Jeffersonville, IN Local Area Information

In the warmer months, Waterfront Park is busy with concerts, sports events and festivals. If there's nothing scheduled, explore the park's 85 acres of green space, playgrounds and waterplay areas via the one-, two- or three-mile marked walking routes, spend an afternoon playing Frisbee on the Great Lawn, or have a picnic overlooking the Ohio River read more about Waterfront Park (read more)

Between April and October, local radio station WFPK hosts Waterfront Wednesdays, a free concert on the last Wednesday of the month. Held at Waterfront Park, the show usually starts around 6 PM. Past performers include Josh Ritter, the Great Lake Swimmers, Ben Sollee, and Audra Mae. Food and drink are for sale. read more about Waterfront Wednesdays (read more)

The Forecastle Festival was first held in 2002 in Louisville's Tyler Park as a free summer music fest, with a few hundred people in attendance. Since then, it has grown steadily larger, incorporating art and activism by inviting artists and non-profit groups to participate in the weekend-long event. The festival moved around the city, from Tyler Park to Cherokee Park, most recently landing by the ... (read more)

The largest annual pyrotechnics show in North America, Thunder Over Louisville takes place along the banks of the Ohio River each spring. The official launch to the Derby Festival, the event-filled weeks before the Kentucky Derby, Thunder attracts up to 500,000 people (unless the weather is bad). The main draw is the 28-minute fireworks show over the river. During the day, there is an airshow and ... (read more)

The Chow Wagon is a collection of food vendors offering all the typical carnival fare (funnel cake, turkey legs, corn dogs, lemonade) during the Derby Festival. Opening at Waterfront Park for Thunder Over Louisville, the Chow Wagon opens regularly for lunch and evening events a week to ten days before the Kentucky Derby. Admission is free with a Pegasus Pin. read more about Chow Wagon (read more)

About 10 days before Derby, Fest-a-ville on the Waterfront launches at Waterfront Park. Part of the multi-week Derby Festival, Fest-a-Ville includes the Chow Wagon, rides, an inflatable playground, corn toss (think horseshoes or washers, depending on where you're from) shopping, movie nights, contests, and concerts by local and national artists. Adults will find grown-up beverages at the beer gard... (read more)

First held in 1963, the Great Steamboat Race has traditionally been between the Belle of Louisville and the Delta Queen. In 2009, the Belle of Cincinnati replaced the Delta Queen, and the race became a competition, with the winner attempting to gain the most points by completing several tasks like the Calliope Contest and others that involve the boat crews. An awards ceremony follows right after t... (read more)

The main attraction at the Falls of the Ohio are the 390-million-year-old Devonian fossil beds. Walk down to the river to see them. Be sure to hydrate in the summer, as the fossil beds can be up to 25 degrees hotter than the temperature on the river bank. An interpretive center presents the geological and cultural history of the area, with details on the various fossils found in the beds. Gardens ... (read more)

In 2011, Taste of Derby Festival celebrates its 24th anniversary as an annual Taste event to benefit the Dare to Care Food Bank and its 13th year as a Derby Festival event. Representatives from more than 65 restaurants and bars set up at Slugger Field to offer attendees appetizer, entrée and dessert samples. There is also bourbon and wine sampling, a contest for Best Bloody Mary, and a silent auc... (read more)

Home to Louisville's Minor League baseball team, the Bats, Slugger Field sits downtown, near the Ohio River. Grab a craft beer and a seat – or watch the game from a picnic bench on the Overlook Deck, where you'll get a great view of both the game and the sunset over downtown Louisville and the river. Seating is also available on the lawn – bring a blanket (coolers are not allowed). On Thursday... (read more)