Tuesday May 1
The Foo Fighters are coming to Rupp Arena on Tuesday, May 1 at 7:30 pm. This date is for the rescheduled event, so those who purchased tickets earlier will still be honored.
Wednesday May 2
33rd Annual National Conference on Equine Law is on May 2 and 3 at Keeneland.
Thursday May 3
Blue Grass Tours is having a “Best of Bourbon Tour” that includes Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center, Jim Beam American Stillhouse and Maker’s Mark Distillery.
Friday May 4
Dwight Yoakam will be at the Iroquois Amphitheater in Louisville on May 4 at 8 pm.
Watch and bet on the Oaks at Keeneland May 4, gates open at 9 am.
UK’s May Commencement takes place on over two days. The first day of graduation is on Friday May 4 at 10 am and 2 pm at Rupp Arena.
The Legacy Ball is May 4 at 8 pm at the Woodford Reserve Club in Kroger Field.
Saturday May 5
The 144th Kentucky Derby is May 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville.
Don’t miss the world’s biggest Derby Party. With over 1,000 televisions, easy access to wagering, great food, activities for the kids and more, Derby Day at Keeneland is the perfect place to view the Run for the Roses.
Sunday May 6
UK’s May Commencement is on Sunday May 6 at 10 am and 2 pm at Rupp Arena
Waveland State Historical Site is the home field to the only Kentucky Vintage Baseball team, The Bluegrass Barons. On May 6, at 1 pm, come enjoy a wonderful day of history, food, and baseball as it was in the 1860s.
The Great Cake Race 5K/1M is at Keeneland on May 6 from 4 pm to 6 pm. It’s a family friendly event featuring bands, activities for children, cupcakes for participants, awards, and much more.
Tuesday May 8
Five Finger Death Punch and Shinedown are playing at Rupp Arena on May 8 at 6 pm.
Wednesday May 9
The Festival of Praise Tour stops in Lexington at Rupp Arena on May 9. The Gospel eccentric tour features Grammy, Stellar and Dove Award-winning great Fred Hammond, along with Donnie Mcclurkin, Take 6, James Fortune, and Charles Jenkins.
Thursday May 10
Join the celebration of Kentucky Vineyards and Winemaking. The Kentucky Wine & Vine Fest is held in Nicholasville, KY May 10 through May 12. Enjoy Kentucky wineries, Kentucky Proud food, arts & crafts, and live music.
Saturday May 12
On May 12, Monster Jam is at Rupp Arena. Monster Jam is adrenaline-charged family entertainment providing jaw-dropping displays and gravity-defying feats. World-class drivers push perfectly engineered trucks to their limits in Freestyle, “2-Wheel Skills” and Racing competitions that will put families on the edge of their seats.
The Central Kentucky Heart Walk is on May 12 at 8 am at Keeneland. The Heart Walk is the American Heart Association’s premier event for raising funds to save lives from this country’s No. 1 and No. 5 killers – heart disease and stroke.
The 28th annual Sayre Horse Show is on May 12 at Masterson Station park at 8 am.
Enjoy family-friendly activities, local food and retail vendors, biking demonstrations, and live music, all taking place at the Southland Drive Street Fair, May 12 at 3 pm.
Sunday May 13
Mothers Day
Wednesday May 16
The Bluegrass Classic Stockdog Trial will be held at Masterson Station Park on May 16-20. Families and spectators are invited to bring their own dogs. The event runs continuously from dawn until dusk and there are spectator raffles, lunchtime concessions, numerous vendors and cold drinks available.
Thursday May 17
Lunafest Lexington is May 17 at 7 pm at the Kentucky Theatre. Lunafest Lexington is an inspirational evening of short films by, for, and about women.
Friday May 18
The American Cancer Society’s Purses, Pouts & Pearls is a one-of-a-kind evening featuring food, silent auction, survivor honoree speaker, and purse bingo. The event is at 6 pm on May 18 in the Woodford Reserve Room of Kroger Field.
On Friday, May 18, KVC Kentucky and NexGen Aviation hosts the first Brews, Boots, & Beats event at the Bluegrass Airport to raise funds for KVC Behavioral HealthCare. This event features a concert performance by Walker Montgomery, hors d’oeuvres, drinks, dancing and more. KVC Kentucky has provided an array of in-home behavioral healthcare and substance abuse treatment, family preservation and reunification, and foster care services.
Friday, May 18, Taste of the Bluegrass is at Keeneland’s Keene Barn & Entertainment Center. Taste of the Bluegrass is a celebration of food and beverages, with live music and a silent auction. Taste some of the best appetizers, drinks, entrees, and desserts from more than sixty local restaurants, breweries, wineries, and distilleries.
Saturday May 19
Francisco’s Farm Arts Festival is held in Midway, KY on May 19-20 starting at 10 am. The festival includes fine art, food, live music, public art projects, artist demonstrations, and other special exhibits.
Celebrate Lexington’s Frontier Founding from 10 am to 4 pm on May 19 at McConnell Springs Park. Enjoy live music, food, wildlife programs, guided tours of the park, colonial crafts and tools, flintlock longrifles, Indian artifacts and children’s activities. Be part of the hands-on demonstrations around the 1776 log cabin as the frontier pioneer & native reenactors bring history to life.
The Alltech Craft Brews and Food Fest is on May 19 at the Lexington Convention Center. With over 60 breweries and 200 beers, the festival will showcase the finest the craft beer industry has to offer. Come on down to Heritage Hall from noon to 6 pm to put a great finish on your Lexington Craft Beer Week.
Whiskey Bear is hosting Bourbon 101 with Tim Knittel of Distilled Living on May 19 at 2 pm.
Kitchens of the Bluegrass Tour is May 19-20.
On May 19, Nelly is live in concert featuring Bone Thugs-n-Harmony and Juvenile, at Whitaker Bank Ballpark at 6 pm.
The Kentucky Sheep & Fiber Festival, a natural fiber and local food event, will be at Masterson Station Park May 19-20. This event showcases some of the nation’s best fiber artists as well as offer workshops, demonstrations, and vendors with supplies for knitting, spinning, weaving, dyeing and crocheting.
Sunday May 20
The transformative power of ideas will be the focus of ONE: The Alltech Ideas Conference 2018. Explore how ideas can germinate into innovations that change the course of businesses and lives. May 20-22 at Rupp Arena, come network, hear world-class speakers, and gain experience and inspiration.
Friday May 25
The Glo Run Night Race 5K & 10K is at the Kentucky Horse Park on May 25 at 9:20 pm.
Vintage Market Days of Lexington will be at the Kentucky Horse Park May 25-27. Vintage Market Days is an upscale vintage-inspired indoor/outdoor market featuring original art, antiques, handmade treasures, home décor, outdoor furnishings, seasonal plantings and more.
Saturday May 26
On May 26 at 10 am, Keeneland hosts the 2018 Thoroughbred Car Show.
Poolapalooza at Southland Aquatic Center is on May 26 from noon to 4 pm to kick off the pool season. The City’s other aquatic centers open for the season as well, including Castlewood, Tates Creek and Woodland.
Run, walk, and wag at the 2018 Woodford Wag on May 26. Sign up for the 5K cross country race or the 2K dog walk and enjoy the trails around Falling Springs Park in Versailles. This event benefits Woodford Humane Society. For safety reasons, dogs are not allowed on the 5K course.
Monday May 28
May 28 is Memorial Day, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Visit HamburgJournal.com to see what’s open and what’s closed. Thursday May 31
The Great American Brass Festival preserves brass band music and explores its cultural influences through a variety of programs and presentations, featuring the best brass musicians in the world. May 31 through June 3 in Danville, KY.
St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Country Fair 2018 starts on May 31 and runs through June 3. It will include the annual Run for the Nun 5k, live music through the weekend, a country fair carnival, funnel cakes, and one of Lexington’s largest annual family yard sales.
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This article also appears on page 18 of the May 2018 print edition of Hamburg Journal.
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