Irish Hill's RootsFest

One of the countless things I love about living in Louisville is that on any given day I can be driving or walking and turn a corner, only to run into one of many neighborhood festivals. Coming upon a street filled with people and tents when I didn’t expect to, reinvigorates my love of community. Louisville is a city of communities and neighborhoods. Each major community is complete with several neighborhoods, each with their own individual distinctions and whose residents are filled with neighborhood pride.

This weekend, one of Louisville’s Highlands’ neighborhoods is hosting a one-day festival. The Irish Hill neighborhood will host RootsFest this Saturday, September 15th. RootsFest will feature music, arts and crafts, and delicious food. In addition to local artists featuring their work, there will be some special guests at RootsFest for the Kids and as part of the non-profit fair. All day there will be a special kids craft booth headed by artist Aerie Meredith complete with plenty of exciting things to keep your kids busy. Starting at 12:30pm Walden Theatre, which is an Irish Hill neighbor, will be performing Guerilla Theatre. If you are interested in learning about providing safe drinking water for developing countries, WaterStep will be teaching about safe drinking water for our planet and how you can get involved.

Music will be going on all day long at RootsFest. The entertainment beginnings at 11am with the local blues band, Louisville Blues & The Blues Chasers. At 1:30pm The Bluegrass Messengers go on stage with their rendition of the blues followed by Appaltin at 2:30pm with their Appalachian-Latin fusion music.

If you are anything like me, the thing you look forward to the most at festivals is the food. At RootsFest, food will be provided by Gary’s on Spring, and plenty of hot vittles, craft beer and “delicious libations” will be available. A Four Roses bourbon tasting is also on the list of events for the day.

All proceeds for RootsFest will go to WaterStep, formally Edge Outreach. It’s great to know that not only can you have a wonderful time with your community, but when you do at RootsFest, it’s funds go to a good cause. 

Irish Hill is located in the Highlands, bound by Baxter Avenue to the West, Lexington Road to the North, Middle Fork at Beargrass Creek and I-64 to the East, and Cave Hill Cemetery to the South. Irish Hill is a neighborhood that holds a place between two communities; the Highlands and Clifton, getting the best of both communities. Within walking distance to both Frankfort Avenue and Bardstown Road, the Shotgun Houses of Irish Hill make up both a convenient and comfortable neighborhood. Irish Hill is filled with history as well. Home to the Distillery Commons, which was once the Old Kentucky Distillery, the largest distillery in the World of its time, and several historic homes, Irish Hill’s historic relevance makes it a unique place to call home.

I strongly suggest going out and supporting the Irish Hill neighborhood’s first ever RootsFest.  RootsFest is going to provide some great music, food, and fun, so get out and enjoy the beautiful weather!