May Family-Friendly Events in Louisville {2021}

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April showers bring May flowers, fingers crossed! Of course, the most talked about event this May will be the Kentucky Derby, but let’s find some other great attractions for this Spring.

May 1, Birding: Spring Migrants

Admission: $15
Location: Louisville Nature Center (3745 Illinois Ave, Louisville, Kentucky 40213)
Time:10:00 AM to 12:00 PMTake your birding to the next level! On this guided hike, an experienced naturalist and birdwatcher will teach participants to identify some of Louisville’s beautiful birds. Participants will learn ID tips such as field marks, behavior, habitat, vocalizations and more. Binoculars recommended!

Every Saturday, Nature Hike

Admission: $5 per person, regardless of age, member and non-member rate
Location: Bernheim Arboretum & Research Forest (2075 Clermont Rd.Clermont, Kentucky 40110)

Join Bernheim Naturalists for this family-friendly 45-60 minute Nature Hike on the first Saturday of each month. Each Saturday will feature a new hike to a different place for exploration, adventure, and a little bit of learning. *Space is limited and social distancing and protocol will be enforced.  Masks required when family groups are within 6 feet of others. Registration required by 4 p.m. the day prior to the program. Call (502) 955-8512.

Admission: Free. $2 pay to park in the rear lot.
Location: Falls of the Ohio State Park and Foundation
Time: 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Join volunteer Danny Calton to watch or practice throwing the atlatl. This spear / dart throwing device was the most effect hunting tool created by people before the invention of the gun. It was used for thousands of years. Danny will be set up behind the Interpretive Center between the parking lot and levee.

April 9- May 2, Dino Safari

Admission: $49.95 per reg. vehicle (up to 7 occupants) $59.95 per large vehicle up to 6ft wide x 9ft tall x 20ft long (8+ occupants)
Location: Louisville Mega Cavern & Mega Zips All Underground Ziplines & Adventure Tour (1841 Taylor Ave Louisville, Kentucky 40213)
Time: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PMJoin us at Louisville Mega Cavern, April 9-May 2, for an exciting, drive-thru experience featuring dozens of lifelike, animatronic dinosaurs!
Whether at lavish Derby parties, casual infield get-togethers, or on elegant clubhouse promenades, celebrities and railbirds converge on Kentucky to see and be seen in their very best togs every May. As Irwin S. Cobb says, “Anything goes at the Derby!”
Railbird Runway showcases both artifacts from the permanent collection and loans from individual Derby trend-setters, providing key examples of the outlandish and forward-thinking ensembles which continue to define Kentucky’s greatest cultural phenomenon. Explore the world of Derby fashion—from the tradition’s origins to its ever evolving trends of today–and discover why style has become one of the most recognizable parts of the Kentucky Derby experience.
This exhibit is part of the permanent exhibit at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

The Lewis and Clark Experience

Admission: Signup for free membership for qualifying counties!
Location: Frazier History Museum (829 W. Main St. Louisville, Kentucky 40202)
Visitors of all ages are taken on an immersive, educational adventure that puts them face-to-face with some of the many challenges encountered by the Corps of Discovery, seeking passage to the northwest. Visitors forge rivers and cross mountains while encountering new people, cultures and fantastic new species of animals. There are several artifacts from the period and detailed explanations on how and why they were used by the expedition.

The Lewis and Clark Experience features a 55-foot cutaway replica of Lewis and Clark’s keelboat, replica Sioux Tipi and a Mandan earthen hut. Visitors can even try their hand at animal tracking and exploring “secret” passages! While this exhibition is fun for all ages, it was designed with children and families in mind!

April 7-June 6, Promise, Witness, Remembrance

Admission – FREE
Location: The Speed Art Museum (2035 South Third St. Louisville, Kentucky 40208)
This exhibition will reflect on the life of Breonna Taylor, her killing in 2020, and the year of protests that followed, in Louisville and around the world, exploring the dualities between a personal, local story and the nation’s reflection on the promise, witness, and remembrance of too many Black lives lost to gun violence.

March 31- May 9, Clue the Musical

Admission: $39-49
Location: Derby Dinner Playhouse (525 Marriott Drive Clarksville, Indiana 47129)

The internationally popular game is now a fun-filled musical! This colorful crowd-pleaser brings the world’s best-known suspects to life and invites the audience to help solve the mystery each night. Ticket price includes dinner, show, tax & parking. *ALL SEATING IS SOCIALLY DISTANCED AND MASKS REQUIRED.

Wednesday to Sunday, Art Walk at Hermitage Farm

Admission: starting at $18.00
Time: sundown to 10pm

Walk through the most beautiful and immersive art installation Kentucky has to offer. Each night, after the sun sets, the woods behind Barn8 come alive. Over 1,500 feet of boardwalk weave alongside a creek as intricate projections illuminate the surrounding landscape.Tickets are available online or in-person at Barn8 restaurant. Tickets are half off for those dining at Barn8 and can be purchased directly from your server at the end of your meal!

Picnic Lunch

Admission: $32.99 for adults (15-64); $31.99 for seniors (65+); $22.99 for children (5 – 14); free for children 4 & under
Location: Belle of Louisville Riverboats (401 W. River Rd.Louisville, Kentucky 40202)
Time: 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
Who likes barbecue? Who likes riverboats? We think these two things go together like peas and carrots. So, every Saturday, we’re hosting a picnic out on the river. Join us for a fun, informal excursion, including activities for the kids and delicious food. Take your City Barbecue boxed lunch– including two meat choices, as well as veg options including macaroni and cheese, baked beans and dessert– and find your favorite seat. Then, sit back and relax! This is a two-hour excursion.

Welcome Back Weekend, Dig Our Collecting Piles!

Admission: Free. $2 pay to park in the rear lot.
Location: Falls of the Ohio State Park and Foundation (201 W. Riverside Dr.Clarksville, Indiana 47129)
Explore our collecting piles for fossils and minerals. Bring your own digging towels like a trowel, masonry hammer, or something good for prying. We will help you identify what you find.Program is free. $2 pay-to-park applies for the lot behind the Interpretive Center (free with Falls Foundation membership or a State Park Annual Entrance Pass).

Kentucky Kingdom Opens May 8th!

Opens May 9th, Water Tower Museum

Admission – $5

Want to see pieces of water mains more than 150 years old? Study a cross-section of a fire hydrant? Or explore a 100-foot-tall restored steam pump? This timed entry ticket includes the following activities:

  • WaterWorks Museum (30 minutes – 45 minutes) — Located in Pumping Station No. 1, the museum highlights Louisville Water’s considerable archive of historic photographs (some dating back to 1860), films and memorabilia. The museum appeals to visitors of all ages, including children, with tower-building activities, a station to dress up like water company employees, scavenger hunts and much more. Visitors will also discover Louisville Water’s groundbreaking research in water science and engineering contributing to safe drinking water methods used throughout the world.
  • Guided Tour (45 minutes – 1 hour) — Learn about the iconic Water Tower and participate in a tour of the grounds on the banks of the Ohio River. Also included in the guided tour is time inside Pumping Station No. 3, to see a 100-foot-tall restored steam pump and see a film on its history.

March 19 – May 30, Wild Lights at Louisville Zoo

See the Zoo in a whole new light as you enjoy one of the largest lantern festivals in the nation featuring thousands of handcrafted silk-covered lanterns aglow with more than 50,000 LED light bulbs.This year, experience more than 70 NEW lantern displays artfully placed throughout the 1.4-mile paved walkway throughout the Zoo’s 130- acre park. We invite you to travel back in time with us to walk alongside prehistoric dinosaurs but, beware — there’s a hungry T-Rex ready and waiting to thrill and delight you!Dive in and experience dazzling ocean scenes including a magnificent swimming whale, playful sea turtles, and scurrying crabs. *Wild Lights is a rain or shine event. No refunds, rain checks or exchanges are available for this important fundraiser. When purchasing tickets online, make sure your email is correct to receive your tickets. Masks are required for all guests age 5 and over.

May 22, Seussical

Admission: $17-22
Location: Derby Dinner Playhouse (525 Marriott Drive Clarksville, Indiana 47129)
“Oh, the thinks you can think” when Dr. Seuss’ best-loved characters collide and cavort in an unforgettable, fantastical, musical caper! Children’s Musical Theatre suitable for ages 3 to 12. Kid-friendly food!

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