Heres 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 YMCAs 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 Handels 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, Dont 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 Institutes 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. Claras Dream by the UofLs Dance Theatre (uldanceacademy.com) is on Friday, Dec. 1-Sunday, Dec. 3. The Louisville Ballets 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 Daisys Holiday Open House is Sunday, Dec. 3. (crazydaisyantiquemall.com).
The Kentucky Museum of Art and Crafts (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 Banks A Christmas Carol through Saturday, Dec. 23.
This years holiday exhibition at Galerie Hertz featuring gallery artists runs through Dec. 31 (galeriehertz.com).