Louisville Kentucky Attractions

Everyone knows that Louisville is the home of the great Kentucky Derby, the most widely watched horse race in the country. The race, which began in 1875, is held at beautiful Churchill Downs and takes only two minutes. But it is preceded by two weeks of merrymaking, beginning with the Thunder over Louisville, the largest annual fireworks display in the United States.

There's more to Louisville than the Derby, though, no matter how exciting that may be. In late February, the famed Actors Theater of Louisville begins the Humana Festival of New American Plays. This festival runs for six weeks and draws attention world-wide for the fine quality of new plays it presents.

The classics are well represented too, by the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival. Established in 1949, it is the oldest free Shakespeare Festival in the United States. This history of the arts in Louisville stretches back to 1927, when the Speed Art Museum was opened, and 1937, when the Louisville Orchestra was founded. There are also many historical sites, including the Belle of Louisville, the oldest Mississippi-style steamboat still in operation.

If you'd prefer a little low-brow culture, visit the Colonel Sanders Museum, the Louisville Slugger Museum (where you'll see a six-story baseball bat), Stevie Ray's Blues Bar, Charlie's Tattoo Museum, or the factory that manufactures 90 percent of the disco balls produced in America! There's something for everyone in Louisville. And that includes fans of The Dude, who can celebrate for a weekend in July at the Lebowski Fest.