Why Louisville?
Louisville is a mid-sized city that teeters on the line between the friendliness of the Midwest and the historical charm of Southern cities. We emphasize local pride - culture, shops, restaurants - you name it, you can find it in Louisville.
Louisville Is Bold
City Overview
Louisville Is Artsy
Art in Louisville
Reasons Why You'll Love Moving to Louisville
Local Restaurants
Louisville has recently been recognized as one of the greatest destination food towns in america. From Kentucky home-style traditional cooking to French cuisine, Italian, Mediterranean and over 2500 restaurants to choose from; Louisville is becoming one of the ideal destinations for foodies around the US.
Louisville Parks
From Cherokee Park to the Parklands of Floyds Fork, Louisville has a number of parks to visit around the Metro area. Frederick Law Olmsted, architect and creator of Central Park in New York, came to Kentucky in the 1890's to take part in the Louisville Park system. Olmsted's vision was to bring nature into the neighborhoods and helped create some of the best parks in Louisville. In total, there are more than 120 public parks.
Live Entertainment
Enjoy live music and entertainment throughout the year. From concerts at local venues to annual festivals, you will find that there is live entertainment to enjoy almost every night of the week. Here is a list of some of the annual events hosted here in Louisville:
FEBRUARY
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Musique Romantique - Louisville Chorus at the Seelbach during Valentine’s dinner.
MARCH
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Itchin’ to Pick – A weekend-long bluegrass jam session held at the Galt House.
APRIL
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Kentucky Derby Fest-a-Ville - Outdoor music festival of various genres on the Waterfront.
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GonzoFest – Various locations and concerts happening around Louisville.
MAY
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Abbey Road on the River - Memorial Day Weekend at Belvedere Park. The largest Beatles tribute festival in America.
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Kentucky Reggae Festival – Memorial Day Weekend at the Louisville Water Tower.
JUNE
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Americana World Festival – a Multicultural celebration held at the Iroquois Amphitheatre.
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VinylFest – Weekend of celebrating vinyl record collecting and music at the Crowne Plaza.
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Kentuckiana Pride Festival – Celebration for the LGBT community and its allies on the Belvedere.
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Kentucky Shakespeare Festival in Central Park - Free, professional performances of Shakespeare plays in Old Louisville's Central park throughout the summer months.
JULY
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Waterfront Independence Festival – Fourth of July party featuring concerts, fireworks and more.
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Waterfront Wednesdays - Free summer concerts at Waterfront Park
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Forecastle Festival - Named one of the top 101 things to do in America by SPIN Magazine.
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Blues, Brews & BBQ Festival – Local BBQ and the music of New Orleans and Memphis at the Louisville Water Tower.
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Kentucky Music Weekend - largest traditional and folk music festival in the region held at Iroquois Amphitheatre.
AUGUST
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Kentucky State Fair – Features free and paid concerts from multiple genres and national acts.
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WorldFest – Celebration of world cultures held at the Belvedere over Labor Day weekend.
SEPTEMBER
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Kentucky Bluegrass & Bourbon Experience – Live bluegrass, burgoo, barbecue, and bourbon.
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Louisville Irish Fest- Live Irish and Celtic music and Irish dancers at Bellarmine University.
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National Jug Band Jubilee - Gathering of the nation's best jug bands.
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Louisville Music Awards – Celebration of local music held at Headliners Music Hall.
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NuluFest – Street festival is the official after-party of IdeaFestival.
OCTOBER
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Garvin Gate Blues Festival - Largest free neighborhood street music festival in Louisville.
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Belknap Fall Festival – Great food, live music, and local artists. A street festival off of Douglass Loop in the Highlands neighborhood.
DECEMBER
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Give a Jam to End Homelessness – Local musicians and chefs come together to raise money for the homeless.
Bourbon Country
Visit some of the worlds best Bourbon Bars in the city. Experience the Louisville Urban Bourbon Trail. Louisville is responsible for 95% of the world's supply of Bourbon. You can show off to your peers a collection of Bourbon stamps as you sample more than 50 different Kentucky Spirits along your way down the Urban Bourbon Trail.
Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs
Dating back to the late 1700's horse racing has been part of the state of Kentucky. But it wasn't until 1875 when they opened the doors to Churchill Downs. Home of the Kentucky Derby, the fastest two minutes in sports and also home to the Kentucky Oaks. Churchill Downs was built in 1895 and designed by Joseph Dominic. The twin spires are the most recognizable feature of the racetrack. As of today, Churchill Downs holds the record for the longest-running, continuous sporting event in the United States.
College Basketball
If you are moving to the Louisville area, you will notice that College basketball is a hot topic around town. Louisville is towards the top of the list of CBS 'Best in College Sports'. Louisville Cardinals and the Kentucky Wildcats will always be a highly debated conversation. As a Louisvillian you will also have to pick one or the other to cheer for. With the history of both teams and their success, whichever one you choose will be a great pick.
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Convenient Location
One reason why people love living in Louisville KY is because of its convenient location. The average drive to work is under 25 minutes. Louisville is within a day's drive to two-thirds of the U.S. population.
Living in Louisville
Louisville's cost of living is less than the national average (79/100), and housing makes up the bulk of this difference. The median home price is about $321,428 and average rent is $1,248 a month. Our residents live in a wide variety of neighborhoods, and about half own their homes.
Use the interactive map below and click on pinned neighborhoods to learn more.
Images: Garrett's Realty Group Louisville, Kentucky State Data Center/UofL
Tour Louisville with our Residents
Tour with our residents as they show you their favorite places in Louisville! Click on any of the red GPS markers below.