Local Spring Festivals in Louisville, KY

After hibernating in our homes during the winter, spring’s return offers an invitation to get out and explore local spring festivals in Louisville, Kentucky. Discover some of the engaging and entertaining activities and events that await you this season.

Fleur de Flea Vintage Urban Market

Image via Unsplash by Charisse Kenion

This Louisville outdoor vintage urban market, held twice each year, occurs on the Waterfront Plaza along the Ohio River. Vendors hail from all parts of Kentucky with their vintage treasures. Festival attendees can browse racks of clothing, explore books, purchase pieces of collectible glassware, and find phonograph records.

Fleur de Flea’s outdoor market and festival have been called “the absolute coolest flea market in Kentucky” by House Beautiful magazine and “Kentuckians’ finest and largest outdoor vintage and urban flea market” by Flea Market Home & Living magazine. Fleur de Flea’s outdoor events are free to attend. On-street parking and garage parking are available.

After you’ve found your vintage treasures at the market, you can visit the food trucks and culinary vendors offering plenty of Kentucky-proud bites and delights for you to sample. Liquid beverages take the form of cold drinks, local wine, and craft beer. Once you’ve strolled through the market, explore downtown Louisville on your own. Take a walking tour and experience the sights and sounds of this extraordinary community.

Don’t despair if you can’t attend this biannual outdoor urban market event. Fleur de Flea invites you to explore its new permanent indoor market at 947 E. Breckinridge St. The indoor market occupies a large, 25,000-square-foot vintage warehouse building filled with more than 100 vendors. These vendors offer vintage treasures ranging from vinyl records to midcentury modern furniture. The Fleur de Flea warehouse is open each week, Thursday through Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sunday, from noon to 6 p.m.

Check the website below for information about 2021 Urban Market event dates.

More information: thefleurdeflea.com

Springfest

Presented by the Toonerville Trolley Neighborhood Association, Springfest brings together community members for an old-fashioned seasonal celebration. Held at Toonerville Trolley Park, near the corner of Brook and Oak streets in Old Louisville, Springfest combines a dynamic outdoor festival atmosphere with the feel of a quaint neighborhood market. Admission is free; the event is open to the general public.

Springfest has featured more than 100 local artists and vendors, food trucks, and community nonprofits in past years. This festival is the place to find works of art, clothing, food, handmade soaps, wood crafts, pottery, and upcycled products.

If you’ve worked up an appetite after all the shopping, you can sample fine fare from Louisville’s gourmet food trucks, topped off with Louisville’s legendary bourbon slushies.

Family entertainment often includes the Kosair Kid Zone with inflatables and obstacle courses for kids to explore. Children’s activities and games are also part of the family-friendly entertainment available.

Special note: For 2021, Springfest Planning Committee members have chosen to move the ninth annual Springfest event to Saturday, Sept. 18. Committee members are closely monitoring guidelines and recommendations related to COVID-19 protocols for this event. Details will be announced on the Toonerville Trolley Neighborhood Association’s website.

More information: ttnalouisville.org/springfest

Thunder Over Louisville

With its theme “Illuminating Our Community,” the Thunder Over Louisville Festival has been re-imagined for its 32nd year. Organized by Kentucky Derby Festival officials, “Illuminating Our Community” will be held Saturday, April 17, and include some of the air show programming and fireworks synonymous with the festival. This year, 2021, will feature the following:

• Fireworks will launch around 9:30 p.m. and appear around the Louisville community in five locations north, south, east, and west of the city. Residents can step outside their homes to see the fireworks show from their neighborhoods.
• The two-hour air show on Thunder day will feature a Category 3 airbox with flybys and aerobatics. Air act performances will feature the Kentucky Air National Guard, the Tuskegee Airman P-51, the 2019 Air Show Performer of the Year Matt Younkin, and U.S. Army helicopters.

WHAS-TV will offer all-day coverage of Thunder Over Louisville beginning at 6 a.m., and Mix 106.9 will feature special programming throughout the day. Festival officials are launching Thunder at Home, an online resource featuring tips for planning your Thunder party at home and creating Thunder-inspired cocktails and food. Look for children’s coloring pages and more activities to celebrate Thunder Over Louisville.

More information: thunderoverlouisville.org

Wild Lights at the Louisville Zoo

Image via Unsplash by vinhan

Experience the Louisville Zoo in a new light during one of the largest lantern festivals in the United States. Thousands of handcrafted silk-covered lanterns will come aglow, illuminated by more than 50,000 LED light bulbs. This year, the Louisville Zoo unveils 70 new lantern displays placed throughout the 1.4-mile paved walkway that winds through the zoo’s 130-acre park.

Immerse yourself in extraordinary ocean scenes that feature swimming whales, sea turtles, and crabs. Travel underneath illuminated archways and discover flocks of peacocks, a glowing lion pride, and slithering serpents. Kids can walk inside a gigantic kaleidoscope where they can twirl and whirl to their hearts’ content.

Wild Lights runs Wednesday through Sunday through May 30, beginning at 6:30 each evening. Festival attendees must purchase advance tickets, which are valid for admission only for the date and time indicated on the ticket. Admission costs are as follows:

• $20: single general public admission.
• $17: single Louisville Zoo member admission.
• $60: Family Four Pack general public admission for up to four members of a family.
• $54: Family Four Pack Louisville Zoo member admission for up to four members of a family.

Wild Lights takes place rain or shine. Visitors ages 5 and older must wear face masks at all times while exploring Wild Lights.

More information: louisvillezoo.org/wild-lights

Now that you know more about some spring festivals taking place in Louisville, make plans to experience these dynamic celebrations for yourself. What did you think of our list? Did we miss a spring celebration that you think we should include? Contact the Oxmoor Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram team so that we can add it to our list. Get out and explore Louisville this season!