by Jay Voskuhl
ARTS/CULTURE
June
10 – July 29 Loudoun House Gallery 209 Castlewood Drive, 254-7024. Lexington Art League Summer Open, reception June 19th.
26 Kentucky Folk Art Center 102 West First St, Morehead, 606/783-2204. Grand opening/Building dedication. Housed in a former railroad building, Morehead’s new folk art center contains some pretty strange stuff (pictured above:The Temptation by Edgar Tolson). From the fundamentalist interpretational to those damn chicken people, it’s art without attitude.
July
3-5 Louisville Visual Arts Association 3005 Upper River Rd, Louisville, 502/896-2146. Annual Watertower blues festival, featuring music (blues), food, and original art for sale.
5-August 23 University of Kentucy Art Museum Euclid Ave, 257-5716. New Acquisitions : Photogragphs by Ansel Adams.
10-12 Berea Craft Festival Berea, 800/598-5263. Over 115 craftspeople from 20 states exhibit their work in the beautiful wooded setting of Indian Fort Theater.
August
6-9 Ballet Under the Stars Woodland Park, 288-2900. Presented by Parks and Recreation in the wake of the Lexington Ballet’s dissolution, this event is a summer tradition at Woodland Park and, particularly this year, should not be missed.
15 -16 Woodland Arts Fair Woodland Park, 254-7024. More than 100 artists and craftspeople from across the country gather to exhibit their art in the park.
23 Headley-Whitney Museum Ice Cream Social 4435 Old Frankfort Pike, 255-6653. This annual event features art demonstrations, face painting, and live music.
8-26 Lexington Shakespeare Festival UK Arboretum, 257-9339. Whether you’re a star crosser or a star gazer, the Arboretum makes a fine outdoor amphitheater.
EVENTS, FAIRS and FESTS
June
19-21 The Bluegrass Classic Open Stockdog Trial Masterson Station Park, 606/ 987-9953. This is the play the movie Babe was based on. It’s one of the longest running and most prestigious Border Collie trials in the country. Remember though, animals can’t really talk. FREE.
20-21 A Taste of Kentucky Fort Boonesborough State Park, 606/527-3131. Catfish, gator, barbeque, beer cheese, and burgers comprise the menu for this feast of favorites that, while not dredged from the floor of the Kentucky River, are available in the dining establishments along the river basin.
July
1-4 Fourth of July Festival Downtown Lexington, 258-3123. Music and live entertainment will be provided along with arts and crafts, a parade, and drinking in the streets! (Don’t miss the Bluegrass 10,000.)
4 Realm of the Bison Daniel Boone National Forest, 606/663-2852. Participants are invited to observe the buffalo that currently reside at the Gladie Creek Historic Site. A study of local buffalo history will follow.
24-26 Wild Horse and Burro Adoption Expo Kentucky Horse Park, 233-4303. Approximately 100 wild horses and burros will be offered for adoption. The expo also features educational clinics and a horse show for previously adopted mustangs. These majestic animals will drag you away from your air-conditioned bubble.
August
11-15 Kentucky State Fair Fairgrounds, Louisville, 502/367-5005. The pride of Kentucky draws more than 600,000 visitors with attractions including rooster crowing contests and pig racing. Top name concerts are also planned.
27-30 Bluegrass Classic Dog Show Kentucky Horse Park, 606/527-3865. The horse park hosts four days of A.K.C. sanctioned all-breed conformation and obedience competitions.
MOVIES
June
X-Files starring David Duchovny, Gillian Anderson, directed by Rob Bowman. Truth’s still out there. ‘Bout time they found it.
Doctor Doolittle starring Eddie Murphy, directed by Betty Thomas. Remake.
A Perfect Murder starring Michael Douglas, Gwyneth Paltrow, directed by Andrew Davis. Remake of Hitchcock’s Dial M for Murder.
The Truman Show starring Jim Carrey, Ed Harris, directed by Peter Weir. Combines 1984, The Real World, and Boy in the Plastic Bubble.
Buffalo ’66 starring Vincent Gallo, Mickey Rourke, directed by Vincent Gallo. Very indie.
Smoke Signals starring Adam Beach, Evan Adams, directed by Chris Eyre. Comedy on an Indian reservation, a Sundance darling.
July
Lethal Weapon 4 starring Mel Gibson, Chris Rock, directed by Richard Donner.
Armageddon starring Bruce Willis, Billy Bob Thornton, directed by Michael Bay. It’s the end of the world as we know it-or was that Deep Impact?
The Parent Trap starring Dennis Quaid, directed by Nancy Meyers. Remake.
Mask of Zorro starring Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, directed by Martin Campbell. Resurrected character.
Saving Private Ryan starring Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, directed by Steven Speilberg. Ted Danson co-stars, not so indie. Oscar buzz.
There’s Something About Mary starring Cameron Diaz, Ben Stiller, directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly. Shot in color by the “creative team” behind Dumb and Dumber.
August
The Avengers starring Ralph Fiennes, Uma Thurman, Sean Connery, directed by Jeremiah Chechik. Television series becomes a movie.
Ever After starring Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, directed by Andy Tennant. Retelling of Cinderella.
Virus starring Jamie Lee Curtis, William Baldwin, directed by John Bruno. Comic book adaptation (not a remake of Outbreak).
Blade starring Wesley Snipes, Stephen Dorff, directed by Stephen Norrington. Comic book adaptation.
Snake Eyes starring Nicholas Cage, Gary Sinise, directed by Brian De Palma. Atlantic City casino sets stage for an assassination.
54 starring Mike Myers, Salma Hayek, directed by Mark Christopher. Notorious night clubbing and Myers’ first dramatic role.
Slums of Beverly Hills starring Marisa Tomei, Carl Reiner, directed by Tamara Jenkins. Dark comedy with cult potential.
MUSIC FESTIVALS
June
11-14 Festival of the Bluegrass Kentucky Horse Park Campground, 606/846-4995. Bluegrass music, camping – who needs electricity? Top Bluegrass bands gather from all over for this annual event.
12-14 The Great American Brass Band Festival Centre College, Danville, 800/755-0076. Danville, recently selected by Time magazine as one of America’s top ten small towns, hosts this barrage of brass. Men will inevitably wear garters on their sleeves and mousse their mustaches. FREE.
13-21 W.C. Handy Blues and Barbeque Festival Henderson, 502/827-1852. Headlining this event will be Koko Taylor and her Blues Machine. Barbeque cooking contests and an open tennis tournament are also planned. Tennis racket guitar solos are prohibited. FREE.
July
4 Lilith Fair Deer Creek, 812/776-3337. Lilith founder Sarah McClachlan, the Indigo Girls, and Sinead O’Connor head up this installment of the fair. Tickets are $24 and up.
3-5 Louisville Visual Arts Association 3005 Upper River Rd, Louisville, 502/896-2146. Annual Watertower blues festival. Featuring music (blues), food, and original art for sale.
16 Ozzfest Deer Creek, 812/776-3337. There’s something about metal in the summer-Ozzie gets his brown M&Ms refrigerated, then meticulously warmed to just below room temperature. This year’s line-up includes Tool, Megadeth, and more. Tickets are $25 and up.
16 -18 Master Musician’s Festival Somerset, 606/678-2225. Paying special tribute to the Masters, those musicians who have reached the age of 50 and continue to entertain, this festival boasts Psychograss (pictured), Alpha Yaya Diallo, and Nils Lofgren among featured performers. Noticeably absent, however, is that guy from Kuchi Guru. Tickets are $12.50 in advance, $15 at the gate.
22 HORDE Festival Riverbend, 513/562-4949. Blues Traveler and Smashing Pumpkins co-headline this former hippie-Lollapalooza-inspired event. Tickets are $31.50 and up.
August
6-8 Big Hill Bluegrass Festival Berea, 800/598-5263. Berea, a fine venue for bluegrass, plays host to this assemblage of the region’s best.
8 Lilith Fair Riverbend, 513/562-4949. Boasting a different line-up than the Deer reek date, this one features Natalie Merchant, Emmylou Harris, and Luscious Jackson. Ticket are $28.50 and up.
22 Music in the Air Festival Berea, 800/265-9040. Indian Fort Theater hosts this event.
28-30 Kenlake’s Hot August Blues Festival Kenlake State Resort Park, 800/325-0143.
29 Lexington Independent Music Conference, 245-2598. Florida’s Hot Water Music and Blacktop Cadence co-headline this emo-laden event.
MUSIC
(Shows, announced at press)
June
11 Junior Brown/The Blue Moon Boys Phoenix Hill Tavern, 644 Baxter Ave, Louisvillle, 502/589-4957.
16 Dave Alvin/ Big Sandy Lynaghs, 388 Woodland Ave, 255-6614.
18 Jimmie Dale Gilmore Lynaghs, 388 Woodland Ave, 255-6614.
19 Ronnie Dawson Lynaghs, 388 Woodland Ave, 255-6614.
25 George Clinton A1A, 367 E Main St, 231-7263. The man personally responsible for the success of the entire Deathrow catalog returns to Lexington for what promises to be a much more spacious show than his last. The fire marshall hopes so.
28 Mephiskapheles/OB1 Ripley’s, 2507 W Clifton Ave Cincinnati, 513/751-9011. Ska comes to Cincinnati.
July
10 Man or Astroman? Sudsy Malone’s, 2626 Vine St, Cincinnati, 513/751-9011. Your price of admission includes a complimentary Star Crunch.
12 B-52s/Pretenders Riverbend, 513/562-4949. Cashing in on ’80s nostalgia, this will most likely spawn a legion of imitators. Watch for the Marshall Crenshaw/Sigue Sigue Sputnik co-headlining extravaganza.
18 Unsane/Today is the Day Sudsy Malone’s, 2626 Vine St, Cincinnati, 513/751-9011. Paying special tribute to nothing really, except timpanic-membrane-aching noise, this bill features Am/Rep’s finest.
23 The British Rock Symphony with Roger Daltrey Riverbend, 513/562-4949. Roger sings along to fully orchestrated Brit-rock standards. Tickets are $17.50 and up.
25 Wesley Willis Sudsy Malone’s, 2626 Vine St, Cincinnati, 513/751-9011.
MUSIC
(RECORD RELEASES)
June
Brian Setzer Orchestra Dirty Boogie (Interscope); The Simpsons Sunday Night Fever: More Original Music From the Television Series (Rhino); Various Artists Have a Nice Decade: The 70s Pop Culture Box (Rhino); Tom Waits Beautiful Maladies (Island); Brian Wilson Imagination (Giant/Revolution); Guided By Voices Watch Me Jumpstart (Matador); Paul K. Wilderness Of Mirrors (Alias); Robert Pollard Waved Out (Matador); Tuatara Trading With the Enemy (Epic); Wilco with Billy Bragg Mermaid Avenue (Elektra); Cowboy Junkies Miles From Our Home (Geffen); Rancid Life Won’t Wait (Epitaph); Social Distortion Live At the Roxy (Time Bomb).
July
The Pixies At the BBC (4AD/Elektra); Beastie Boys Hello Nasty (Capitol/Grand Royal); Primus Rhinoplasty (Interscope); A Tribe Called Quest The Love Movement (Jive).
August
Liz Phair whitechocolatespaceegg (Matador/Capitol); Eliott Smith XO (Dreamworks); Snoop Dogg Da Game Is to Be Sold, Not to Be Told (No Limit); South Park Original television soundtrack (Columbia); Various Artists Clash Tribute (Epic).
OUTDOORS & SPORTS
June
Date TBA Sequel to last year’s “Board in Lexington” Woodland Park, 288-2923. When one 12-year-old participant was asked to comment on last year’s Board in Lexington skate park benefit, he replied simply, “Too many cops.”
July
4 Fourth of July Festival Downtown Lexington, 258-3123. The Bluegrass 10,000 race anchors the town’s Independence Day Festivities.
7-August 14 Cincinnati Bengals Summer Training Camp Georgetown College, 502/863-7080. The most state-of-the-art training facility in the United States hosts the Bengals in their second year at Georgetown. Special activities for children will be held in conjunction with the training camp. The Bengals play football, an exotic new sport alien to Central Kentucky.
24-26 Bluegrass State Games Lexington, 800/722-2474. For Kentucky residents only, the games are a multi-level amateur athletic event for all ages.
TBA McConnell Springs Lexington, 225-4073. Several themed ‘walks’ are scheduled throughout the summer. Topics include geology, botany, and history. Participants will learn about karst topography, hydrology, and the site’s unique cultural heritage. Call for dates.
August
3-9 1998 Fifth Third Bank Tennis Championship Lexington, 224-2276. Held at UK’s newly completed stadium courts, this tournament attracts players from the ATP tour, call for details.
15 Midsummer Night’s Run Downtown Lexington, 275-6665. Sponsored by Central Baptist Hospital and designed to promote fitness, it’s kinda strange to wonder downtown and find so many people there.
