Exploring Louisville While Attending PSX 2022

PSX 2022 will be in Louisville, KY, October 18-20, and even though that’s quite a few months away, it’s never too early to start planning some fun activities while in one of the oldest cities in America.

Here are a few recommendations from the PSX team:

Via Colori Street Painting Festival - October 15 and 16:

Via Colori® Kentucky is a creative festival that brings together hundreds of artists, community organizations, vendors, and partners. The event includes live music on two stages, vendors, obstacle courses, family-friendly activities, face painting, superhero photo-ops, live-action Mario Kart racing, STEM centered activities, VEX robotics, bounce houses, a food court, street performers, cosplayers, a full-size TARDIS, Star Wars lightsaber workshops, and of course, street art. And the best part: the event benefits the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana.

Jack O’Lantern Spectacular - October 4 through 31

The family-friendly event is held in Iroquois Park and features 5,000 carved pumpkins illuminated at night. The event is open Sunday through Thursday from dusk to 11 p.m. and Friday and Saturday until midnight. The Jack O’Lantern Spectacular, with Freddy Krueger or Jack Skellington pumpkins and live music, is a terrifyingly good way to unwind. The event benefits the Louisville Park Foundation.

Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory

Are you a baseball fanatic? Then you definitely should stop by the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory. The Factory started back in 1884 when 17-year-old Bud Hillerich crafted a bat for a local hitter. Over 100 years later, the Hillerich family still owns the factory and takes pride in the bats that they produce for professional players. Here you can do more than visit the factory: admire the World’s Biggest Bat (120 feet into the sky!), get your hands on bats used by the likes of Derek Jeter; climb through a huge baseball glove, or face down a 90-mph fastball hurled by a major-league pitcher. At the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, there’s something for everyone! (P.S. if you tour the factory, at the end of your visit you will receive a free miniature bat!)

The Big Four Bridge

Easy, iconic, beautiful, and a ‘must-visit’! These four words perfectly describe the Big Four Bridge, a bicycle and pedestrian bridge that spans the Ohio River and connects Louisville to Jeffersonville, Indiana. It’s a great way to get your steps in and enjoy the view along both sides of the Ohio River. The Indiana side has several great restaurants and snack locations that make the walk even more enjoyable. If you are into photography, the bridge offers some great views of downtown Louisville.

The Muhammad Ali Center

You can’t come to Louisville and not visit the museum dedicated to Louisville’s own, the great Muhammad Ali. A cultural attraction and international education center, the nonprofit museum is inspired by the ideals of Ali. It features 2 levels of award-winning exhibits, a five-screen orientation theater film, historic Civil Rights era media footage, video of Ali fights, interactive boxing fun, two art galleries, a children's Hope and Dream wall, meeting and event space, retail store, and more.

Must-Try Food!

The Hot Brown is a typical Louisville dish, invented all the way back in 1929 and served by the Brown Hotel. There aren’t any words in the English vocabulary that can describe how delicious this baked open-face sandwich with turkey, tomato, bacon, and Moray sauce is. You can’t say you’ve been to Louisville if you haven’t had the Hot Brown, so be sure to include a stop by the Brown Hotel in your itinerary.

If you ask a Kentuckian, they invented the pulled pork and the world should be grateful. Feast BBQ, with its pork cakes, pulled pork tacos, baked beans, and mac & cheese, is a favorite among the locals. Vegetarians should stop here for the crispy smoked tofu sandwich.

Another thing that the world should be thankful to Kentucky for? Bourbon Balls! This southern delicacy was invented by Ruth Hanly Booe of Rebecca Ruth Chocolates in 1938. They usually come in bite-sized confections, with bourbon and dark chocolate as the main ingredients, but you can find them in many different shapes, sizes, and flavors. You can make them at home, or, while visiting Louisville for PSX 2022, stop by Muth’s Candy, for the classic version, or Art Eatables, if you have nut allergies.

This next suggestion sounds like it was invented after a long night of painting the town red, coming home to nothing but some beer, cheese, and chips, and making the best of it. The result: Beer cheese! One of the yummiest dipping sauces out there! After attending education sessions all day, a pretzel and beer cheese from Hammerheads or Four Pegs is the best way to unwind and bond with the new friends you made at PSX 2022.

Ready to explore Louisville? Join us at PSX 2022 and take Derby City off your bucket list!