Here’s 23 places to find art gifts and 15 ways to celebrate the holidays. Included for the first time are performances of dance, classical music and theater. Please note this is not an exhaustive list (although I am exhausted putting it together). Included for the first time are performances of dance, classical music and theater. Please note this is not an exhaustive list (although I am exhausted putting it together).
Friday, Nov. 24 is the next F.A.T. Friday Trolley Hop, aka “the Black Friday Hop” (fatfridayhop.org). The pottery group LOCALS is holding their popular Annual Holiday Pottery Sale during the Hop at Mellwood Art Center. It continues through Saturday, Nov. 25 (louisvillepotters.com).
Glass ornaments and objects are always popular. Flame Run Glass Studio and Gallery (flamerun.com) does do-it-yourself ornaments from Friday, Nov. 24-Monday, Jan. 1. This year, they are donating a portion of their Saturday, Dec. 2 DIY sales to YMCA’s Safe Place. Appointments to blow-your-own are available at Hyland Glass (hylandglass.com) through Thursday, Dec. 21. Studio Gordon (studiogordon.com) is featuring carved-glass snowflakes through December. The Mark Payton Glass Center (paytonglasscenter.com) does “flame your own” through December, as well.
E&S Gallery (eandsgallery.com) is holding its Holiday Open House on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Bourbon Baroque is performing Handel’s “Messiah” on Saturday, Nov. 25 and Sunday, Nov. 26 at St. Brigid Catholic Church (bourbonbaroque.com). The Louisville Orchestra is also performing “Messiah” at various locations from Thursday, Nov. 30-Sunday, Dec. 3 (louisvilleorchestra.org).
The “9th Annual Under $50 Art Show” at Liberty Tattoo and Art Parlor is from Saturday, Nov. 25-Saturday, Dec. 30 (libertytattooandart.com).
The Speed Art Museum is participating in the international sale Museum Store Sunday on Sunday, Nov. 26 (speedmuseum.org).
Broadway Across America (louisville.broadway.com) is presenting “How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” at The Kentucky Center from Tuesday, Nov. 28-Sunday, Dec. 3.
The Republic Bank First Friday Hop (firstfridayhop.com) is Friday, Dec. 1. CRAFT(s) Gallery and Mercantile will be opening its holiday exhibition “Atmospheric Energy” by Justin Rothshank during the Dec. 1 First Friday; it closes Dec. 31 (craftslouisville.com). Block Party Handmade Boutique is holding its alternative holiday show, “Don’t Krampus by Style 2,” during the Dec. 1 First Friday (blockpartyhandmade.com).
Another ceramics sale is being held by the faculty and students of the UofL Hite Art Institute’s Ceramic Arts Organization on Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2 (louisville.edu/art).
The “Nutcracker” is a time-honored tradition with two local productions in December. “Clara’s Dream” by the UofL’s Dance Theatre (uldanceacademy.com) is on Friday, Dec. 1-Sunday, Dec. 3. The Louisville Ballet’s “The Brown-Forman Nutcracker” is on Saturday, Dec. 9-Saturday, Dec. 23 at The Kentucky Center (louisvilleballet.org). In addition, “Nutcracker the Exhibition: 60 Years of Magic and Majesty” is at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum through Jan. 7 (fraziermuseum.org).
“St. Nickaklaus and the Hanukkah Christmas” by the Bunbury Theatre (bunburytheatre.org), at the Henry Clay from Friday, Dec. 1-Sunday, Dec. 17.
Revelry Boutique Gallery (revelrygallery.com) is holding its annual “Winter Wonderland: An Ornament Spectacular” on Friday, Dec. 1-Wednesday, Jan. 3.
Held this year on Friday, Dec. 1 and Saturday, Dec. 2, the 27th annual WinterFair! is an indoor art festival at Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church (tjuc.org/winterfair).
The next Made Market (made-market.co) is on Saturday, Dec. 2 at Mellwood Art Center.
C. J. Fletcher is back with her annual holiday art show on Saturday, Dec. 2 (cjfletcher.com).
“The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” by Stage One (stageone.org) at The Kentucky Center is from Saturday, Dec. 2-Saturday, Dec. 16.
The Flea Off Market is holding its Indoor Holiday Bazaar on Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 at Art Sanctuary (art-sanctuary.com). It will also be there on Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10.
Historic homes always have special events this time of year. “Christmastide, 1816” at Locust Grove (locustgrove.org) is Saturday, Dec. 2, with the house decorated as it would have been in 1816. The Victorian Christmas Tea at Whitehall is also on Dec. 2 (historicwhitehall.org). The 41st Annual Old Louisville Holiday Home Tour is Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3 (oldlouisville.org). The Conrad-Caldwell House Museum (conrad-caldwell.org) is also serving up its 11th Annual Victorian Tea on Saturday, Dec. 2 and Sunday, Dec. 3.
Crazy Daisy’s Holiday Open House is Sunday, Dec. 3. (crazydaisyantiquemall.com).
The Kentucky Museum of Art and Craft’s (kmacmuseum.org) annual holiday shopping event, Martinis & Mistletoe, is on Thursday, Dec. 7.
The Umpteenth Annual $20 Art Show is at Copper & Kings American Brandy Company (copperandkings.com) on Saturday, Dec. 9.
“A Charlie Brown Christmas LIVE! on Stage” is Saturday, Dec. 9 at the Brown Theatre (kentuckycenter.org).
The Christmas Open House at the Derby City Antique Mall is on Saturday, Dec. 9 (derbycityantiquemall.com).
“SNOW” by Voices of Kentuckiana is on Saturday, Dec. 9 and Sunday, Dec. 10 at the Clifton Center (voicesky.org).
AA Clay Studio & Gallery is holding its Holiday Pottery Sale (aaclay.com) through Wednesday, Dec. 20.
Actors Theatre (actorstheatre.org) is presenting Fifth Third Bank’s “A Christmas Carol” through Saturday, Dec. 23.
This year’s holiday exhibition at Galerie Hertz featuring gallery artists runs through Dec. 31 (galeriehertz.com). •
