5 Things To Do While Social Distancing In Louisville This Weekend (5/15)

FRIDAY, May 15

Lift Your Spirits Facebook Live Free  |  6-7 p.m. We all miss getting together with friends for drinks and music. Lift Up Lou is recreating the Friday night hangout with a cocktail recipe with Copper & Kings’ Brandon O’Daniel, music from Aaron Bibelhauser and a discussion with the city’s Hero of the Week, Shavonda Pasha from Metro’s Office of Financial Empowerment.

SATURDAY, May 16

Virtual Forest Fest Facebook Live Free  |  1-1:45 p.m. You won’t be able to attend this year’s Forest Fest music festival in Jefferson Memorial Forest, but you’ll still be able to experience it. The Louisville Folk School, Bridge 19, Wilderness Louisville, The Southwest Dream Team and Metro Council members Mark Fox and Cindi Fowler will broadcast live out of Metro’s 6,500-acre park, bringing you music, crafts and more.

Made Market - Virtual Pop-Up Free  |  1-2 p.m. The Made Market, which typically sells handmade goods by artisans in Louisville and Grand Rapids, has summoned some of their best vendors for a virtual fair. You’ll hear their stories, learn their processes and shop their products. Louisville is representing with Timber Woodcraft and Pressed, which sells jewelry made with pressed flowers.

Improv FUNdamentals Zoom Free  |  2-3 p.m. Join a virtual workshop of expert improv performers and discover fundamental techniques used to unleash your creativity and improve your communication skills. Lee Smart and Lindsay Leese of SmartLeese (Get it? Smart and Leese…) don’t just teach or lecture in this webinar, they also need you to participate in a fun, interactive experience. It’s their style. For over two decades, SmartLeese has been creating TV shows, game shows, live comedy sketches and working with clients on an array of creative, team-building events and experiences. Recently, SmartLeese joined Second City Works, “the corporate education and entertainment arm of the world-renowned Second City comedy theater.” This program, hosted by Gilda’s Club Kentuckiana, could inspire the next step in your professional life, how you adapt to the post-coronavirus world, or just give you a give laugh and engaging entertainment. Follow the link on the Facebook event page to register and receive Zoom information. It’s for ages 16 and older.

SUNDAY, May 17

Virtual Buy Local Fair Free  |  Noon Normally, we’d be starting to look forward to the Louisville Independent Business Alliance’s Buy Local Fair, where we can patronize dozens of small, locally owned businesses while taking in tunes, good food and drinks. Well, LIBA isn’t going to let a global health crisis get in the way of supporting our own. So, for a special 24-hour (actually, 36-hour) edition of the Buy Local Fair, over 40 local businesses are selling $25 gift cards that you can redeem once everything reopens. And, for every $25 you spend, you will be entered into a drawing to win special prizes. You are sure to find something appealing, and be sure — local business needs your support more than ever, so go buy local… and continue to read local.