29 Events Make an AWESOME AUGUST in Oldham County

Don’t let the fun stop as summer slowly begins to wind down. Take in these 29 exciting August events happening all across Oldham County. From hot air balloons, to concerts, to fine-tuning your green thumb, to historical happenings partnering with Roots 101 African American Museum inside with Oldham County’s new slave cemetery. There is so much to see and do for the entire month of August- almost one event per day- that all this awesomeness can only be found in ONE place in Kentucky – Only in Oldham!

89th Oldham County Fair

August 2 – August 6
5 p.m. – 11:30 p.m.
Oldham County Fairgrounds
La Grange, KY
Admission: $15pp. Parking is $5 (Cash only) Kids 29” and below are free.

Visit Oldham County for the 89th Oldham County Fair! Kissell Entertainment returns packing the midway with UNLIMITED rides. Pay one price for all rides! Great fair food and drinks, entertainment, pageants, tractor pull, motorsports, arena events, live music and lots more. Admission includes unlimited rides.

Best of the Collections Series: Annuals and Tropicals Workshop

August 2, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
Crestwood, KY
(502) 241-4788
$25.00 – $35.00 per person

Yew Dell’s summer series will focus on the Best of the Collections! Register for all three sessions or pick the topics that interest you the most. For those who attend all three sessions, we’ll send you home with a free plant from our nursery. To kick off the series showing off the newest and coolest plants from our gardens, Sayde Heckman, Garden and Arboretum Manager, gets us started with Annuals and Tropicals. Participants will get a first-hand look at the annuals and tropicals that have performed the best, and a recap of those that have been relegated to the great compost bin in the sky.
The additional sessions have separate registrations:
Session two: 8/9/22 – Herbaceous Perennials with Jacob Stidham, Nursery and Greenhouse Manager
Session three: 8/16/22 – Trees and Shrubs with Paul Cappiello, Executive Director

Whiskey Wednesday Concert featuring AJ Clements

August 3, 6 – 10 p.m.
Oldham Gardens
Crestwood, KY
FREE admission/cost for drinks

Enjoy music from local favorite AJ Clements who has played such venues at Mellwood Tavern and will return to 3^rd Turn Oldham Gardens this year. While enjoying the concert, stop by the Backside Grill for the Dan-O’s Special of the day and treat yourself to a featured bourbon cocktail! Whiskey Wednesday Concert Series is sponsored by Dan-O’s Seasoning, Kentucky Artisan Distillery and Jefferson’s Bourbon. 

Senior Strolls

Wednesday, August 3, 10, 17, 24, 31
10:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
Goshen, KY
Free

For Oldham County Public Library senior patrons ages 55 and up. Join library staff on Wednesday mornings as they take a leisurely stroll through Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve in Goshen and talk about what books they’re reading, shows or movies seniors are watching and what little critters they may encounter. Meet outside the Creasey Mahan Nature Center for a one mile walk at a slow pace. No registration necessary.
*This stroll takes place every week on Wednesdays, beginning June 1 and ending on August 31, 2022.

Sleeping with the Ancestors: An Evening with Joe McGill

August 5, 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Oldham County History Center
La Grange, KY
$10 per person

Presentation by Joe McGill on his upcoming book “Sleeping with the Ancestors” (Hatchett Press, release date Fall 2022). Program includes appetizers, cash bar. Pay at the door, no pre-registration. Audience:  Adult.  Held at the Roots 101 African American Museum, 124 N. First Street, Louisville, KY. The Oldham County History Center and Roots 101 African American Museum are partnering together on this exciting program and a weekend of activities (Aug. 5 & 6) which examine the culture of slavery in Jefferson and Oldham County and the amazing stories of resistance and courage of freedom seekers.

Freedom Seekers Storytelling

August 6, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Oldham County History Center
La Grange, KY

Experience a weekend of local history that examines the Antebellum culture of Oldham and Jefferson County with Joe McGill and Dontavius Williams of The Slave Dwelling Project. McGill has conducted programs, lectures and spent nights in slave dwellings to bring national and international attention to his project. Interpreter and educator Dontavius William will perform a first-person interpretation of the Chronicles of Adam, a look at an enslaved man’s life. Program will include hands-on activities, tours of the Mount Parlor Room and Root Cellar, and children receive a National Park Service Underground Railroad activity book and Junior Ranger Badge.

Campfire Storytelling

At Harrods Creek Farm Slave Cemetery Site
August 6, 6:30 p.m.
Oldham County History Center
La Grange, KY
$5 per person for Campfire Storytelling Presentation/Includes meal and non-alcoholic beverage.
Pre-registration required. Directions will be given to the site with registration.

Experience a weekend of local history that examines the Antebellum culture of Oldham and Jefferson County with Joe McGill and Dontavius Williams of The Slave Dwelling Project.  A Campfire Storytelling presentation will be given by Joe McGill and Dontavius Williams at the Harrods Creek Farm Slave Cemetery Site. In addition, an encampment will be set up by the 12^th U.S. Colored Heavy Artillery, which represents a group that reconstituted the 12^th and conducts encampments for special events. The soldiers represent African Americans from Kentucky who fought for the Union in the Civil War. Family friendly, children 5 and under free. Children will receive a National Park Service Junior Ranger Badge and Underground Railroad activity book.

Pewee Valley Summer Picnic

August 6th, 6pm – 10pm
Pewee Valley Central Park
Pewee Valley, KY
FREE admission

The Monarchs, an American doo-wop band from Louisville, KY, will be performing in the Town Square. Formed in 1961, they are known mainly for their 1964 recording of “Look Homeward Angel”, which reached #1 on local and regional charts. They’ve become known as “Louisville’s Musical Ambassadors”. The picnic will also feature food and drink for purchase as well as ice cream. There will be a Kids Zone in our Central Park with bounce houses, cotton candy, petting zoo and balloon art.

Trackside Tunes featuring Ida Clare

August 6th, 7pm – 9pm
La Grange, KY
At the Alley Loop corner of Walnut Ave. and Poplar Alley
FREE

Ida Clare is a popular local band who will perform their blend of Bluegrass with a rock/Americana twist. They began as a jam band called Coffee Jam, because members had first met at the Monday jam sessions member Lea Cockrell hosted at her coffee shop, La Grange Coffee Roasters. The band plays a lot of original tunes and has performed at such local venues as 3rd Turn Oldham Gardens. Most Main Street businesses will be open late on Friday evening while the FREE concert is going on. Bring your own chair. Food trucks will be on hand.

Best of the Collections Series: Herbaceous Perennials Workshop

August 9th, 6pm – 7:30pm
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
Crestwood, KY
$25.00 – $35.00 per person

In Yew Dell’s second session of the Best of the Collections, Jacob Stidham, Greenhouse and Nursery Manager, continues with Herbaceous Perennials. Participants will get a first-hand look at the herbaceous perennials that have performed the best, and a recap of those that have been relegated to the great compost bin in the sky. For those who attend all three sessions, we’ll send you home with a free plant from our nursery.

The final session has a separate registration and takes place on 8/16/22 – Trees and Shrubs with Paul Cappiello, Executive Director.

Made of Paper Art Show

August 9th – September 17th
Gallery 104
La Grange, KY
FREE admission

Known for hosting juried art shows such as Arts on the Green, the Arts Association of Oldham County also holds several additional shows at their downtown La Grange location, Gallery 104. Made of Paper will showcase the various creative artists who work in a variety of media and display their artwork at the gallery. Depending upon the technique used, paper can be manipulated to have a variety of artistic outcomes. Stop by the gallery and let your imagination soar with the possibilities of paper.

The Whiskey Files with Becky Harris

August 10, 7 – 8 p.m.
Hermitage Farm
Goshen, KY
$54.50 per person

Hermitage Farm’s guest for the next Whiskey Files will be none other than Founder and Chief Distiller of Catoctin Creek, Becky Harris! Along with her husband Scott, Becky Harris has created Virginia’s most awarded whiskey, which is available in 47 states and 3 continents. To Becky, authenticity is rooted in the entire process of the product from grain to glass. Join Hermitage as they welcome Becky Harris and enjoy some amazing whiskey samplings from Catoctin Creek! A dinner reservation is not included with this ticket. If you would like to dine at Barn8 Restaurant, we strongly advise making a reservation at 5 p.m. – 5:30 p.m. or 8:30 p.m. or later

Whiskey Wednesday Concert Series featuring LittleBand

August 10, 6 -10 p.m.
Oldham Gardens
Crestwood, KY
FREE admission/cost for drinks

Help welcome everyone’s favorite all-star band – LittleBand – back to Oldham Gardens for the Whiskey Wednesday Concert Series. Based in Louisville, KY, this band is a favorite wherever they perform, and this is sure to be a night of music you don’t want to miss. Stop by the Backside Grill for the Dan-O’s Special of the day and treat yourself to a featured bourbon cocktail!

Whiskey Wednesday Concert Series is sponsored by Dan-O’s Seasoning, Kentucky Artisan Distillery and Jefferson’s Bourbon.

Get Craftin’: How to Make a Suncatcher Jellyfish

August 12, 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
Oldham County Public Library, Crestwood Branch
Crestwood, KY
FREE

Join the Oldham County Public Library, Crestwood Branch, to learn how to make an adorable suncatcher jellyfish using a terra cotta pot, beads, sea glass and other materials. For adults only.

Best of the Collections Series: Trees and Shrubs Workshop

August 16, 6 – 7:30 p.m.
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
Crestwood, KY
$25 – $35 per person

For Yew Dell’s summer series they are focusing on the Best of the Collections! Register for all three sessions, or pick the topics that interest you the most. For those who attend all three sessions, we’ll send you home with a free plant from our nursery. In our final session, Paul Cappiello, Executive Director, wraps up our series with Trees and Shrubs. You’ll get a first-hand look at the trees and shrubs that have performed the best, and a recap of those that have been relegated to the great compost bin in the sky.

Whiskey Wednesday Concert featuring MVP

August 17, 6 – 10 p.m.
Oldham Gardens
Crestwood, KY
FREE admission/cost for drinks

Join MVP – Marty Miller, Vicki Miller, and Phil Ragland – for an awesome Whiskey Wednesday Concert experience at 3^rd Turn Oldham Gardens. While there, stop by the Backside Grill for the Dan-O’s Special of the day and treat yourself to a featured bourbon cocktail!

Whiskey Wednesday Concert Series is sponsored by Dan-O’s Seasoning, Kentucky Artisan Distillery and Jefferson’s Bourbon.

Blocking Felt into a Hat with Jenny Pfanenstiel

August 19 (5:30 p.m.) and August 20 (11:30 a.m.)
Judith M Millinery Supply House
La Grange, KY
$375 per person

Perfect for Beginners and Advanced Hat Makers:

Learn from Master Milliner and Featured Milliner of the 148th Kentucky Derby Jenny Pfanenstiel how to make a hat from scratch using a technique that dates back over 100 years.  You will understand the uses of the different hat blocks, the different types of felt for blocking, how they are best used and how to mold the felt to form it over a hat block to make a shape of a hat. Materials for this course can be purchased before, or on the first day of class. Materials can range from $45-$150 depending on what one chooses.

This workshop will start with a tour of the Judith M Millinery Supply House where participants will be able to see up close the different millinery materials used to make hats from scratch. Each attendee will receive 10% off of materials purchased for the workshop and to take home.

Up, Up and Away with Billy Goat Strut at The Maples Park

August 20th, 6pm – 9pm
The Maples Park
Crestwood, KY
FREE admission

This is a bucket list item for all those height seekers! Come out to the park for first come, first serve FREE hot air balloon tether rides. Oldham County Public Library will offer kids’ activities to celebrate the end of summer reading program. Live entertainment by Billy Goat Strut Revue and food trucks in attendance will include:  Rollin Ruby’s (OC), The Cookie Cabin Creamery, Ramiro’s Cantina, Celtic Pig (OC), Longshot Lobsta, Mile Wide Brewing, and Hive & Barrel Meadery (OC). For park events, please utilize the gravel parking lot adjacent to the rear entrance of the park at 6431 Railroad Avenue, Crestwood.

Barnyard Fun – School Days

August 20, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Oldham Co History Center
La Grange, KY
FREE

Enjoy some cool history on a hot day at the Oldham County History Center campus for Barnyard Fun – School Days. Take a glimpse into the past to see what school was like in Oldham County in days gone by. Contemplate how school in the late 1800s and early 1900s was different from school in 2022.

BioBlitz in the Pollinator Meadow Workshop

August 20, 11 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
Crestwood, KY
Program included with Admission price. RSVP.

For #nationalhoneybeeday, join Currys Fork Watershed Coordinator Becca Trueman for a BioBlitz of Yew Dell’s Pollinator Meadow! At 11 a.m., Becca will assist participants to inventory the plants and pollinators at play in the Meadow. Families can download iNaturalist on their phones ahead of the visit for tracking what they see during the BioBlitz, then use the app afterward.in their own yards and neighborhoods. At Noon, Becca will guide participants in seed collecting in the Meadow. These activities provide a valuable record of what’s living in Oldham County, and provide a great starting point for at-home explorations.

This program is included with Admission. RSVP so that we know how many attendees to expect.

Field Trip to Earth Tools and Wilson’s Nursery

August 24th, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Yew Dell Botanical Gardens
Crestwood, KY
Cost

Join Yew Dell staff for a one-day bus trip that will be sure to take your gardening to the next level. Our primary destination will be Earth Tools in Owenton, KY, the nation’s largest sales and service dealer of. walk-behind tractors, tillers and other awesome power things! They also have an amazing collection of top-quality hand tools – and you can test it all out in their demo garden! Spades, weeders, hoes . . . you name it . . . they have it. A second stop will be made at Wilson’s Nursery in Frankfort, KY for a plant buying opportunity as well. *Price includes bus transportation, snacks, boxed lunch, and bottled water.

Whiskey Wednesday Concert featuring Joe D’Amato

August 24th,  6pm – 10pm
Oldham Gardens
Crestwood, KY
FREE admission/cost for drinks

Joe D’Amato will round out the August Whiskey Wednesday concert series lineup at 3^rd Turn. This powerhouse of sound is a virtuoso on the keyboards and will freely share his talents with the crowd. Don’t forget to stop by the Backside Grill for the Dan-O’s Special of the day and treat yourself to a featured bourbon cocktail! Whiskey Wednesday Concert Series is sponsored by Dan-O’s Seasoning, Kentucky Artisan Distillery and Jefferson’s Bourbon.

Wine & Workshops: Speed Fascinator Workshop with Feathers

August 25, 6 – 8 p.m.
Judith M Millinery Supply House
La Grange, KY
$65 per person

Start with a tour of the Judith M Millinery Supply and learn why they are 1 of 3 supply houses left in the US. In this 2-hour Speed Hat Making Workshop participants will learn how to manipulate feathers into beautiful feather floral creations. Fascinator bases and feathers will be provided to create your very own fascinator. Each attendee will also receive 10% off any items purchased within the Judith M Millinery Supply House, if they would like to add additional items to their fascinator. Please bring a pair of embroidery scissors.

Wine and other beverages will be provided. Feel free to also bring your own.

Showbarn Sessions at Ashbourne Farms – the Del McCory Band

August 27, 6:30pm – 9:30pm
Ashbourne Farms
La Grange, KY
$165 per person

The Showbarn Sessions Featuring The Del McCoury Band will take place at Ashbourne Farms on Saturday, August 27 from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. This is an all-inclusive farm experience with live music, heavy hors d’oeuvres & artisan cocktails. Del McCoury has garnered nine IBMA Entertainer of the Year trophies, membership in the legendary Grand Ole Opry (2003), and Best Bluegrass Album Grammy award (2005).

Pickin’ on the Porch with Allen Lane Band

August 27, 6pm – 9pm
Knock on Wood Mercantile & Cafe
La Grange, KY

FREE admission/Cost for food & drink

Pickin’ on the Porch will feature Oldham County’s own Allen Lane Band on Saturday, August 27 from 6 – 9 p.m. They will be rockin’ Westport with their brand of country with a southern rock flare. The band has shared the stage with country music stars Montgomery Gentry, Jarred Neimann, Craig Campbell, David Nail, and top country song writer Rhett Akins. Knock on Wood Mercantile & Café’s hosts this popular summer concert series.

Dusk Wildlife Hike at Creasey Mahan

August 27, 6 – 8 p.m.
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
Goshen, KY

Recommended donation of $10/person, $5/members

Creasey Mahan will offer two hikes led by naturalist Jacob Crider. Dusk Wildlife Hike will be held on Saturday, August 27 from 7 – 9 p.m. Crider will help participants see reptiles, amphibians, insects, wildflowers, birds, and mammals that are hard to find.

Morning Wildlife Hike at Creasey Mahan

August 28, 10am – 12n
Creasey Mahan Nature Preserve
Goshen, KY

Recommended donation of $10/person, $5/members

A Morning Wildlife Hike will be held on Sunday, August 28 from 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. This hike is specialized for birding. Nestled in the preserve are 9 miles of hiking trails where the hiker can wander through lush forests, native grass meadows, wetlands and springs. Recommended donation of $10/person, $5/members for each hike. Children 6 and younger are free