Where to catch the best fireworks in Louisville this weekend 🎆

Welcome back to The Louisville Plug.

This week the city is bringing the heat with festivals, fireworks, and one of the best Fourth of July weekends of the year. We've got Louisville's massive A250 celebration at the waterfront, the beloved Crescent Hill festival, an early kickoff out at Riverview, and a food-and-music Fourth in Paristown.

Most importantly: a hidden gem Mexican spot that you need on your radar immediately.

Inside this issue:

Okay, now let's get into this week. 👇

The Louisville Plug is lucky to have readers who know good spots when they find them, and this week one of you came through with a great one. Sometimes the best recs come from the people quietly exploring the city and paying attention, no follower count required.

Got a spot you think deserves the Local Rec treatment? Just reply to this email and let us know. You might see it featured in an upcoming issue.

🗓️ Saturday, July 4th | 5pm – 10pm (Fireworks @ 10pm)
📍 TurfMutt Great Lawn at Waterfront Park
💸 Free

Louisville's biggest Fourth of July party is back, and this year it's a milestone: America's 250th birthday. Waterfront Park goes all out for the A250 celebration with a full evening of family fun, local food and Brown-Forman bars, and a live performance lineup curated by Kentucky Performing Arts spanning gospel, Appalachian traditions, Latin fusion, Americana, and soul. Kids can dig into hands on science from the Kentucky Science Center, music education from Jug Band Jubilee, and a visit from Catfish Louie himself.

The whole night builds to a 10pm A250 Fireworks Show, an expanded display lighting up the Ohio River. Bring blankets and lawn chairs and post up early. Quick heads up: no coolers, glass, pets, outside food or alcohol, or canopies allowed, so pack accordingly.

👉 Get the full Waterfront Fourth of July details HERE

🗓️ Saturday, July 4th | 10am – 10:20pm (Fireworks @ 10pm)
📍 Peterson-Dumesnil House, S Peterson Ave
💸 Free

One of Louisville's most beloved neighborhood traditions returns to the historic grounds of the Peterson-Dumesnil House for a full day of free, family friendly fun. We're talking an art fair, food trucks, craft beer, a cake wheel, a raffle and silent auction, a pet contest, a cake baking contest, a magician, and a children's inflatable Fun Zone. The day rolls from the 11am pet contest through live music, building to the National Anthem at 9:45pm and fireworks at 10pm.

This year's music lineup brings Gary Falk and the Falklanders with Dixieland jazz, the Allen Lane Band for honky tonk, and Stonewheel to close it all out. Over 20,000 neighbors gather here every year, and once you go you'll understand why. This is small town Fourth of July charm right in the middle of the city.

👉 See the full Crescent Hill festival schedule HERE

🗓️ Saturday, July 4th | Market 10am – 6:30pm / Christy's Garden 4pm – 9:45pm (Fireworks @ 9:45pm)
📍 Paristown, Brent St
💸 Market Free / Christy's Garden ticketed after 5pm ($15 advance, $18 day-of)

Paristown is serving up a two part Fourth that's perfect if you want food, music, and a little friendly competition without the giant waterfront crowds. Start at the free Brent Street Artisan Market from 10am to 6:30pm, where you can shop handmade goods, jewelry, candles, artwork, and decor. Then head into Christy's Garden from 4pm on for live music from the Crashers and free fireworks at 9:45pm.

The real wildcard? Jeff's Donuts National Donut Hole Eating Contest at 8pm, with a $1,000 grand prize on the line (you've gotta be 18 to compete). Free trackless train rides run from 10am to 7:45pm for the kids too.

👉 Grab your Paristown Fourth of July details HERE

🗓️ Saturday, July 4th | Two hour evening cruise
📍 Mary M. Miller Riverboat, W River Rd
💸 $29.99 – $45.99

Want the absolute best seat in the house for Louisville's biggest fireworks show? Get out on the water. This two-hour cruise aboard the Mary M. Miller steamboat puts you right in front of the Waterfront A250 fireworks, with food, drinks, and cocktails on board to round out the night. Picture the skyline and the Big Four Bridge lit up all around you while the show explodes overhead.

It's a premium, genuinely memorable way to experience the Fourth without fighting for lawn space downtown. Tickets in this range always sell out for the holiday, so if this is the move, book early before it's gone.

👉 Book your Fourth of July fireworks cruise HERE

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An outlier sure, but it wasn't a fluke. U.S. auction sales grew 23.1% in 2025. The $1-5mm segment even grew 40.8% YoY.

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So, that's where it gets interesting.

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It’s also had near-zero correlation with the S&P 500 since ‘95.*

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Shares can sell quickly, but my subscribers can skip the waitlist:

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^{*Investing involves risk. Past performance is not indicative of future returns. See important Reg A disclosures at masterworks.com/cd.}

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— The Louisville Plug