Cast Your Vote for Bardstown—The Best Small Town

May 9, 2012 by

As the horses emerged onto the track for the 138th running of the Kentucky Derby this past Saturday, the crowd took part in the singing of My Old Kentucky Home.

The inspiration for that Stephen Foster song is just down the road in Bardstown, Kentucky. With its rich history, beautiful town square, and quaint neighborhood shops and restaurants, it’s no surprise that Bardstown is nominated in the USA Today/Rand McNally Best Small Towns online contest. If you’ve ever been to Bardstown, you know what we’re talking about. And if you haven’t, well, maybe it’s time to plan a visit!

Currently in the “most beautiful” category—and the only small town in our region in the contest—we encourage you to vote for Bardstown today and everyday until the contest ends on May 14. You can cast your vote here and even upload your own picture to the Bardstown gallery.

Downtown BardstownThe beauty of Bardstown
As Kentucky’s second oldest city, the streets of downtown Bardstown are filled with beautiful stone sidewalks, historic colonial homes, eclectic retail shops, and yes, even horse and carriage rides through the town. A tour through the city will take you to places such as historical Old Talbott Tavern, various art galleries, women and childrens’ boutique clothing, home interior shops, and more.

And did you know Bardstown is also the heart of bourbon country? Visit the Willett Distillery, The Bourbon Heritage Center at Heaven Hill Distilleries, The Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History, Barton 1792 Distillery & Visitor Center  among others.

You have to see this
Bardstown plays host to more than 30 annual events and festivals designed for people of all ages. From the Opry to wine excursions to Bourbon Festival to arts and crafts fairs, the spirit of Bardstown and pride of the people who live there is seen year round.

Cast your vote
Please vote every day for this gem of a small town, right here in our region! Its beauty, history, and culture deserve to be known all around America.

If you would like more information about the contest, check out this short video.

Image courtesy of www.visitbardstown.com

Filed Under: Nelson County Kentucky, Tourism

Agritourism: What it means for our region

May 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Agritourism in Kentucky and IndianaWhile tomorrow may be Derby Day, another annual tradition will be underway in LaRue County – the 4th annual Strawberry Festival at Hinton’s Orchard & Farm Market. Jeremy and Joanna Hinton purchased the farm in 2006 and since then have invited thousands of their closest friends to join in the fun, offering not just fresh fruits and vegetables, but a whole host of activities for the family to enjoy on this working farm.

The Hinton’s are just one example of farmers who are reaping the benefits of agritourism in our region. Agritourism has been touted as one of the fastest growing segments of the agriculture industry. If you’re not familiar with the term, it simply means, “The act of visiting a working farm or any agricultural, horticultural, or agribusiness operation for the purpose of enjoyment, education or active involvement in the activities of the farm or operation.”

Our region is home to dozens of active agritourism destinations – a celebration of the family farm and the entrepreneurial spirit of our region. A few more that caught our attention:

Maple Hill Manor
Springfield, KY

This working farm is located in the Bluegrass Region of Kentucky and the home situated on the farm is considered one of the best preserved Antebellum Homes in the Commonwealth. The attraction of staying in a beautiful bed-and-breakfast is the primary draw for this agritourism business. It has won number awards including being voted “Top 10 Innkeepers” in the U.S. by BedandBreakfast.com 2010-2011.

Hubor’s Winery
Starlight, IN

This family-run farm was started with 80 acres of farmland by Simon Huber. The farm has now been expanded to over 600 acres. Originally from Germany, Simon brought along his years of experience in fruit growing and wine making. With expertise and hard work, this agritourism business has acquired over 900 gold, silver & bronze awards from wine competitions from all regions of the United States.

Fair Oaks Farms
Fair Oaks, IN

By using sustainable farming practices and high-quality ingredients, Fair Oaks Farms is a working farm that has award-winning dairy products – artisan cheese, fresh milk, homemade ice cream, and specialty butter. With an up-close look at sustainable dairy farming at its finest, this agritourism business offers wholesome fun for the entire family.

And there are so many more.

Support our local farmers and the businesses they’ve created by visiting a local farm in your area. Check out a list of agritourism destinations in Kentucky and Indiana.

Filed Under: Agriculture, Entrepreneurs, Larue County Kentucky, Tourism

Sticks and KIX

April 27, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Bernheim Sculture OpeningThis past Thursday, the kix team had the pleasure of visiting Bernheim Forest to enjoy a beautiful spring afternoon in one of the region’s most beautiful spots, as well as the unveiling of a unique sculpture created from the forest’s own vegetation by world renowned sculptor, Patrick Dougherty. Dougherty, who combines his love of nature with his skills as a carpenter, has built more than two hundred monumental, on-site natural pieces all around the globe. In fact, he came to Kentucky having just finished an installation in the Loire Valley of France.

Each Dougherty sculpting requires sticks by the truckload, and in this case his three-week installation of woven willow art was completed with help from local nature lovers who volunteered to assist. A completely “interactive” piece of living art, “Snake Hollow” as the piece has been named, is a delight to touch, explore, look at and even smell for children of all ages. And like much of the art found at Bernheim, the work will evolve as it weathers and ages, before decomposition returns it to nature.

Tom Block, the great grandson of Bernheim founder Isaac Berheim, was there for the unveiling. Tom noted that his grandfather’s vision was for the forest was to become a melding of art and nature – And Patrick Dougherty’s work was just that!

Filed Under: Bullitt County Kentucky, Inspiration

Spirit of Our Region Shines Bright During Two-Week Derby Celebration

April 25, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Kentucky DerbyIf you’re not from around here, you may not understand the passion that goes into celebrating two weeks’ worth of Derby festivities—festivities that include more than 50 activities for both children and adults. But the people of our region sure do.

It’s known as the fastest two minutes in sports—The Kentucky Derby. And the festivities that ensue have evolved into a two-week-long celebration leading up to the first Saturday in May. Many traditions have began as a result of the Kentucky Derby: Thunder Over Louisville, The Great Steamboat Race, The Chow Wagon, and many others. Most recently, Major Greg Fischer’s Give a Day Week kicked off as an official Derby Festival event this year with a record-breaking number of contributors—more than 90,000!

And if that isn’t enough to keep you entertained, there’s always the fashion! Check out some of the latest Derby fashion, including hats and shoes, here.

The people of Louisville, Southern Indiana, and areas North, South, East, and West all take part in Derby events some way or another. Even if you don’t brave the infield or aren’t lucky enough to get a ticket to the Derby, you probably celebrate in some way or another with your friends and family. And let’s not forget about The Oaks on Friday. The running of the fillies has become almost as popular as the Derby itself. In fact, the Oaks and the Derby are unofficial holidays in our region.

We still have a week until Oaks and Derby, which means we still have a week’s worth of events to celebrate. Here are just some of the events coming up this weekend and into next week. For the list in its entirety and for a description of each event listed below, click here.

Saturday, April 28

  • Marathon/miniMarathon presented by Walmart
  • U.S. Bank Derby Festival Great Balloon Race
  • Da’Ville Classic Drum Line Showcase College Fair
  • 2012 NPC Kentucky Derby Championships Fitness * Figure * Bikini *Bodybuilding * Physique
  • Kentucky Derby Festival- ACO DerbyHole Classic

Sunday, April 29

  • $1 Million Dollar Hole In One Semi Finals
  • Louisville Youth Orchestra Concert
  • Children’s Tea with the Derby Festival Princesses presented by Goldberg Simpson
  • Celebration Sunday with 88.5 WJIE
  • Derby Brunch On the River

Monday, April

  • Stock Yards Bank Kentucky Derby Festival Great Bed Races
  • AT&T Derby Festival Morning Line
  • Don Fightmaster Golf Outing for Exceptional Children
  • Still Spinnin’ Benefit Ride for Down Syndrome of Louisville
  • HappyTail Hour at Kroger’s Fest-a-Ville

Tuesday, May 5

  • $1 Million Dollar Hole In One Finals
  • Republic Bank Parade Preview Party
  • WineFest
  • Texas Hold’em Tournament
  • Ramble for the Roses

Wednesday, May 2

  • Great Steamboat Race
  • Battle of the Bounce

Thursday, May 3

  • Celebrity Day at the Downs
  • Republic Bank Pegasus Parade
  • 100 Black Men of Louisville Derby Gala

Friday, May 4

  • Derby Eve Jam featuring The Charlie Daniels Band with Guest the Hillbenders

Good luck to the horses and jockeys on Oaks and Derby day. We’ll be watching, and we know the people of our region will too.

Filed Under: Culture, Louisville

From Campbellsville to Louisville – An International Perspective

April 20, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Guest Post by Matt (Lars) Tomaz, Campbellsville University student

As I sat in the stadium seats of the newly built KFC Yum! Center, excitement was in the air.  I was digesting not only the scene but also the culinary delight of beer cheese and pretzel sticks that I just ate at Troll Under the Bridge (a nearby eatery).  I watched and listened to the endless hum of professionals networking their little hearts out and waited with great anticipation to hear from the keynote speaker, the CEO of General Electric, Jeff Immelt.

Being an international student, I wasn’t expecting anything Immelt said to apply to me. On the contrary, my expectation was that Immelt would give a passionate speech about the great land of the free and home of the brave, while the audience cheered sporadically while humming the chorus of ‘My Country ‘Tis of Thee’ in unison. But that was not the case. What Immelt delivered was a message of hope for the struggling business community but also an urge to move forward and not stay stagnant. In his list of ten things a business had to do to stay competitive, number four was to not be afraid to do business around the world.

According to Immelt, by 2020 there will be 3 billion more customers around the world that are in the middle class. For him, it was imperative for businesses in the United States to be the first ones to grab hold of these customers. Although the economy was weakened in the United States and in Europe, many countries around the world are experiencing exponential growth, such as China, Brazil and India. Those countries need to spend that money, and the businesses in America are ready to spring up after a treacherous winter in the world of the economy.

Given the global economy, businesses cannot limit the market to one’s own country or people anymore. With cultures melding together with the help of the Internet, it is time for countries to invest in other countries. Yes, in my wonderful country of Brazil, we welcome American business! I feel that Brazil, now being the sixth largest economy in the world, having recently passed the United Kingdom, has also realized that it must expand its economic borders to succeed. Brazilian companies such as Embraer produce products being used all over the world, even in the United States. The United States, who is the largest economy in the world, has been a great exporter in the past and must continue to do so in the future. Who knows, maybe someday I will be able to sit on the beaches of Rio de Janeiro while sipping on apple cider and munching on pretzel sticks covered in beer cheese.

Matt (Lars) Tomaz is an International student from Brazil at Campbellsville University in Kentucky. He is a junior majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Psychology. He can speak several languages, including English, Portuguese, Romanian, and French. He hopes to someday be a public relations consultant for a company that does business in many countries.

This blog is the first in a series chronicling Campbellsville University Students experience on a recent visit to Louisville for Greater Louisville Inc.’s annual meeting.

Filed Under: college, Culture

From Campbellsville to Louisville

April 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Campbellsville UniversityThe kix team is always looking for ways to make connections, build relationships, and foster talent development opportunities. That’s why we were thrilled when Greater Louisville Inc generously agreed to host a group of Campbellsville University students at the 2012 annual meeting this past March. Several juniors and seniors from the Mass Communications Department made the journey and heard from Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, and key note speaker Jeffrey Immelt, the CEO of General Electric.

The students’ experiences will be chronicled in a series of blogs over the next two weeks on kix.com.

We think you’ll enjoy what they have to say. Check back tomorrow for the first blog post in this series.

 

Photo courtesy of Campbellsville University.

Filed Under: Education

Take Advantage of a Rare Chance to Explore Cuba!

April 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Greater Louisville Inc Trip to CubaThe 9-day, 8-night DISCOVER CUBA adventure trip, sponsored by the Greater Louisville Inc. and travel partner Chamber Explorations, is one of the hottest tickets in town. And with limited seating, it’s likely selling out fast. It’s a chance to do something few of us have had the opportunity to do—thanks to a recently-resurrected program known as people-to-people experience. First offered in 1999, people-to-people licenses have not been issued since 2003. A recent executive order this past year re-opened the door.

While tourism is not new to Cuba, travel to Cuba is new to most Americans. It’s your chance to experience a country that has long been off limits. This all-inclusive, well-planned cultural exploration will be true to the local culture with outings that will expose travelers to artists and craft workers and to sites that will share Cuba’s history from Cuba’s point of view. See Old Havana, Sugar Mill Valley, Partagas Cigar Factory, Finca La Vigia (Hemingway’s home), Pinar del Mar, Bay of Pigs, Cuban Literacy Museum, Cuban School/Day Care, and visit the world heritage cities of Cienfuegos and Trinidad. And these are just a few of the scheduled stops on the trip itinerary.

To access the full trip itinerary, click here.

By traveling with Chamber Explorations, you are licensed and authorized to travel to Cuba. Chamber Explorations programs operate under a specific license granted to us by the United States Department of Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). Prior to your departure to Cuba, you will receive a copy of our travel license and a letter of authorization granting you permission to travel under that license.

“We will be flying non-stop from Miami International Airport on August 30 on a chartered jet.” Said Michael Iacovazzi-Pau, GLI’s Manager of Global Engagement. “One plane has already been filled, but we’ve still got seats left on a second.”

So move quickly if you’re interested in this terrific, limited-time opportunity to visit Cuba.

Questions? Visit the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) page on GLI’s website or call Michael Iacovazzi-Pau at 502-625-0070.

Filed Under: Culture, Tourism

Give A Day Week—Mayor Fischer’s Day of Service

April 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Give a Day Week LouisvilleOur region is filled with great examples of people helping others, and Mayor Greg Fischer has set the regional bar even higher since Louisville received the honor of being named the world’s most compassionate city. When Fischer accepted the 2012 Jack Olive International Compassionate City Award in a ceremony in Seattle just a couple of weeks ago, he said of the award: “I’ve said from day one that we’re going to pursue being recognized as the most compassionate city in the world – and if that prods other cities to try to outdo us, then ‘Game On.’ In a competition centered on compassion, everyone wins!”

With a passion for helping others and an enthusiastic spirit to take care the community, Fisher leads the city on yet another mission: Give a Day Week. The timing of the award plays well with this event, as people of Louisville and surrounding communities are encouraged to show their compassion in one of the city’s biggest volunteering events of the year.

Dreaming big, no doubt, Fischer set a goal of recruiting 55,000 community volunteers to sign up and help out with various volunteering projects in and around the city during this nine-day venture. With Metro United Way and the Kentucky Derby Festival behind it, we’re sure to see a record number of volunteers this year. According to a WPFL article on Friday, more than 30,000 have already signed up.

Give a Day week will start and end with massive cleanups, with the last day—April 22—concluding with cleanups from Thunder Over Louisville along the waterfront and downtown.

Give a Day week started on Saturday, April 14, but you still have plenty of time to help out. In fact, there are several projects listed with dates and times here. Volunteers are still needed for projects of all kinds. To register for a project online, click here.

If you’re not able to volunteer your time, you can still participate in Give a Day week by:

  • Dropping off can food for Dare to Care at local Kroger stores
  • Giving blood at one of the American Red Cross blood drive locations
  • Donating shoes to EDGE Outreach at locations throughout the city
  • Donating books to JCPS so that every elementary and middle school students have grade-level books to read this summer

More information about all of these opportunities are available at www.mygiveaday.com.

Filed Under: Events, Louisville, Regionalism

Importance of the Cultural Art Scene in our Region

April 13, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Louisville cultural artsAlbert Einstein once said, “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.” Creativity allows us to think big, dream bigger, and lets our imaginations run wild. Having a thriving cultural arts scene is critical for any region.

Luckily for the people in our area, we’re encouraged to imagine, innovate, and dream big thanks in part to vibrant cultural arts scene that not only inspires creativity, but also fosters collaboration. Here are two examples how:

The Derby Dinner Playhouse in Jeffersonville, Indiana, one of the most well-known venues in our region, began a program in 1986 that combined theatre and education for children in the area, with the goal of developing the creativity and appreciation of theatre within students. This program is not unlike the Performing Arts Center (PAC) in Hardin County, where students from area schools come to perform musicals, showcase talents, and put on concerts. From elementary to high school, children of all ages use the PAC to perform and watch others display their cultural arts talents.

This weekend in a collaborative effort between the Derby Dinner Playhouse and the Hardin County PAC, a community pro-am drama, “Our Town,” will be presented at the PAC. This pro-am production is a great way for amateurs in the area to interact with professionals and allows everyone to get in on the act.

Bart Lovins, PAC director, says of the musical and the pro-am performance: “It’s such a classical piece of theater that most people have seen some form of “Our Town” in their lives. The PAC’s season has been devoted to highlighting the Hardin County community, ending with ‘Our Town’ to showcase local talent.”

“Our Town” professional actor J.R. Stuart has appeared on the PAC stage in the past when he performed a one-man show based on the life of Mark Twain. According to the News Enterprise, Stuart’s love for “Our Town” started early in his career when he played the Stage Manager in “Our Town” in 1981. J.R. Stuart has been the resident character actor at Derby Dinner Playhouse in Clarksville, Indiana since July, 1990, and has performed across the United States and Canada in national tours.

In this collaboration between the PAC and the Derby Dinner Playhouse, Stuart is bringing his big-town expertise to Hardin County in what promises to be an exciting and eventful show. Lovins says of this performance: “Audiences will enjoy the community performance. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you will have a good time.”

Learn more about the cultural arts scene in Hardin County and reserve your ticket to this weekend’s performance of “Our Town!”

Louisville’s cultural arts scene has some big news this weekend too. A collaboration and partnership between Mikelle Bruzina, principal dancer and choreographer at the Louisville Ballet, and composer Ben Sollee will be showcased this weekend at 60th Anniversary Celebration for the Louisville Ballet.

The two have been working for almost a year on the upcoming world premiere of “Sansei.” According to the Louisville Ballet’s website, Bruzina began developing Sansei after being awarded a Choo-San Goh Award in Choreography. Although Bruzina and Sollee have been friends and fans of each other’s work for several years, this is the first time they’ve gotten to work together on a ballet.

Bruzina, who now serves as the ballet mistress, was inspired by her Japanese immigrant grandparents. According to WFPL News, Bruzina had this to say about her collaboration with Sollee:

“We talked initially about the sound or style we were trying to capture, which had hints, influences of Japanese traditional music done on the Kabuki stage or traditional Japanese dance, and you know he has a lot of Bluegrass background in his playing, and both of us being from Kentucky, Lexington, both drew from that as well. I feel like [Sollee’s] soul and his heart is in a similar place, as far as the landscape we are creating together with this piece.”

You can support The Louisville Ballet’s 60th Anniversary and watch “Sansei” live by purchasing tickets to the Diamond Jubilee event here.

The cultural arts scene in our region is thriving. From Hardin County to Jeffersonville, Indiana, venues such as the PAC and the Derby Dinner Playhouse allow people of all ages to express their talents and show support for the arts. To access a list of community arts centers, museums, venues, and more in our region and beyond, click here.

Filed Under: Culture, Events

Where the East End Bridge and River Ridge Meet

April 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Louisville economic developmentWhile most of us may think that River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana is just a strategically located business park, we may not realize the history of the site or the vast potential it holds for the economic prosperity of our region.

Its history dates back to World War II, when it operated as the Indiana Army Ammunition Plant that manufactured gunpowder during World War II, the Korean War, and the Viet Nam War. In 1998, 6,000 acres of the site were transferred to the River Ridge Development Authority and dedicated to the economic growth of our region.

The decision to transfer the property has paid off, and River Ridge’s potential as a major economic development site — a place with thousands of well paying jobs — is bigger now than ever before. But why is the River Ridge so attractive to job seekers and corporations looking for expansion? Last week we published an article about Amazon’s decision to build a $150 million distribution center in River Ridge due to its location and easy access to major interstates that connect Louisville and Southern Indiana. Not to mention its close proximity to UPS, the Louisville National Airport, Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville, and CSX railroad via Mid-American Rail Service. This “Crossroads of America” location is certainly an attractive site for new and expanding businesses to locate, but there’s more to it than that.

What’s even more exciting about this particular site is the development going on around it, to include plans for the East End Bridge, which is scheduled to begin construction this year. The bridge, which is part of the Ohio River Bridges Project, will connect Louisville’s east end to Southern Indiana. An exit right beside the River Ridge Commerce Center will make the site even more accessible to the rest of the region. And even more important is that fact that the new East End bridge is just one of the planned transportation upgrades that are coming, including the new downtown bridge, the proposed widening of I-65 through Barren, Hart, LaRue and Hardin Counties, and the I-265 extension through Southern Indiana. Our bridges and highways are key to our region’s future, and paths that lead to many more River Ridges — for instance, the Glendale “Megasite” in Hardin County, a 1,551-acre “shovel-ready” site along I-65 that puts two-thirds of the U.S. population within a one-day truck drive.

And that’s just the tip of the iceberg! Economic development opportunities exist all over our region, and as the economy continues to improve, it will offer terrific venues for even more business expansions and new opportunities. Great jobs will follow. In future blogs we’ll be profiling as many of these as possible. Meanwhile, we’d like to hear what you think. Tell us about a new business that’s coming to your community, or a prime spot where you think site selectors should be looking.

Filed Under: Economic Development
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