August 16th – August 22nd
Welcome back to The Louisville Plug.
This week the biggest event on the Louisville calendar finally arrives. We've got the Kentucky State Fair kicking off an 11 day run, a Tony winning musical at the Kentucky Center, 2,000 horses at Freedom Hall, and Louisville's first Magnolia Bakery opening in NuLu.
Most importantly: it has been brutally hot out, so we got you a free mow. Skip the yard work and stay in the AC.
Inside this issue:
🌯 The Local Rec: A modern Mexican spot with great drinks and even better tacos.
⚜️ What's Happening in Lou: The Kentucky State Fair, The Outsiders at Whitney Hall, the World's Championship Horse Show, and the Magnolia Bakery opening.
💸 Insider Perks: Your first mow free with Rad Dads Lawn Care.
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:
Stephanie Richie @ she.stewards
If you're not following Stephanie, you are really missing out! She's a Louisville based digital creator and stay at home mom with 38K followers who built her audience by keeping it completely real. She is all about mom life, style, wellness, and the kind of humor that makes you feel like you're texting a friend. Between chasing her boy around and squeezing in trips whenever real life allows, her rec’s come from someone who actually lives in this city and knows what's worth the time. This week's is no exception.
Their Rec: Guacamole
Why they love it:
"If you know me, you know I’m a creature of habit when it comes to good food and Guacamole is the place we keep going back to over and over again. Living in New Albany, it’s just such an easy go to for us.”
“My husband and I love doing date nights there. The atmosphere is fun and welcoming, the service is always great, and the drinks are seriously out of this world. It’s one of those places where you sit down and immediately feel like you picked the right spot.”
“We’re such foodies and this place just hits every time. Fresh food, great energy, and a vibe that keeps us coming back.”
Photo of Stephanie at Guacamole
The go-to order:
“My favorite dish is the chicken tinga tacos and I order them almost every time. The flavor is so good and everything always tastes so fresh. I love how colorful the plates are too, it just feels different and more elevated than your typical dinner out.”
Large and colorful dinner spread
Be sure to follow @she.stewards on Instagram and let Stephanie know if you make it out to Guacamole this week!
⚜️ What’s Happening in Lou?
We curate 4 events worth your time each week.
🗓️ Thursday, August 20th – Sunday, August 30th
📍 Kentucky Exposition Center, Phillips Ln
💸 Advance admission from $9 (includes parking) / Kids 5 & under FREE
The biggest event on the Louisville calendar is finally here, and one $9 ticket unlocks basically all of it. Eleven days of livestock shows, exhibits, competitions, family entertainment, all the fair food you can handle, and more than 50 rides in Thrill Ville. This year the fair is celebrating America's 250th birthday with special exhibits, themed competitions, patriotic photo ops, and live mural paintings throughout the grounds.
The Texas Roadhouse Concert Series runs nightly in Lot L with gates at 6:30pm and music at 8pm, all included with admission. Opening week brings Cooper Alan with JD Shelburne on Thursday, Midnight Star with Digital Underground on Friday, and Black Stone Cherry with The Goldy lockS Band on Saturday. Advance tickets are $9 online, at the Expo Center Ticket Office, or at participating Kroger locations, and a Thrill Ville unlimited ride wristband runs an extra $30. Only BEERFEST and select Horse Show performances cost extra.
🗓️ Tuesday, August 18th
📍 Magnolia Bakery, 620 E Market St, NuLu
💸 Free
Louisville's first Magnolia Bakery is officially opening in NuLu, and you can be there for the very first day. The ribbon cutting kicks off at 8:30am with Louisville native and local franchise owner Alex Nessenthaler, alongside Magnolia Bakery's CEO, Chief Brand & Baking Officer, and team. Doors open to the public at 9am, so grab a spot in line early.
If you're not familiar, Magnolia Bakery has been a New York institution since 1996 and their banana pudding has developed a genuinely obsessive following. Everything is freshly baked in small batches by the store team, so expect cupcakes, cakes, and plenty of reasons to make East Market Street your Tuesday morning stop. This is the kind of opening people talk about for weeks. Be one of the first through the door.
🗓️ Tuesday, August 18th – Sunday, August 23rd
📍 Whitney Hall, The Kentucky Center
💸 Ticketed
The 2024 Tony winner for Best Musical lands at The Kentucky Center, and it more than earns the hype. Adapted from S.E. Hinton's novel and Francis Ford Coppola's film, the story follows Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade, and their Greaser family in 1967 Tulsa as they clash with their affluent rivals the Socs and try to find their place in a world that may never accept them. Music and lyrics come from Jamestown Revival and Justin Levine, with a book by Adam Rapp and direction from Tony winner Danya Taymor.
Four Tony Awards from twelve nominations tells you what kind of production this is. With eight performances across six days, including a two show Saturday, there's a slot that fits just about any schedule. If you only catch one Broadway run in Louisville this year, make it this one.
🗓️ Saturday, August 22nd – Saturday, August 29th | Opening night @ 7pm
📍 Freedom Hall, Kentucky Exposition Center
💸 Ticketed (select performances not included with fair admission)
This is about as Kentucky as it gets. More than 2,000 horses compete each year at the World's Championship Horse Show in Freedom Hall, drawing spectators from all over the globe. It is the premier American Saddlebred competition on the planet, with horses competing across several divisions and dozens of classes, so there is always something happening in the ring.
Running alongside the State Fair makes it easy to fold into a day at the Expo Center, and it is one of the most visually stunning things you can see in this city all year. One heads up before you go: some performances require a separate ticket beyond standard fair admission, so check the schedule first.
💸 Insider Perks
Exclusive deals only for Louisville Plug readers.
🌱 First Mow Free with Rad Dads Lawn Care
Let's be honest, nobody wants to be out pushing a mower in this heat. Louisville summers are brutal and the humidity has been relentless lately, so this is the perfect time to hand the yard off to someone else and stay in the air conditioning.
Rad Dads is run by two local dads, one a former teacher and the other a former firefighter, who traded the classroom and the fire station for the great outdoors. They started the business because they missed serving the community and, in their words, they just really love a perfectly striped lawn. That care shows up in the work, and they treat every yard like it belongs to a neighbor, because usually it does.
Right now Louisville Plug readers get their first mow free. Book four cuts and you only pay for three. That is a full month of a sharp looking yard for the price of three weeks, and an easy way to test them out before committing to anything long term.
The Deal: First mow free when you book out our cuts!
How to claim it: Call or text 502-432-0565 and mention The Louisville Plug for a free estimate!
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— The Louisville Plug