 Metro Offices will be closed Thanksgiving and Friday the 25th in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday!
 Light Up Louisville, powered by LG&E, is a free, annual event that will kick off the holiday season in the city! We look forward once again to welcoming Louisville citizens to Downtown the day after Thanksgiving to welcome the REAL Santa Claus!
Light Up Louisville begins at 3 p.m. with free Children's Activities inside Santa's Workshop, free Holiday Train rides, live music and a Holiday Market! Santa's Workshop, sponsored in part by AT&T, will include cookie decorating, writing letters to Santa, as well as gingerbread and stocking crafts. Santa's Workshop will be located on 6th Street, next to the city Christmas tree. Right outside the children's area you will find the Honor Flight Bluegrass tent, sponsored by Humana Military and the McDonald's Bell Restaurant Group. Families can write holiday greetings to US Veterans and Honor Flight Bluegrass will distribute the letters. Write your letter ahead of time to bring and put in the Honor Flight mailbox by printing the following PDF:
Honor Flight Holiday Card
On Jefferson Street, between 6th & 7th, kids can enjoy free Holiday Train rides, sponsored by Louisville Downtown Partnership. The train will run from 3 to 6:30 p.m. so make sure to get in line and take a ride on the Holiday Train!
The Park Community Credit Union Holiday Market will be open from 3 to 10 p.m. with several vendors set up selling holiday crafts, goods, and food and beverages. It is located on 6th Street next to Metro Hall.
The main stage, produced by Visual Presentations and MERF, will feature well-known local acts from 3 to 10 p.m. View the full musical lineup below!
The Lots of Lights Parade will begin at 7 p.m. stepping off at 7th and Jefferson streets, heading East on Jefferson, passing the Light Up Louisville Main Stage and taking a right onto 4th Street. The Parade will pass through Fourth Street Live! as parade viewers cheer on the units. We will have several local celebrity emcees helping us announce our parade units, including personalities from Mix 106.9, WLKY, and DJ Jaybird.
Then, at 8:30 p.m., the big man himself, Santa Claus, will arrive! Santa's head elf, Gunther, has confirmed Santa's arrival to Louisville as stop "Number 2" on his 2022 World Tour, so please join us in welcoming him to our city! Santa and Mayor Greg Fischer will use the Magic Plug to Light Up Louisville! A Zambelli fireworks show will follow.
The lights outside Metro Hall will remain on through the remainder of the year, spreading holiday cheer. This Holiday Lights Spectacular is brought to us by Louisville Third Century.
Toys for Tots boxes will on site at Light Up Louisville.
2022 Music Schedule
3:10 p.m....... Sunflight
3:30 p.m....... Dancensation Showbiz Kids
4:25 p.m....... Envision Dance Company
4:50 p.m....... Cheryl Price and Dave Seely of the band, Most Wanted
5:15 p.m....... Made New Acapella
5:35 p.m....... Sheryl Crawford
6 p.m...... Lauren Eid & Kevin Cummings
6:25 p.m....... Classic Melodies "Top Note"
7 p.m....... Lots of Lights Parade
8 p.m....... Special Louisville Music Performance by MERF
8:30 p.m....... Santa's Arrival!
Following the Light Up Moment ....... J.D. Shelburne & Soul Circus
 There are many similarities between influenza (flu) and COVID-19. Both are contagious respiratory illnesses that can lead to severe illness for many. And the good news is there are safe, effective vaccines for both.
The Centers for Disease Control recommends the influenza (flu) vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older. To best protect yourself and others, please consider getting an influenza (flu) vaccine this season. Immunizations are considered preventative services and are covered by most health insurance companies with no out of pocket expenses to pay.
Click here for the flu vaccine finder website. Schedule your flu vaccine today. Did you know that you can get your flu and COVID vaccines at the same time?
Get your flu vaccine at one of these locations:
 It's the third annual 5K for Kids. This family-friendly 5K race has moved to December, so get your ugliest Christmas sweater & jingle bells ready and we'll see you on December 3 at Joe Creason Park in Louisville. Your registration includes a professionally timed 5K run/walk at Joe Creason Park, a custom Santa hat, and a finisher's medal. Safety is our number one priority so extra measures will be in place for every runner. A portion of every registration sold will benefit RONALD McDonald HOUSE CHARITIES OF KENTUCKIANA. Break out of the house, help kids, and have some socially responsible fun! .
Safety for everyone is our number one priority so extra measures will be put in place for every runner:
If you are able to, please pick up your packet on Friday, December 2 from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. at Fleet Feet Louisville to eliminate race morning lines and gatherings. Racers who are unable to attend packet pickup, will be able to pick up their race packet on December 3rd, 8am at Joe Creason Park, near the start line. If you are feeling under the weather or have a fever, please do not attend the 5K for Kids.
The 5K FOR KIDS will benefit Ronald McDonald House Charities of Kentuckiana (RMHCK). RMHCK provides the home and support that allows families to stay together while they focus on the healing of their sick children at a critical time.
To support RMHCK even more, they will be on site on race morning collecting new stuffed animals to distribute to children staying at the house over the holiday season!
 Toys for Tots Mayor Fischer noted that the holidays are a perfect time for our compassionate city to spread even more compassion, and he asked residents to get involved in this year’s community-wide Toys for Tots drive.
From 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 2, there will be a special drive-thru lane in front of Metro Hall for an easy drop-off, as part of a Mayor’s Challenge, along with drop-off boxes at all Louisville Fire Department stations.
Fall Leaves
Mowing over leaves to mulch them back into your lawn is a great option for reducing waste. Mulching not only returns vital nutrients to the soil, but experts say that it can help your grass grow even better the following year! Never blow leaves into the street!
Leaf Drop-Off Sites
The Metro Public Works free leaf drop-off sites will be open Tuesday-Saturdays, November 8 through December 10. Drop-off will not be available on November 24 and 25 in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Only leaves will be accepted and they must be in paper/compostable bags or reusable containers. Containers used to bring leaves to the drop-off sites must be taken back by residents.
Locations and hours starting Tuesday, November 8:
Public Works Yard, 10500 Lower River Road (enter from Bethany Lane)
Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Public Works East District Operations Center, 595 North Hubbards Lane
Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Shawnee Park, 230 Southwestern Parkway (Athletic Complex)
Tuesday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Waste Reduction Center, 636 Meriwether Avenue
Tuesday-Friday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
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 The Louisville Zoo is celebrating Kroger Wild Winter Days now through Feb. 28, 2023 with a Dare to Care food drive and discount admission when you donate a food item for the drive.
The Zoo is proud to team up with Kroger and Dare to Care again to help struggling families in our community. Guests who bring at least one canned food item per person may purchase discounted tickets at the Zoo windows for $9.75 per adult and $6.75 per child/senior ticket.
Since this partnership began in 2009, the Zoo has collected nearly 27,000 pounds of food thanks to the generosity of its guests. That’s equivalent to the weight of two African elephants like Mikki!
The discount is available at the gate only and is not valid for online purchases. The offer is not valid for special fee-based programs, for prepaid groups, field trips or with other discounts. No refunds will be provided for tickets prepaid in advanced or purchase online. Multiple cans are appreciated but only one discount per admission; additional cans do not provide additional discounts.
Some of Dare to Care Food Bank’s most needed items are canned meats like tuna and chicken, as well as canned fruit, beans, peanut butter, soup, rice, cereal, fruit juice, pasta and canned vegetables. Please avoid glass containers. More details are available at daretocare.org.
The Zoo is open daily year-round. Fall/winter hours are 10 a.m. ─ 4 p.m. (stay until 5 p.m.). The Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s Day.
From the producers of the Louisville Jack O' Lantern Spectacular, comes a winter show that will delight the entire family. Experience the twinkling of millions of lights as you traverse a winding road nestled in majestic woods. Filled with illumination, artistic scenes, and sounds that will delight the senses, be transported to an ethereal winter wonderland.
Located in historic Iroquois Park, the Winter Woods Spectacular is a 1/3 mile walk-through experience of lighting and artistry that will explore and celebrate the holiday season. Proceeds benefit the Parks Alliance of Louisvillle.
Times and Dates
Friday, November 25, 2022 - Sunday, January 1, 2023
Nightly: 6:00p - 10:00p
Christmas Eve: 6:00p - 10:00p
New Year's Eve: 6:00p - 10:00p
 November 19th through January 1st
Start your newest holiday season tradition at Paristown’s annual Fête De Noël ("Festival of Christmas") Winter Holiday Festival, a 6-week winter wonderland featuring Louisville’s only authentic outdoor ice skating rink, photos with Santa, the Brent Street Holiday Market, trackless train rides and so much more at 731 Brent St., Louisville, KY 40204
The stunning 100'x50' outdoor ice skating rink is an authentic sheet of ice featuring festive holiday music, skate rentals for all ages and connected concession stand bar. General admission tickets include 60 minutes of ice time and complimentary skate rental. Public skating hours subject to change depending on weather and ice rink conditions. Follow @paristownky on Instagram for up-to-date info and announcements.
The Brent Street Holiday Market returns November 25 – 27, December 1 – 4, December 8 – 11, and December 15 – 23. Shop dozens of specialty gift ideas from local and regional makers across 20 outdoor pop-up shops lining Brent Street.
Purchase your tickets for all the exciting Fête de Noël activities here!
 Louisville Mega Cavern’s Lights Under Louisville returns with more than 40 themed displays, mapping projections, approximately 900 illuminated characters, 4 LED light tunnels, including a new 200-foot-long MEGA light tunnel, two laser sections, and nearly 6,000,000 points of light that will spread mega cheer and holiday spirit this season. Lights Under Louisville will take visitors on an immersive ride through more than one mile of cavern passageways as visitors drive through millions of dazzling lights, festive lasers, and even larger captivating light tunnels.
Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., guests can expect a one-of-a-kind holly jolly experience, complete with lasers dancing to the beat of holiday music. This year, guests will kick off the season with a megadose of holiday cheer as they encounter surprises around every corner and are completely surrounded by four twinkling light tunnels, including the all new 200-foot-long MEGA light tunnel!
For more details and to purchase your tickets, click here!
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