Murray, KY Visitor's Guide

Dear Visitor, Visitors often say Murray feels like home and that they enjoy the friendliness of our city. The truth is, Murray feels like home -- because its people ARE genuinely friendly. When I arrived years ago to attend graduate school, I simply wanted to work hard, graduate and move on. Then, I met the man who became my husband. Through him, I discovered a community unlike any other and we knew we wanted to stay here and raise a family. After 23 years, we can’t imagine living anywhere else.

It’s hard to describe what makes Murray special, but it is. I love that after any Racer game, we can walk into one of our favorite local restaurants, The Big Apple Cafe, knowing our friends will be there ready for a post-game celebration. I love that the staff don’t ask what we’re ordering, because they already know we’re having nachos, burgers and fries.

I invite you to discover what makes Murray special by shopping with our merchants, discovering the talents of our artists and eating at our restaurants.

And if you’re in town on game day, go cheer for the Racers and discover for yourself what makes Murray special. tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603 Mary Anne Medlock, tourmurray.com

forever Murray resident

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Table of Contents Local Eats.........................................................................5 Shopping..........................................................................9 Outdoor Adventure..................................................13 Entertainment............................................................15 Historic Downtown.................................................17 Murray State University.......................................19 Murray Map...................................................................21 Accommodations......................................................23 Local Events..................................................................25

Copyright © 2015 Murray Convention & Visitors Bureau and its licensors. All rights reserved.

201 S. 4th St. • Murray, Kentucky 42071 • 270.759.2199 • tourmurray.com. Photos courtesy of Justin Kimbro of Helix Creative, Kyser Lough, Terry Little, Jessica Heacock, David Pizzo, Tab Brockman, Murray State University, Murray Main Street and Murray CVB. Layout and design by Murray Convention & Visitors Bureau and Helix Creative.

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Local Eats Jasmine is the hottest ticket in town for date night and special celebrations. Even though Murray might seem to be the most unexpected place to find amazing Thai and sushi, hold on to your wasabi. The first order of business is to order the crab rangoons. At the table, little crunchy pockets of crab and cream cheese with a tasty dipping sauce will appear. As a palette cleanser, enjoy a side salad with the signature ginger dressing. The favorite sushi dish is the Murray roll, specifically created just for the locals.

The drunken noodles and pad Thai come in a close second.

506 N. 12th St. • cravejasmine.com

H.R.H. Dumplins is the place where the ladies of Murray do lunch. It is hard to decide what Dumplins is most famous for, the gigantic homemade rolls with honey butter or the towering fresh cakes made daily. The fruit tea is the drink to order to dine like a local. Interesting twists on salads and chicken sandwiches are constants on the menu. The Briar Club salad offers cashews and raisins along with a homemade orange-yogurt sauce.

Top the salad off with a huge piece of strawberry cake and call it a day.

305 S. 12th St. • 270-753-0000

Indulge, at Los Portales, the favorite Mexican spot, where endless chips and salsa magically appear at the table. Don’t fill up on the chips! Save room for nachos and a frosty margarita.

506 N. 12th St. • 270-767-0315

tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603

For a complete listing of restaurants

tourmurray.com

5 Mugsy’s Hideout is the local favorite for authentic Chicago-style food. Jay and Maria Baron moved south almost ten years ago and have been serving up the tastiest pizza downtown since then.

Homemade meatball subs and fried zucchini slices are mouthwatering and completely satisfying. On Friday nights, Jay offers up a pasta special that isn’t on the menu. Get there early and hope he has made lobster ravioli! A monster television hovers over the dining room, making Mugsy’s the best seat in town for watching the game with a cold beer and fresh pizza.

410 Main St. • mugsyshideout.com

“There are numerous reasons why my mother and I love Hih-Burger and go there weekly to eat. I have been in Murray since 1973, but only started going to Hih-Burger when I was in college. Many days I would crave comfort food, the kind my grandmother cooked. So as a college student at MSU, I went for the vegetables.

413 S. 4th St. • 270-753-1151

The cabbage is some of the best I have ever had better than my grandmother’s - and the white beans are so good. My mother usually orders the “meat, three and tea.” Karen, our favorite server, always brings us tea as we sit down. She already knows what our order will be. There is comfort in that, too.

Hih-Burger is a place where a random sampling of Murray and Calloway folks love to eat. They all have one thing in common, the love of the tradition of their grandmother’s home cooking. They crave it, they want it and above all they need it to help the day go better.”

- Kate A. Reeves, Murray resident for life

ants in Murray, visit tourmurray.com.

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Local Eats Ask anyone in town where the local watering hole is and the answer will be, “The Big Apple.” The Big Apple Cafe has been a tradition since the early ‘80s and it is the hub of all social activity in the community. It is the place where everyone goes after MSU games and where no one meets a stranger. During homecoming and the holidays, it is where people gather to connect again, to catch up and enjoy being home. Plates of the Apple’s famous nachos and fried green beans fill tables, along with cold beers and familiar conversation. During football and basketball season, the MSU coaches do a live broadcast from the Apple on Monday evenings, and enthusiastic Racer fans flock there for the show and a famous bean roll.

1005 Arcadia Circle • bigapplemurray.com

Wild Mountain Bakery is the newest addition to the court square in Murray. A variety of bagels, breads and sweets are baked fresh every morning. The shop is known for huge, gooey cinnamon rolls covered in a rich, thick icing of cream cheese. Early risers in town definitely benefit from the warm rolls on a daily basis. For lunch, generously portioned sandwiches on freshly made bread can be made panini-style, and in interesting combinations. Make sure and grab a chocolate chunk cookie, it is the best in town!

412 Main St. • 270-761-WILD

tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603

For a complete listing of restaurants

tourmurray.com

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Food Facts

Murray has some amazing local places with interesting food facts.

One of Murray’s favorite coffee shops is Future Grounds, serving the nationallyknown brand Fidalgo Bay. This locally-owned, gourmet coffee shop will create a cup just the way you like it. Give the turtle espresso drink a try and add a fresh cranberryorange scone to the tab!

Future Grounds also features a drive-through, free Wi-Fi, pastries and sandwiches.

The Big Apple makes over 15,000 beans rolls each year!

Matt B’s Main Street Pizza bakes 30,000 pizzas a year!

Hungry yet?

1201 Payne St. • 270-761-4800

The aroma of freshly-made tomato sauce, cooking pizza on a brick oven and being greeted like a local makes Matt B’s Main Street Pizza a must.

You can order by the slice or individualize a whole pizza. True locals are welcomed by the owner who creates an at-home feel when he begins assembling their favorite pizza before they even order.

Many Murray natives come in for the atmosphere, but don’t leave without the famous mouth-watering honey sticks and a slice of veggie pie. Never had broccoli on a pizza? Matt B’s combinations on pizza might seem a bit unusual, but are always pleasing to the taste buds. Large pieces of broccoli, tomatoes and olives are just a few of the fresh vegetables heaped onto the pizza.

1411 Main St. • 270-759-1234

ants in Murray, visit tourmurray.com.

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Shopping

Vintage Rose Emporium is an eclectic boutique carrying specialty brands such as Vera Bradley, Pandora and Spartina.

Beautiful stemware, china collections and silverware are delicately displayed to create the perfect dinner party.

1203 Chestnut St. • vintagerose.com

Gear Up Cycles is more than just a bike shop. Gear Up is the place for runners, cyclists and athletic enthusiasts.

Owner, Matt Falwell, is certified to fix and maintain cycling equipment. Paddleboards and supplies can be purchased there, too.

104 N. 15th St. • gearupcycles.com

tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603

tourmurray.com

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Red Bug on 3rd is located downtown in the trendy art area of 3rd Street. Red Bug is Murray’s only yarn and fiber arts store with the supplies to create beautiful handmade products. Kentucky and locally crafted items can be purchased there, too.

Hazel, a small town just eight miles south of Murray, is an antiquelover’s dream. More than 12 different antique shops give visitors the opportunity to park once and shop all day. Don’t forget to eat a meal at the Blue and White Grill. The catfish and hushpuppies are worth writing home about!

109 N. 3rd St. •270-761-2723 9

Shopping

Elements is the place to shop for glamorous items in the home. Seasonally, set designs are changed to reflect the newest trends in home decor. Creativity flows in the atmosphere and the employees consistently provide customers with inventive ideas to make a house a home.

The Place offers sharp, yet stylish clothing with a 1205 Chestnut St. • 270-753-1851 variety of beautiful coats, charms and Estee Lauder beauty products.

Customer service is top priority at The Place, where women enjoy a personal shopping experience with the feel of a big city boutique. tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603 305 S. 12th St. • 270-753-5678

tourmurray.com

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Ribbon Chix is Murray’s trendiest boutique, with monogrammed clothing and accessories for women and children. Ribbon Chix can provide an entire look from head-to-toe with its amazing accessory collections! They offer clothes of all styles for every type of fashion.

414 S. 12th St. • ribbonchix.com

New Life Christian Bookstore has been a constant in downtown Murray for years. Bibles, Willow Tree Angels and Christian music selections can be found in this historic building.

100 S. 5th St. • 270-753-1622

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Outdoor Adventures

outdoor

OUTDOOR Covering 180 acres of land, Murray-Calloway County Parks hold a spray park, batting cages, nine baseball and softball fields, a soccer complex with 15 fields and threeand-a-half miles of developed nature trails.

DISC GOLF The Central Park Disc Golf Course is the most used facility in the park. Even in winter, the course constantly has disc golf enthusiasts playing holes looking to improve a score. The 18-hole course has a total length of more than 5,200 feet with a par of 58.

GOLF The American Society of Golf Architects designated the Frances E. Miller Memorial Golf Course as one of the best designed 18-hole courses in America. Measuring 6,592 yards from the championship hole, the par-71 layout has two distinct nines, requiring a wide array of shotmaking.

tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603 tourmurray.com

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EXPLORE Land Between the Lakes, just 15 minutes from Murray, offers 170,000 acres of wildlife nestled between Kentucky Lake and Lake Barkley. The two lakes combined, have more than 3,000 miles of water. Enjoy a prehistoric adventure while driving through LBL’s Elk and Bison Prarie.

FISH Kentucky Lake is known as the “Crappie Capital” of the world and can be fished year round. Catch one of Kentucky Lake’s exceptional population of large-mouth bass.

LEARN Golden Pond Planetarium and Observatory is the place to be for exploring the stars above in the 40-foot domed theatre, providing a 360-degree view of the constellations.

JUMP IN For an invigorating adventure on the lakes, rent a paddleboard or kayak for an up-close tour from Bluegrass Board Sports or at most any lake resort.

For a complete list of LBL events, camping and hiking, please visit lbl.org.

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Entertainment

Lovett Live consists of a concert series held at Murray State’s Lovett Auditorium bringing fans closer to the music. The coffeehouse style setting creates an experience not found with most musical concerts. Concert-goers are allowed to sit on the stage and hear the stories behind the music from the artists themselves.

The local community theatre is one of the oldest companies in Kentucky.

Playhouse in the Park is situated in a 1907 train depot in Central Park, providing an added dramatic experience to each play. In 2015, expect a showstopper of a season with hits like, Oklahoma!, and Joseph and the Amazing tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603 Technicolor Dreamcoat. tourmurray.com

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In 2010, only a few barn quilts existed in Calloway County. Since that time, the Calloway County Quilt Trail has grown to more than 40 quilts all over the county. The trail connects the beautiful country roads making for a scenic drive. Each quilt pattern has its own unique story behind it.

Fine arts thrive in Murray.

The Clara M. Eagle Art Gallery is a multi-level exhibition space allowing visitors to experience art on Murray State University’s campus. View national juried shows and current student works. Murray Art Guild, a local non-profit cultural organization, offers classes and workshops to develop the artistic talent of local artists in all mediums.

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Historic Downtown

HISTORY Downtown Murray used to be the place to trade livestock, goods, buy groceries, see the doctor, board a train or see a movie. Although times have changed, downtown is still as vibrant as ever.

SHOPPING The court square is the hot location for specialty shops. Raggle Taggle, the most unique boutique downtown, focuses on eco-friendly and local products available in our area.

EVENTS All year long, events are taking place in downtown.

Even with a chill in the air, Easter on the Square welcomes spring with an early morning egg hunt and visit from Jellybean the Easter Bunny. Freedom Fest, a patriotic celebration, has been taking place downtown for more than 27 years.

Snow might be in the air, but that only makes Main Street Merriment even more magical. The event is the official kick-off of the Christmas season for Murray, including the lighting of the community/ Christmas tourmurray.com 800.651.1603tree.

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SATURDAY FARMERS MARKET The Downtown Saturday Market fills the court square with fruits, vegetables and hand-crafted items every Saturday morning, May-October. This ritual has become the social gathering place on the weekends. Grab a few ears of Mr. Wurth’s peaches n’ cream corn and some crisp green beans from Mr. Copeland.

PRESERVATION Murray Main Street is the organization working to preserve and strengthen the downtown through revitalization projects. More than 12 million dollars has been invested in the downtown since MMS was established.

PROJECTS Dining in Mugsy’s Hideout or Wild Mountain Bakery shows visitors exactly what the Murray Main Street program successfully accomplishes for our downtown. Both buildings were saved by MMS and renovated to house local businesses.

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MurraymsuState University

MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY MSU offers a quality education to more than 11,000 students from 45 states and 57 different countries. The friendly atmosphere, high-quality faculty and small class size give students the opportunity to grow as individuals and work together as a community.

ACCREDITATION For 24 straight years, Murray State University has been recognized by “U.S. News & World Report’s Best Colleges” as one of the top regional universities in the United States. MSU is accredited by 16 different professional accreditation councils measuring the prestige of its undergraduate and graduate programs.

SPORTS A long-standing tradition in the Ohio Valley Conference, the Murray State Racers have one of the longest stretches of consecutive winning seasons in the NCAA – now spanning 27 years of the blue & gold avoiding sub-.500 records.

Consistently atop the OVC standings, Murray State is pushing for the regular and post-season championship in the regional CFSB Center and in Municipal Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee. The Racers sport two NCAA tournament wins since 2010 – a victory over Vanderbilt on one of the most prolific buzzer beaters in tournament history, and a show of defense against Colorado State in 2012. tourmurray.com

TRADITION In the quad of Murray State’s campus sits a tree with at least 50 pairs of mismatched shoes nailed to it.

According to murraystate.edu, no one can say when the tradition of the shoe tree began, but it has become an integral part of the school’s history.

If two students meet at Murray State, fall in love and then marry, they will have good luck if each partner nails a shoe to the shoe tree. Lovers usually write their anniversaries on the shoes as well.

It is also common for people to return to nail a baby shoe to the tree when they’ve started their family.

The current shoe tree is actually the second, because the first was struck by lightning and subsequently caught fire.

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City of Murray

tourmurray.com

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Accommodations Murray hosts a variety of accommodations for any type of visitor needs. The hotels are located directly in town, while the resorts offer breathtaking views of Kentucky Lake. If staying near the lake, it is important to note that travel time into Murray takes approximately 20 minutes.

Hotels and Lake Resorts

Rooms

Smoke Free

Hampton Inn & Suites 1415 Lowes Dr. • 270-767-2226 hampton.com

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Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites 1504 N. 12th St. • 270-759-4449 hiexpress.com

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Best Western University Inn 1503 N. 12th St. • 270-753-5353 bestwesternkentucky.com

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America’s Best Value Inn 517 S. 12th St. • 270-753-6706 americasbestvalueinn.com

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Quality Inn 1210 N. 12th St. • 270-759-5910 qualityinn.com

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Murray Plaza Lodge 506 S. 12th St. • 270-753-2682 murrayplazalodge.com

America’s Paradise Resort* 1014 Paradise Rd. • 270-436-2767 americasparadiseresort.com

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Cypress Springs Resort & Marina* 2750 Cypress Trail • New Concord, KY 42076 270-436-5876 cypressspringsresort.com

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Kenlake State Resort Park* 542 Kenlake Rd. • Hardin, KY 42048 270-474-2211 parks.ky.gov

Lakeview Marina Resort* 165 Lakeview Cabins Dr. • New Concord, KY 42076 270-436-5876 lakeviewmarinaresort.com

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7 cabins

* Denotes outside of city limits, near Kentucky Lake

tourmurray.com

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Local Events January January 15 MSU Basketball v. Belmont CFSB Center goracers.com January 16-17 Antique Tractor Show MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu/agr January 17 MSU Basketball v. Tennessee State CFSB Center goracers.com January 17-19 Lunch with the Eagles River-Cruises Kenlake State Resort Park Marina lbl.org

January 23-24 Truck & Tractor Pull MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu/agr January 23-25 MSU Campus Lights, 9-5, the Musical Lovett Auditorium murraystate.edu January 29 MSU Basketball v. Eastern Kentucky CFSB Center goracers.com January 30-February 8 (Fri. - Sun.) Arsenic and Old Lace Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net January 30-31 Motocross MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu/agr

Among the nation’s “Top Tier” universities in academic quality 24 consecutive years. ~ U.S.News & World Report

takeYOURplace IN THE MURRAY STATE TRADITION tourmurray.com

January 31 MSU Basketball v. UT Martin CFSB Center goracers.com

February February 5 MSU Basketball v. Southeast Missouri CFSB Center goracers.com February 6-7 Motocross MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu/agr February 6-8 Arsenic and Old Lace Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net February 12 MSU Basketball v. SIUEdwardsville CFSB Center goracers.com

February 7 Art Market Co-op Valentine’s Day Sale Murray Art Guild murrayartguild.org February 13-15 Kentucky High School Rodeo MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu February 20-21 Bull Blowout MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu February 21 MSU Basketball v. Austin Peay CFSB Center goracers.com February 26 MSU Basketball v. Eastern Illinois CFSB Center goracers.com

March

February 12-21 Forever Plaid Dinner Theatre Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net

March 3 & March 5 Much Ado About Nothing Murray Shakespeare Festival murraystate.edu

February 24 MSU Presidential Lecture Series: NBC’s Meet the Press, Chuck Todd Lovett Auditorium murraystate.edu

March 5-6 Hamlet Murray Shakespeare Festival murraystate.edu

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Local Events March 20-29 (Fri. - Sun.) The Diary of Anne Frank Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net March 27-29 NODA Region VI Conference Murray State University nodaweb.org

April April 4 Easter on the Square Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org April 4 Top Gun Car Show MSU Town & Gown Roy Stewart Stadium April 10-11 Kentucky Bluegrass Invitational Steer & Heifer Show MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu/agr April 17-26 (Fri.- Sun.) Rent, Playhouse After Dark Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net

April 17-May 3 Murray Art Guild Visual Evidence Exhibit Robert O. Miller Conference Center murrayartguild.org April 18 Murray Half Marathon murrayhalfmarathon.org

May May 2 Spring Citywide Yard Sale Murray CVB tourmurray.com May 2 Top Gun Car Show MSU Town & Gown Roy Stewart Stadium May 9 MSU Spring Graduation murraystate.edu May 16, 23, 30 Downtown Saturday Market Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org

June Continuous Every Saturday through October Downtown Saturday Market Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org

tourmurray.com / 800.651.1603 tourmurray.com

June 4-14 (Fri. - Sun.) Oklahoma!

Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net

July 4 Top Gun Car Show MSU Town & Gown Roy Stewart Stadium

June 6 Top Gun Car Show Roy Stewart Stadium

July 4 Town & Gown Community Band Concert Lovett Auditorium

June 9 Town & Gown Community Band Concert Lovett Auditorium Lawn June 12-14 Kentucky High School Rodeo State Finals MSU Expo Center murraystate.edu/agr

July Continuous Every Saturday through October Downtown Saturday Market Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org July 3 MAG Summer Art Party & Monster Draw Murray Art Guild murrayartguild.org July 3-4 Freedom Fest tourmurray.com

www.TheMurrayBank.com

July 6-17 Playhouse in the Park Summer Camp Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net

August Continuous Every Saturday through October Downtown Saturday Market Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org August 1 Top Gun Car Show MSU Town & Gown Roy Stewart Stadium August 21-30 (Fri. - Sun.) Noises Off Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net

405 South 12th St. Hazel Location: 700 North 12th St. 405 Main St. (270) 753-5626 (270) 492-8388

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tourmurray.com

September

October

Continuous Every Saturday through October Downtown Saturday Market Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org

Continuous Every Saturday through October Downtown Saturday Market Downtown Court Square murraymainstreet.org

September 11-12 Murray Ice Cream Festival murrayicecreamfestival.com

October 10 MSU Homecoming murraystate.edu

September 19 Fall Citywide Yard Sale Murray CVB tourmurray.com

October 15-25 Catch Me If You Can Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net

September 26-October 11 PROOFS Photography Exhibit Robert O. Miller Conference Center murrayartguild.org

October 16 Empty Bowls Project murrayartguild.org October 31 Trail of Treats Central Park murrayparks.org

Personal Touches • Complimentary breakfast • Pool • Fitness center • Guest laundry Business Needs •Business center • Meeting room • Fax • Equipment rental • Printer • Photocopying 1415 Lowes Dr. • 270-767-2226 29

Local Events November November 20-22 MAG Holiday Open House Robert O. Miller Conference Center murrayartguild.org November 15 Holiday Open House mymurray.com November 28-December 30 Christmas in the Park Central Park murrayparks.org

December November 28-December 30 Christmas in the Park Central Park murrayparks.org December 4 Main Street Merriment Murray Main Street murraymainstreet.org December 5 Town & Gown Community Band Christmas Concert Murray First Baptist Church

tourmurray.com

December 5 H. Thomas Rushing Breakfast Murray Rotary Club Pagliai’s Restaurant December 5 Murray Rotary Club Christmas Parade Main Street December 10-20 (Fri. - Sun.) Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Playhouse in the Park playhouseinthepark.net December 12 MSU Fall Graduation murraystate.edu

Stay Smart

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• Complimentary hot breakfast • Indoor heated pool & whirlpool • Exercise room & sauna • Free Wi-Fi

Hwy 641 North • 270.759.4449 • hiexpress.com

Comf ort awai ts you.

Free breakfast • Fitness center access • Outdoor pool Outdoor covered patio and grill • Free Wi-Fi Refrigerator and microwave • 42-inch TVs

517 S. 12th St. (Hwy. 641) • 270-753-6706 • abvi.com

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Voted Favorite Real Estate Office 13 Years in a Row

The Kopperud Realty Home Team

270.753.1222 • 800.455.1222 711 Main Street Murray, Kentucky 42071 www.murraykyrealestate.com

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