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Billy Strings performs at Bourbon & Beyond on Sept. 14, 2023. Photo by Nathan Zucker / Danny Wimmy Presents.

FRIDAY, SEPT. 15-17

Bourbon & Beyond Kentucky Expo Center $159.12+ | Times vary

Dance, drink, and be merry at this four-day music festival. Yesterday’s headliners were Brandi Carlile, Billy Strings, and Train; the rest of the lineup includes The Killers, Bruno Mars, Hozier, Duran Duran, The Avett Brothers, The Black Keys, and Blondie. (Check out the full schedule.)

The Haunted Hotel 3000 S. 4th St. $25-$60 | 9 p.m.-12 a.m.

Though I’m far too much of a scaredy-cat to even dream of stepping in a place like this, I’d be remiss not to include it – Halloween season is, after all, right around the corner, though for many of us it’s already begun in our hearts. Speaking of hearts: this attraction is not for those with weak ones, or so I hear. You’ve been warned. 

SATURDAY, SEPT. 16

Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy Actors Theatre (Bingham Theatre) $40 | 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Speaking of scares: this is just about the best time of year to see a classic vampire story come to life. As the show description puts it, this production of “Dracula” is “a full-throated battle cry against toxic masculinity. No damsels in distress, no romanticized villains—just a gleeful stake through the heart of the patriarchy.”

BugFest Bernheim Forest (2075 Clermont Road, Clermont, KY) Free, $15 suggested donation | 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. If you’re not bugged by bugs, make a day out of learning about them. There’ll be up-close (but safe) experiences with spiders, bees, and other critters, plus monarch butterfly tagging, insect safaris, and more. 

Downtown Silent Disco  Big Four Lawn, Waterfront Park  Free | 7-10:30 p.m.

Maybe music that’s, ahem, louder than life isn’t your thing. If this month’s festivals are too noisy, too pricey, or too crowded for your liking, there’ll be a free (and family-friendly) alternative at Waterfront Park, where you can dance to your choice of three music stations (Top 40, Decades, or music for kids) through wireless headphones. The Downtown CineBus, a former ambulance turned mobile projector, will provide colorful visuals.

This article appears in September 13, 2023.

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Carolyn Brown is the staff photographer and digital writer at LEO. Follow her on Instagram at @cebrownphoto or get in touch at cbrown@leoweekly.com.