In the Summertime…
Lexington’s Staycation Summer Guide 2024
Welcome to Lexington, Kentucky’s Annual Summer Guide for 2024.
Every year since 1989, Ace has published an Annual Summer Guide, Fall Guide, and Holiday Guide, along with the annual Real Best of Lexington.
When Ace’s very first Summer Guide rolled off the presses (in black and white newsprint, no less) in the 80s, Google was another ten years in the making and the iPhone wouldn’t roll out for two more decades. Social Media wasn’t a thing, the internet was barely a thing, and we rode downtown on horseback when we wanted to hear live music at Thursday Night Live. (Of course we didn’t. TNL didn’t exist in the 80s.)
It was easy to lose track of what was happening and when back then. Sometimes, it still is.
Today, we do all have 748 digital reminders at our literal fingertips all day everyday (and of course, all of our calendars and guides are available online, in full digital glory), but sometimes you just want to plan the entire Summer — at a glance. You want to know where the funnelcakes are.
From live music to movie series and dozens of Fairs and Fests, Lexington has something for everyone, in every neighborhood, every day this summer.
*As always, times and dates are subject to change. Confirm with the venue.
ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
JUN 21 Maserati Mingle, Summit
JUN 22 Paint the Town, downtown Lex
JUN 22 Mom-Mom’s Lavender & Crafts Festival 1 pm (1061 S. Cleveland Rd)
JUL 12 Berea Craft Festival
JUL 20 Concours d’Elegance, Keeneland
JUL 31 Ballet Under the Stars, Woodland Park (thru Aug 4)
AUG 10 Picnic with the Pops, Keeneland
AUG 17 Woodland Art Fair
Lexington’s annual downtown plein air painting event, Paint the Town is June 22, 2024. Artists will spend the day painting cityscapes throughout downtown Lexington.
Comedy
JUN 1 Sam Morrill, Comedy Off Broadway
JUN 12 Daniel Tosh, Louisville Palace
JUN 13 Wanda Sykes, Lexington Opera House
JUN 20 Josh Blue, Comedy Off Broadway
JUN 21 Jim Norton, Lexington Opera House
JUN 30 David Spade, Lexington Opera House
JUL 18 Trey Kennedy, Lexington Opera House
JUL 28 Brett Goldstein (of Ted Lasso), Taft (Cinci)
AUG 9 Kevin Smith, Lexington Opera House
SEP 6 Iliza Shlesinger, Louisville Palace
SEP 14 Kathleen Madigan, Lexington Opera House
SEP 20 Steve Martin & Martin Short, Louisville Palace
SEP 20 Martin Lawrence, KFC Yum (Louisville)
OCT 21 David Sedaris, Lexington Opera House
OCT 26 Dane Cook, Cinci
NOV 2 Jim Gaffigan, Taft Theatre (Cinci)
Eat & Drink
JUN 8 Beer Cheese Festival, Winchester
JUN 14 SoulFeast Week, Lexington (thru Jun 23)
JUN 15 Kentucky Wine and Vine Fest, Nicholasville
JUN 22 Annual Ashland Lawn Party, Ashland Henry Clay Estate
JUL 18 Lexington Restaurant Week (thru July 28)
FAIRS + FESTS
JUN 6 Bluegrass Fair begins
JUN 13 Harrodsburg’s 250th Anniversary Festival
JUN 22 Mom-Mom’s Lavender & Crafts Festival 1061 S. Cleveland Rd)
JUN 29 Pride, Lexington
JUN 29 Kentucky Craft Bash Beer Festival, Louisville
JUL 4 Lexington’s July 4th Festival
JUL 12 Berea Craft Festival
AUG 10 Small Town America Festival, Mt. Sterling
SEP Festival of the Horse, Georgetown
SEP Midway Fall Festival
The Annual Mom-Mom’s Lavender & Crafts Festival is at 1061 S. Cleveland Rd and will benefit Paws for the Cause. (See page 18.)
HOME AND GARDEN
JUN 9 Kenwick Bungalow Tour
JUL 20 Grand Tour of Homes
JUL 27 Bluegrass Iris Society Iris Sale, Lexington Green
AUG 24 Tour of Remodeled Homes
HORSE
JUNE Polo practices and matches begin, KY Horse Park
JUL 8 Lexington’s Junior League Horse Show begins, KY Horse Park
JUL 12 Breyerfest, KY Horse Park
JUL 27 Hats off to Kentucky Horses Day, KY Horse Park
JULY Live Racing, Red Mile
SEP 6 Festival of the Horse, Georgetown
SEP 9 Keeneland’s September Yearling Sales begin
OCT 4 Keeneland Fall Meet begins
LIVE MUSIC
BIG BAND & JAZZ
Big Band & Jazz is Lexington’s longest running and outdoor concert series held weekly from 7-8:30 pm at Moondance in June and Ecton Park in July.
Moondance Amphitheater
JUN 4 Keith McAlily Quartet with Kirby Davis
JUN 11 Miles Osland Little Big Band
JUN 18 Lee Carroll’s C the Beat
JUN 25 Walnut Street Ramblers
JUL 2 Lexington Summer Concert Band
Ecton Park
JUL 9 Tim Lake and the Blue Jazz Persuaders
JUL 16 DOJO – DiMartino Osland Jazz Orchestra
JUL 23 Brett Evans Trombone Orchestra
JUL 30 Mark Gardner
AUG 6 Marlin McKay Quintet
AUG 13 RPM Quintet
SOUTHLAND JAMBOREE
The Southland Jamboree concerts at Moondance are free, 7pm Thursdays at Moondance Amphitheatre, Beaumont Center in Lexington Kentucky.
JUN 6 Ida Clare
JUN 13 Fast Track
JUN 20 Custom Made Bluegrass
JUN 27 Rounder’s Station
JUL 4 Mash Grass
JUL 11 Hammertowne
JUL 18 West Liberty Mountain Boys
JUL 25 Fenced In
AUG 1 Cane Run Bluegrass
AUG 8 Bibelhauser Brothers
AUG 15 Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers
AUG 22 Coaltown Dixie
AUG 29 String Roots Trio
SUMMER NIGHTS IN SUBURBIA
Summer Nights in Suburbia brings a variety of local and regional acts to Moondance Amphitheater each summer. Attendees are invited to enjoy the free concerts, bring their own picnics, or purchase food and drinks from local vendors. Summer Nights shows begin at 7 pm.
JUN 7 Born Cross Eyed
JUN 21 The New Developments
JUL 5 Red, White & Blues with TD Young
JUL 19 NVRMND
AUG 2 The Minks
AUG 16 Honeychild
AUG 30 Vinyl Richie
THURSDAY NIGHT LIVE
Central Bank Thursday Night Live returns to Fifth Third Bank Pavilion in downtown Lexington on Thursday evenings from 5-8 pm.
JUN 6 64 West
JUN 13 Five Below Band
JUN 20 Positive Movement Band
JUN 27 Lauren Mink
JUL 11 Bedford Band
JUL18 The BANDj Experience
JUL 25 Brett Higgins & the Family
AUG 1 The Twiggenburys
AUG 8 The Ranahans
AUG 15 The Tim Talbert Project
AUG 22 Kenny Owens & Group Therapy
AUG 29 Blacktop Rodeo
SEP 5 Mercy Men
SEP 12 Big Maracas
SEP 19 Witness Protection
SEP 26 Rewind Band
OCT 3 Rebel Without a Cause
OCT 10 Vinyl Richie
CONCERTS, TOURS AND MUSIC FESTIVALS
JUN 1 The Great American Brass Band Festival, Danville
JUN 1 Railbird (Sat & Sun), Red Mile
JUN 6 Spirit in the Bluegrass Music Fest, KY Horse Park
JUN 7 Southern Culture on the Skids, The Burl
JUN 15 Tim McGraw, Rupp Arena
JUN 17 John Oates, Lyric Theatre
JUN 19 John Hiatt, Lexington Opera House
JUN 20 Lucinda Williams, Kentucky Theatre
JUN 20 New Kids on the Block, Riverbend (Cinci)
JUN 22 Janet Jackson, Riverbend (Cinci)
JUN 28 Santana |Counting Crows, Riverbend (Cinci)
JUL 2 Third Eye Blind, Riverbend (Cinci)
JUL 5 Red Hot Chili Peppers, Riverbend (Cinci)
JUL 9 Justin Timberlake, Rupp Arena
JUL 17 Ben Folds Lexington Opera House
JUL 18 Master Musicians Festival, Somerset
JUL 24 Olivia Rodrigo, Rupp Arena
JUL 24 Alanis Morissette, Riverbend (Cinci)
AUG 1 Blink 182, Rupp Arena
AUG 18 ABBA Tribute, Lexington Opera House
AUG 27 Steve Earle, Lexington Opera House
AUG 29 Cirque Du Soleil Rupp Arena
AUG 30 Cage the Elephant, Riverbend (Cinci)
SEP 6 Jason Isbell | Alejandro Escovedo Rupp Arena
SEP 10 Joan Osborne, Kentucky Theatre
OCT 26 The Avett Brothers, Rupp Arena
MOVIES
Film Fests
JUL 12 Harry Dean Stanton Film Festival
Beginning in 2011, the Lexington Film League has hosted a non-profit festival in honor of Harry Dean Stanton in the state where he was born. The annual festival utilizes various venues throughout downtown Lexington for screenings, speakers, concerts, and Harry Dean Stanton related events. The 2024 fest honors Harry’s love of music with films that are musician themed and/or soundtrack heavy.
Freaky Fridays
The Kentucky Theatre presents ‘Freaky Fridays’ to satisfy your cravings for cult film, once a month, at 10 pm.
JUN 21 John Waters’ Desperate Living
JUL 19 The Man Who Fell to Earth
AUG 23 Ms. 45
SEP 20 Weekend
Free Friday Flicks at Jacobson Park
Friday Flicks offers an evening of activities and a movie beginning Fridays in June. Pre-movie activities include children’s games, free temporary tattoos, petting zoo, non-profits, and a preshow themed around that night’s movie. Activities begin at 7 p.m. with the movie starting at dark.
JUN 7 Wonka
JUN 14 Trolls Band Together
JUN 21 Migration
JUN 28 Super Mario Brothers
Movie Clubs at the Lexington Public Library
Lexington’s Downtown Public Library is home to the Farish Theatre, which programs a series of movies all summer long, like the International Movie Club, and the Classic Literature Film Series. Check with the Library to confirm times.
JUN 9 Translator for Peace
JUN 10 Of an Age (Australian)
JUN 17 La Cage aux Folles
JUL 1 Lady Macbeth
JUL 15 The Hate U Give
JUL 29 Belfast
Summer Classics
For two decades, The Kentucky Theatre has screened classic films 
every Wednesday (matinee and evening) from late May until early September. Over the years, this summer series has proved to be a perennial favorite. Each movie will include a Wednesday matinee and a Wednesday evening show.
JUN 5 Desk Set
JUN 12 Auntie Mame
JUN 19 Snow White
JUN 26 ET
JUL 3 The Red Shoes
JUL 10 Taxi Driver
JUL 17 Jurassic Park
JUL 24 The Third Man
JUL 31 The Jerk
AUG 7 Rebecca
AUG 14 To Sir, with Love
AUG 21 Cinema Paradiso
AUG 28 Rocky
SEP 4 The Big Lebowski
Lexington Sports Summer 2024
Golf
JUN 14 Lexington Men’s Senior City Championship
JUN 20 Junior City Championship, Kearney Hill
JUL 11 The Kentucky Championship formerly known as Barbasol
JUL 12 Men’s City Championship
SEP 17 Women’s City Championship
The Kentucky Championship – previously known as the Barbasol Championship – is an official FedExCup event on the PGA TOUR schedule. Formerly known as the Barbasol, the Kentucky Championship is July 11-14 at Champions at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville, Kentucky, just outside of Lexington.
Run for It
JUN 1 Run for the Nun 5k, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton
JUN 8 Mutt Strutt
JUN 15 Wild Hearts Superhero 5k
JUL 4 Bluegrass 10,000
JUL 19 Distillery Dash
AUG 10 Midsummer Night’s Run
OCT 13 Iron Horse Half Marathon
Lexington’s 2024 Ace Summer Guide appears on pages 6 through 11 of the June 2024 issue of Ace. Flip through the digital version of the June 2024 Summer Guide here. To subscribe to digital delivery of the print edition of Ace, click here. To join the Ace Eats out Facebook group, click here.
