Happy Friday, Lexington. You know the drill – grab your coffee (or whatever you sip in the morning), kick back, and let Lexington Brief serve up everything you need to know for the weekend ahead.

📰 In the news

Local happenings: Lexington’s longtime printer business snagged a billion dollar suitor, a giant mirrored sculpture is rising downtown, and smart kiosks will serve chef crafted meals — catch up here.

State-level stories: Kentucky’s reinforced co-op center shrugged off EF4 winds, a fizzy pawpaw soda debuts statewide, and schools launch VR career tours for students with disabilities — see what else is brewing.

National headlines: Infrastructure to study post-viral syndromes, full retirement age to increase by two months, major food recalls, and a new study on asteroid deflection — peruse the best of the rest.

Highlights this week

• Tour Kentucky’s first indoor aquaponics system
• Join Camp Nelson Foundation’s monthly meeting
• Grab free fresh meals Mondays and Wednesdays
• Sew quilts for Sleep in Heavenly Peace
• Connect with Clark County human service agencies
• Unlock dozens of travel deals with AARP

🫶 We got your back

Brunch: Weekend mornings were built for bottomless mimosas and fluffy pancakes, so why settle for bland toast? We’ve rounded up the coziest spots around Lexington where the coffee flows freely and the eggs benny never disappoints. Check ’em out here.

Home: Whether you’re ready to ditch the starter home or plant roots in a neighborhood that feels like home, the right agent makes all the difference. Meet the top realtors in Lexington. Ya know, the ones who actually get you.

Money: Tired of big banks? Credit unions are known for offering more personalized service, better rates, and easy access to neighborly humans ready to help with whatever you need. Here are some of our favorites.

Community: There’s something magical about Sunday farmer’s markets, pop-up concerts, annual gatherings, and block parties that turn strangers into neighbors. Local events don’t just entertain, they spark conversations and create a sense of belonging. Here’s a deeper look at why local events matter more than we realize.

Pets: An emergency vet visit could cost you $7,000+ (ask me how I know 🙃). From the initial fee just to be seen to x-rays, surgery, medicine, and aftercare, it adds up quicker than a chew toy turns into a crime scene. The good news? You could get up to 90% cash back on your vet bill with this pet insurance plan.

👀 Why just read it when you could be in it?

Own or manage a local business? Thousands of your future fans read our emails — advertising your products, services, listings, and events with us is easy.

You can advertise with us or submit an event for free.

📆 Around town this weekend

All events are subject to change without notice. This is entirey outside our control. Please check official event pages and social media for the most up to date information.

Today

🎵 Lakeside Live @ Lexington Green | Friday (7/11) at 7:00pm – Lakeside Live is turning the green into Lexington’s biggest back porch with Radio 80 belting out jams, food trucks dishing everything from barbecue nachos to ice cream sundaes, and a dance floor more inviting than your cousin’s recliner. It’s free, community-backed, and pure local charm.

🎻 Bluegrass Ceili Academy 10th Anniversary Ceili-bration @ McCarthy’s Irish Bar | Friday (7/11) at 7:00pm – Ten years of questionable footwork, cheers that echo off the Spiders Well walls, and enough fiddle tunes to fill a pint glass. Pull on your dancing shoes, or just your sense of humor, and dive into some proper craic with your fellow locals.

This weekend

👞 Irish Percussive Dance Workshop @ Artworks at Tates Creek Ballroom | Saturday (7/12) at 9:00am – If you’ve ever wondered how tap-dancing a jig could fling your shoe across the room, your chance awaits at Tates Creek Ballroom. Bluegrass Ceili Academy’s free Irish dance workshop tackles sean-nós moves, ceili steps, and hard-shoe set dancing. Just register online, since spots are limited.

🏭 FoodChain Public Tour @ FoodChain | Saturday (7/12) at 1:00pm – Bring the little ones to our indoor 7,000-gallon aquaponics marvel, the first in Kentucky, growing tilapia and greens in one slick recirculating system. It’s sustainable science meets fresh food, and yes, fish waste is your salad’s new best friend.

🌮 Art N Tacos: Art Show & Taco Party | Saturday (7/12) at 7:30pm – Art N Tacos is rolling into Lexington with dope local art, the city’s best tacos, and live beats. Think gallery meets taco truck, minus pretension. Bring your A-game outfit and an empty stomach, because Lexington’s flavor is about to go nationwide on camera.

🥐 Pastry Braid Making Class @ Harkness Edwards Vineyards | Sunday (7/13) at 1:00pm – Pastry cravings kicking in? Join us for a laid-back afternoon braiding fruit pastries from scratch using top-notch ingredients, step-by-step guidance, and a glass of wine on the house. You’ll take home a ready-to-bake masterpiece and bragging rights that even your nosy neighbor will envy.

🍀 Lucky + Ed Begley Jr. Q&A @ Kentucky Theatre | Sunday (7/13) at 7:30pm – Dust off your seasoned sarcasm and hit the screening of Lucky, Harry Dean Stanton’s gently grim meditation on life and death. Then grill longtime sidekick Ed Begley Jr. Expect dry wit, existential quips, and perhaps a clue or two for your weekend crossword.

Next week

🖼️ Scenic Surroundings @ Central Bank | Monday (7/14) at 9:00am – This gallery roundup puts three Kentucky masters on your radar: Connie Tucker drenching paper with watercolor, Gary Jennings coaxing pastel, and Dan McGrath riding oil paint like a pro. Nod knowingly at pieces you only half get, while sipping something firmer than iced tea.

💉 Filler and Fizz @ Hotel LEX – Hotel and Conference Center | Tuesday (7/15) at 6 pm – Get ready to sip and shine at this bubbly beauty bash. Discover the revolutionary filler sweeping the world while you toast with sparkling refreshments. It’s like happy hour got a glow-up—your skin and your spirits will thank you. Come for the science, stay for the sips, and leave looking (and feeling) fabulous.

🥃 Granddam Bourbon Tasting @ Granddam at The Manchester | Tuesday (7/15) at 6:30pm – Skip the chain bar and wander into the Distillery District for a bourbon tasting helmed by our unofficial spirit guru. Taste four barrel-aged beauties, nibble on snacks that might actually deserve the name “charcuterie,” and leave convinced you’re ready for connoisseur status.

Wanna see more? Browse our full events calendar →

🎶 Live music & entertainment

• 7/11 Sam Bush and more @ Burl – 6:30 pm
• 7/11 Jeff Blackburn @ Fiddletree Kitchen – 6:30 pm
• 7/11 42nd Street @ Lexington Opera House – 7:30 pm
• 7/12 Indigo De Souza @ Burl – 7 pm
• 7/12 Packhorselibrarian @ girlsgirlsgirls Burritos – 7 pm
• 7/12 Subliminal Verses @ Manchester Music Hall – 7:30 pm
• 7/13 The John Ford Blues Society @ Elkhorn Tavern – 5 pm
• 7/13 ProdiGAL and more @ Manchester Coffee – 6 pm
• 7/13 The Baja Yetis and more @ Burl – 5 pm
• 7/15 Buckcherry and more @ Manchester Music Hall – 8 pm

Price is right – Lexington edition

How it works: We’re going to give you some facts about a home for sale, including a picture of the outside, the kitchen, and one additional room. Your job? Guess how much it’s listed for (preferably before you click to find out).

*This 👇 could be your listing. Hit us up if you’ve got a home (or 12) to sell.

Listed by: Erica Sardar (The Brokerage)

This West Wind 1.5-story skips the usual layout and puts the primary suite right on the main floor, pairing it with hardwoods that shine brighter than your neighbor’s lawn ornaments. The kitchen pulls out all the stops with a double oven, granite island, and enough stainless steel to make a chef jealous, while the vaulted living room ceiling adds a dash of drama above the cozy gas fireplace.

Out back, the patio is practically begging for summer dinners and impromptu cornhole tournaments. Three more bedrooms and a full bath hide upstairs, perfect for guests who overstay their welcome. All this sits within strolling distance of shops, highways, and the neighborhood pool, because convenience is the ultimate luxury.

Make your guess, then (and only then)… see how much it costs →