Secretariat Festival will take place from Oct. 15-17 at the Kentucky Horse Park. Activities include horse farm tours, celebrity appearances and a silent auction. Tickets are $15 in advance. Admission is free for kids 12 and under. 4089 Iron Works Pkwy. Secretariat.com.
Lexington Craft Beer Week
West Sixth, Country Boy, Ethereal, Blue Stallion and a handful of other local breweries will participate in Lexington’s Craft Beer Week from Oct. 15-24. Events include brewery collaborations, limited edition releases, beer trivia and more. View a full list of events at LexBeerScene.com/LCBW.
The Mountain Goats concert at Manchester Music Hall
Folk rock band The Mountain Goats, led by John Darnielle, will perform at Manchester Music Hall on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. with support from Sophia Boro. Tickets are $26. Proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative test in the last 72 hours is required for entry. 899 Manchester St. ManchesterMusicHall.com.
Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music
The 48th annual Berea College Celebration of Traditional Music will take place Oct. 15-17. Events include live streaming (only) concerts (Oct. 15 and 16 at 8 p.m. and Oct. 17 at 3 p.m.), a Berea Story Trail about Dolly Parton and “Coat of Many Colors” (on Oct. 16 at 1 p.m. at the Berea City Park) and the Berea College Traditional Ensembles showcase on Oct. 17 at 3 p.m. in the Gray Auditorium. A full list of events can be found at Berea.edu/Appalachian-Center/CTM-Schedule/.
80’s Night with Vinyl Richie at The Burl
Party like it’s 1989 during an evening of 80’s themed music with Vinyl Richie at the Burl on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. The event also includes a retro costume party, so come out dressed to impress. Tickets are $12. 375 Thompson Rd. TheBurlKy.com.
Arbor Day at the UK Arboretum
The annual Arbor Day celebration at The Arboretum, the State Botanical Garden of Kentucky, 500 Alumni Dr., will be Oct. 16. Events begin at 8:30 a.m. with a plant exchange and end when the Kentucky Children’s Garden closes at 5 p.m. Other events include Ask an Arborist, Tree Canopy Tours and free admission all day to the Kentucky Children’s Garden. arboretum.ca.uky.edu
Forks Fall Craft Fair in Midway
The Forks Fall Craft Fair returns to Forks of Elkhorn Baptist Church in Midway on Oct. 16 from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. with over 80 craft vendors to browse. The event is free to attend. 480 Duckers Rd., Midway. facebook.com/events/842244013333577.
Blue Grass Stockyards Fall Farm Day
The Blue Grass Stock Yards, 4561 Iron Works Pike, will host a Fall Farm Day 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 16 featuring kid’s farm games, petting zoo, vendors, food trucks, hay rides, pumpkin painting and more. bgstockyards.com
Somerset Moonlight Festival
The third annual Moonlight Festival returns to the streets of downtown Somerset on Oct. 16 from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. with live music from Grammy nominated soul artist Devon Gilfillian, bluegrass group The Barefoot Movement and country star Matt Stell, among others. Food and spirit vendors will also be on-site including Somerset’s future distillery, Horse Soldier Bourbon, which will be serving the festival’s signature drink, SomerCider, all day long. The event is free to attend. 306 Mt Vernon St., Somerset. SeeSomerset.com.
Oktoberfest Night Market in downtown Winchester
Abettor Brewing Co. will host an Oktoberfest-themed block party outside it’s soon-to-open downtown Winchester location on Oct. 16 at 5 p.m. The free event includes food and craft vendors, a beer garden featuring several local breweries and live music from the Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, Jonathan New and Ben Boggs. 128 Depot St, Winchester. facebook.com/events/512054563221406.
Jamey Johnson concert at The Barnyard
Country music star Jamey Johnson will perform at The Barnyard in Sharpsburg with special guests Larry Fleet and Reyna Roberts on Oct. 16 at 6 p.m. Tickets are $35-109. 10005 W Highway 36, Sharpsburg. TheBarnyardVenue.com.
Edgar Allan POEtry Night
The Cynthiana Arts Council will host “Edgar Allan POEtry Night” at Maiden City Brewing Co. on Oct. 16 at 7 p.m. Listen to spooky poems, tales, and short stories from the renowned author from the brewery’s back patio. The event is free to attend. 123 E Pike St., Cynthiana. facebook.com/events/2755647368060568.
Marcia Ball and Tommy Castro concert in Frankfort
Marcia Ball and Tommy Castro & The Painkillers will perform at the Grand Theatre in Frankfort on Oct. 16 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25-45. 308 St Clair St, Frankfort. TheGrandKy.com.
Lexington Chamber Chorale’s 30th season, ‘Then and Now’
The Lexington Chamber Chorale will kick-off it’s 30th season with a performance of “The Chorale, Then and Now,” on Oct. 17 at 5 p.m. at Second Presbyterian Church. The show includes commissions and singers from past seasons along with works from Joseph Baber and Kentucky poet George Ella Lyon. Tickets are $10-22. 460 E. Main St. LexingtonChamberChorale.org.
Matt Wickstrom is a freelancer covering food, music and more. You can follow him on Instagram at @WickstromWrites .
