July 19th – July 25th
Welcome back to The Louisville Plug.
This week Louisville is absolutely loaded. We've got $5 or less bites at the Street Food Festival, history on the pitch as LouCity hosts a national team, and back to back throwback rock nights at the Iroquois with Bush and Band of Horses.
Most importantly: A cozy downtown spot that Brooke McIntosh says you need on your list immediately.
Inside this issue:
🍖 The Local Rec: A cozy, lively downtown favorite with a po' boy worth the trip via @thebrookemcintosh.
⚜️ What's Happening in Lou: The Street Food Festival, LouCity vs Trinidad & Tobago, Band of Horses & Dinosaur Jr., and Bush with Hoobastank.
💸 Insider Perks: Happy hour deals at CASK Southern Kitchen and 15% off Angelino's Coffee.
Okay, now let's get into this week. 👇
🍖 The Local Rec
A Louisville local’s food rec, every week.
This week’s rec comes from:
Brooke McIntosh @ thebrookemcintosh
If you’ve ever laughed at a “school nurse story” on your feed, chances are you’ve come across Brooke McIntosh. A Louisville based mom and travel nurse, Brooke shares the real, hilarious, and heartwarming moments of elementary school life plus the chaotic behind the scenes of motherhood.
Her content blends everyday humor with makeup, hair, outfit, and home inspiration but at the core, it’s about appreciating the little moments.
She’s also the founder of Virelle, an elevated performance wear brand launching soon. Designed for strength, softness, and real life. The pieces are built to move with you while reminding you to wear your worth.
Louisville creativity + motherhood + entrepreneurship all in one.
Give her a follow and keep an eye out for @wearvirelle's launch!
Their Rec: Doc Crow’s
Why they love it:
"We just went and it was so good - the atmosphere is cozy and lively, and everything we ordered was incredible.”
Her Go-To order:
“We started with the pomegranate margarita and the maple old fashioned, plus the Bavarian pretzel (it was huge and the cheese was to die for).”
“Sam always gets their signature po’ boy with fries, and I had the beef brisket sandwich with succotash that honestly kept me full until dinner the next day.”
“We were too stuffed for dessert, but if we had room, we definitely would’ve ordered the warm bread pudding and crème brûlée.”
Signature Po’ boy and Beef Brisket
Thank you Brooke for the rec! I am incredibly hungry after reading over her review and can’t wait to get out to Doc Crow’s.
Be sure to follow thebrookemcintosh on Instagram and let her know if you try out Doc Crow’s this week.
⚜️ What’s Happening in Lou?
We curate 3 events worth your time each week.
🗓️ Saturday, July 25th – Sunday, July 26th | GA 2pm – 8pm (VIP early entry @ 12pm)
📍 Fourth Street Live!, S 4th St
💸 GA from ~$8 / All food items $5 or less
Cheap eats, big fun. The 4th annual Louisville Street Food Festival takes over Fourth Street Live and an entire city block with 20+ of the area's best food trucks and restaurants, and here's the kicker: every single food item is priced at $5 or less. Food runs on a voucher system (sheets of 5 for $5, cash only at the stations to keep lines moving), so bring cash and come hungry.
Beyond the food there's live entertainment, axe throwing, mechanical bull riding, wild eating challenges, cooking demos, a vendor market, and family friendly activities all day. Want the upgrade? VIP gets you 2 hour early entry at noon, a private area with private bathrooms and a bar, a free chocolate fountain, $20 in food vouchers, and an axe-throwing voucher. Rain or shine, and one of the most budget friendly days of the summer.
🗓️ Saturday, July 25th @ 8pm (Gates @ 6:30pm)
📍 Lynn Family Stadium, Adams St
💸 Ticketed
This is history on the pitch. Louisville City FC hosts the Trinidad and Tobago men's national team in the club's first ever friendly against a senior national team, and it's a genuinely rare chance to catch international soccer right here in Louisville. Gates open 90 minutes early for happy hour, and the Fan Zone at the north end brings inflatables, mini-pitch soccer, sponsor activations, and family friendly fun before kickoff.
Every dollar from ticket sales goes directly back into the club, so showing up actually matters here. The rallying cry from LouCity is simple: sell it out and wear purple. Let's pack the house for this one.
🗓️ Wednesday, July 22nd @ 8pm
📍 Iroquois Amphitheater, Amphitheater Rd
💸 Ticketed (from ~$52)
Alt-rock fans, clear your Wednesday. Band of Horses and Dinosaur Jr. share the stage at the gorgeous outdoor Iroquois Amphitheater, presented by 91.9 WFPK. Band of Horses is celebrating the 20th anniversary of their landmark debut Everything All The Time, so expect the classics like "The Funeral" and "The Great Salt Lake," while Dinosaur Jr. brings their legendary fuzzed out indie rock to round out the night.
It's a dream double bill for millennial and Gen X music fans, played out under the stars in one of the most scenic venues in the city. If indie and alt are your lane, this one's a can't miss.
🗓️ Tuesday, July 21st @ 7:30pm
📍 Iroquois Amphitheater, Amphitheater Rd
💸 Ticketed
Get ready for a full-on '90s and 2000s rock nostalgia trip. Bush, the post grunge legends behind "Glycerine," "Comedown," and "Machinehead," headline the Iroquois Amphitheater with Hoobastank and their unmistakable hit "The Reason" in support. It's a sing along at the top of your lungs kind of night under the stars, built for the Gen X and elder-millennial crowd.
Pair it with Band of Horses the very next night and the Iroquois Amphitheater is officially the place to be this week. Two nights, two throwback lineups, one beautiful outdoor venue.
💸 Insider Perks
Exclusive deals only for Louisville Plug readers.
Get 15% Off Coffee Pods Roasted Days Ago
Angelino's roasts, grinds, and seals 50+ specialty coffees in-house at their LA roastery, then ships within days. Mix and match to unlock up to 34% off — and new customers get 15% off on top, applied automatically. No code, no subscription required.
If you haven't posted up at CASK yet, this is your excuse. Their recurring happy hour runs Tuesday through Friday from 3 to 6pm with $6 select cocktails and house wines, $1 off draft beers, and $1 off select appetizers. It's the perfect low key way to kick off an evening downtown without spending a fortune. Chef's menus rotate weekly, so check their site or Instagram to see what's fresh before you go.
🔁 Share This Newsletter
Know someone in Louisville still figuring out what to do?
Forward this email to them! It helps the newsletter grow and we greatly appreciate it!
📣 Want to advertise with The Louisville Plug?
If you're a local business looking to reach thousands of engaged Louisville locals, we'd love to work with you. Whether it's a featured spot, an exclusive reader deal, or a sponsored issue, just reply to this email and we'll send over the details.
Thanks for reading!
— The Louisville Plug