Welcome to Lexington, The Horse Capital of the World, where the thundering hooves of champion Thoroughbreds blend seamlessly with the rhythms of arts, libations, fashion, cuisine, and entertainment. As we saddle up for a journey through the city’s diverse offerings, get ready to gallop into Spring!
Here’s What GayTravel.com Recommends to Do in Lexington This Spring:
DISTILLERIES
Sample America’s Native Spirit
Further solidifying Kentucky as the world’s leading producer of bourbon, Bespoken Spirits is bringing a groundbreaking aging method to Lexington this spring. Supported by former New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Bespoken employs innovative technology, using “microstaves” in a steel tank to accelerate the bourbon aging process, offering not just speed and sustainability in a rapidly growing market, but also the precision to craft an extensive range of bourbon styles and flavors.
© Visit Lexington
HORSE RACING | LIBATIONS, FASHION, AND FUN!
April 5-26, 2024 Keeneland Spring Meet
Giddy up, GayTravelers! GayTravel.com editors will be covering the opening week at Keeneland. With this year marking the Kentucky Derby’s 150th anniversary, it’s the perfect time to visit the Horse Capital of the World. LGBTQ+ travelers in the know will don their race-day best at Keeneland’s Spring Meet (Kentucky Derby qualifiers)! Join us as we experience all the excitement surrounding world-class horse racing and and experience the opportunity to watch the finest horses compete in Derby qualifying races! Learn more here.
© Visit Lexington
450+ LEXINGTON HORSE FARMS
Spring in Lexington is foaling season. You can see these magnificent creatures up close at more than 450 horse farms. Prepare to be awestruck by the sight of fillies, foals, and colts filling the rolling bluegrass hills just minutes from downtown Lexington.
Sponsored by “horsepower” of another sort…be sure to stop by the Land Rover Kentucky 3-Day Event this April for championship equestrian competitions, tailgating, and top-notch people-watching.
© Visit Lexington
EXPERIENCES
Lex Lez Night
Lex Lez Night takes place on the second Thursday of the month. The event was founded in 2019 and has grown exponentially since. Some guests travel from hours away to attend this special gathering. Queer-owned coffee bar Lussi Brown is the first stop, opening their doors for the event at 7 PM, where a line of guests forms to mingle and enjoy crafted cocktails. Crossings, just a short stroll away is the final stop of the night, offering an exciting line-up of burlesque and drag performers beginning around 10 PM.
The founders of Lex Lez Night have also expanded the event to include a “low-key Lex Night,” which offers the same gathering of community without entertainers, photographers, or pop-up vendors.
Lex Lez Night is 21+ and advertises as “everyone is welcome, ladies encouraged.”
To see the schedule of events, performers, and more visit @LexLezNight on social media.
@ LexLezNight
“Last Monday” Reading Series March 15 and Apr 29, 2024
Kentucky Native Cafe
Explore the enchanting literature world with your host, Ella Corder, at the “Last Monday” Reading Series. Each month, the picturesque Michler’s greenhouses invite you to enjoy delightful Whiskey Sours while relishing the art of spoken word. For inquiries, contact Ella at write@michlers.com.
Parking is available at Michler’s main entrance on 417 East Maxwell Street. The café is typically closed on Mondays, and the event doors will open at 7:30 p.m.
© Kentucky Native Cafe
EXPERIENCES & EXHIBITS
Athens Schoolhouse Antique Show
Mar 9-10, Apr 13-14, May 11-12, and Jun 8-9, 2024 at Athens Schoolhouse
Set in an old school, Athens Schoolhouse Antiques is a shopper’s dream! Shop til you drop, with a monthly show open to the public on the 2nd Saturday and Sunday of the month from 10 AM to 5 PM.
© Allison Christine via Unsplash
EXPERIENCES & EXHIBITS
Lexington Public Library Open Mic Night
Multiple Dates at Farish Theatre – Downtown Public Library
Share your poetry, spoken word, and more at this Open Mic Night on the 2nd Wednesday of every other month. Performers will be selected by drawing names from a hat. While creativity is encouraged, content should be appropriate for teens and adults and limited to 3-4 minutes.
@ Visit Lexington
FOOD & DRINK | FESTIVAL
Brewgrass Trail and the Pup Club
© Visit Lexington
We all know Lexington is famous for its world-class bourbons, but did you know that the local craft culture is getting major attention for its quality beer, cider, and sake? Hop onto the Brewgrass Trail and see for yourself! Start by getting your Brewgrass Trail Pass here.
Tails are waggin’ because you can bring your pup with you on the trail! Participating pups will receive their own Pub Club Bandana after 6 stops on the trail with their humans. Meet Ivy, a local Irish Setter who sports her bandana with pride!
© Visit Lexington
EXPERIENCES & EVENTS
Lexington Craft Beer Week
May 12 – 21, 2024
Saddle up to the bar for high-quality beers and cheers! You’ll soak in the local scene as you sample beers and ciders from all around the area. Just don’t be surprised if you fall off your barstool laughing when you hear some of the names of these brews.
© Wise Bird Cider Co.
THEATER & PERFORMANCE | DANCE & MUSIC
Amadeus Lex: “Gypsy Fiddle”
Mar 16, 2024, 7:00 PM to 8:30 PM at St. Luke United Methodist Church
The captivating chamber music series, Amadeus Lex, presents “Gypsy Fiddle” as their season finale, featuring music inspired by Eastern European fiddling, from a Haydn piano trio to the lively Romanian Dances by Béla Bartók.
© Umutcan Günüç via Unsplash
THEATER & PERFORMANCE | DANCE & MUSIC
Fall Out Boy with Jimmy Eat World
Mar 30, 2024, from 6:30 PM at Rupp Arena
Run to Rupp Arena for Grammy Award-nominated and multi-platinum-selling rock band Fall Out Boy’s “So Much For (Tour) Dust” tour with special guest Jimmy Eat World. Tickets are available here.
THEATER & PERFORMANCE | COMEDY
Kathy Griffin: My Life on the PTSD List
Friday, May 3, 2024, at Lexington Opera House
Give a warm Lexington welcome to two-time Emmy and Grammy award-winning comedian and gay icon Kathy Griffin, who is coming to the city for her newest comedy tour. Buy tickets today!
WHERE TO STAY AND HANG YOUR HAT IN LEXINGTON?
Lexington Goes Luxury with Central Kentucky’s first high-end boutique hotel, The Manchester
Located in the heart of the historic Distillery District, The Manchester opened in the summer of 2023 as Central Kentucky’s first luxury boutique hotel. The property boasts 125 guest rooms, a spirited lobby bar and lounge, and two unique dining and drinking spaces.
© Matt Kisiday
The Granddam restaurant serves a menu of globally inspired takes on classical Appalachian dishes, and Lost Palm, an Art Deco rooftop bar and lounge, celebrates the nostalgic spirit of 1960s South Florida horse racing culture and features a beverage program full of playful interpretations of classic American cocktails served overlooking an expansive view of downtown Lexington.
© Visit Lexington
WHERE TO DINE AND INDULGE IN LEXINGTON?
FOOD & DRINK
Walking Food & History Tours
Taste some of the best Bites of the Bluegrass!
Downtown Walking Food & History Tour
Embark on a delectable trek through Downtown Lexington, where you’ll savor the rich flavors of Kentucky as you take a bite out of its deep history on these thoughtfully curated tours through select streets of the city. Book now.
© Bites of the Bluegrass
Distillery District Food & History Tour
Multiple Dates at Relic (Pepper Distillery Rickhouse)
Amuse your buddies with this brew-tiful tour! On the Distillery District Food & History Tour, Town Branch Creek won’t be the only thing flowing as you sip on limestone-filtered bourbons, sample long-standing Kentucky cuisine, and explore the stories behind this revitalized piece of Lexington’s history.
© Bites of the Bluegrass
Cocktails & Bites Food & History Tour
Sit & sip craft cocktails, distilled from the finest limestone-filtered waters while listening to tales from Kentucky’s storied past. Book now.
© Bites of the Bluegrass
Indulge in Unexpected Flavors at Minority Owned Restaurants
© Visit Lexington
With lower overhead costs and fewer barriers to entry into the restaurant business than in larger, coastal cities, Lexington has served as an incubator for immigrant and local restaurateurs and provides them with a chance to make their own marks on the city’s food culture. Recent openings and highlights include:
Southern Sri Lankan staples at the new Tuk Tuk Snack Shop (owned by James Beard nominee Chef Samantha Fore)
A new tasting room by one of the state’s first Black-owned bourbon distilleries (Fresh Bourbon)
A wide selection of nigiri, sashimi, sushi rolls and sake at Omakase Sushi & Sake Bar (fun fact: Lexington is also home to Kentucky’s first sake brewery, The Void Sake Company).
At GayTravel.com, we admire how cultures come together in Lexington – it’s a true melting pot – and a place where you can explore a wide array of immigrant-owned restaurants. We encourage you to explore more here.
PLAN AHEAD FOR LEXINGTON’S PREMIER SUMMER EVENTS:
SoulFeast
June 14 – 23, 2024
Celebrating Black Culinary Culture and Cuisine, SoulFeast is a ten-day celebration that supports Black businesses and entrepreneurs.
© Visit Lexington
Lexington Pride Festival
Saturday, June 29, 2024, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM at Central Bank Center
Belonging. Freedom. Safety. Acceptance. Love.
