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In the 1989 film “Dead Poets Society,” actor Robin Williams, as English teacher Mr. Keating, urges his students to “carpe diem” as they examine photographs of the young men who preceded them at a New England boarding school. Seizing the day is of the utmost importance since one day these boys, like the ones in the pictures, will become food for worms. It is a sentiment we should all be reminded of periodically.
The ability to be present in the moment is something Peter Tremain, 82, has tried to do throughout his life. That task can feel pretty easy when he is adventuring across continents and seeing awe-inspiring beauty, which he has done as a solo traveler for the past 15 or so years. But being present has also been heartbreaking when he worked 70 hours a week as a Lutheran pastor while his late wife, Mary Ann, struggled with Parkinson’s disease and Lewy body dementia.
Originally, Peter thought he might want to be a farmer when he was a boy in Illinois, but eventually he decided ministry was his path, in part because his oldest brother — 14 years his senior — was a minister in Wisconsin. Peter had a feel for what the profession entailed. He recognized there
SEIZE THE NOW
AN 82-YEAR-OLD FORMER PASTOR FINDS PURPOSE THROUGH PRESENCE & TRAVEL
Writer / Carrie Vittitoe
were some drawbacks to the career.
“I was terrified of talking in front of people, and I knew that pastors didn’t make any money,” he says.
But he saw some positives, too. In addition to having a flexible schedule and having music be part of his life, he thought, “If I become a pastor, God has got to like me.”
After his first year of college, he met and began dating Mary Ann Mizel, and they married in 1965. Together they started a family, and Peter began his long career as a pastor, largely in various Kansas cities, but also in Oklahoma. When their children were in high school, Mary Ann began experiencing symptoms that were eventually diagnosed as Parkinson’s disease. Her condition worsened, but Peter still had almost a decade until he could retire. For eight years, female members of their church congregation volunteered in twoto three-hour shifts, seven days a week, to provide caregiving for Mary Ann so Peter could continue his pastoral caregiving for the church.
When Peter retired from ministry in 2008,
he began two new journeys: one as primary caregiver for his wife and the other as a writer. Every evening, once he got Mary Ann settled in bed, he wrote a blog post on his site, thecaregivercalling.com, an effort that was therapeutic for him as well as comforting for other caregivers who read his words.
Two years later, when Mary Ann died, Peter was left largely unmoored. They had been married for nearly 45 years, and he had been completely immersed in his caregiving role. What would he do with himself now?
What he did was venture to Australia and New Zealand. Peter had been inspired by a congregation member who had posted photos of a visit to the region, but he was going mostly to escape.
“I couldn’t imagine my life without Mary Ann,” he says.
A big adventure gave his mind something to do besides wallow in grief, which is really all he felt like doing. A trip across the world would give him a sense of purpose he had lost when Mary Ann died.
“It was my attempt at finding an identity,” he says.
Since that time, travel has continued to be a life-sustaining part of who Peter is, as well as an inspiration for others who follow his journeys and consider what their post-retirement lives could be. Since 2011, he says, “I have traveled to 30 different countries and have visited 16 of them more than once.”
When he leaves the U.S. to travel, he is gone anywhere from two to five months at a time. His home base in the U.S. is now with his daughter and son-in-law in Middletown.
Peter’s experience as a pastor has come in handy in his travels.
“I spent my career tuning in to the nonverbals — body language, facial expressions and tone of voice — so that I could understand what people were feeling,” he says. “I learned how to help people feel safe and secure talking with me. As a result, I was able to make connections quickly.”
Peter has met countless people during his travels and has become close enough friends with some of them to stay in their homes when he visits.
Many people travel in retirement, but not everyone is a solo traveler who isn’t part of a group. Being literally “on his own” has been an important learning experience. He says he has learned to be less apprehensive. If he goes the wrong way on a train or gets off at the wrong bus stop, he has learned that he will figure it out.
His idea to write a book about his travels — the first of which was published in 2025 and is titled “The Destination Is Now: New Zealand and Australia” — began shortly after that initial trip, but it took many years to come to fruition. He connected with Walt Wangerin, a
professor at Valparaiso University and prolific writer, who mentored him briefly, but it wasn’t until Peter joined a writer’s workshop while living in Missouri that the bug to write for
publication truly bit him.
“From the moment I walked in and was greeted warmly by the leader, poet Jen
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Harris, also known as Frances Story, I felt as if I had found my people,” he says.
Harris later became his writing coach and editor.
As a pastor, Peter did his fair share of sermon writing, but the content shifted when he began composing his caregiver blogs. It changed again as he began writing his memoir. Peter continues sharing his writing on his Substack, also called “The Destination Is Now,” and another book is
likely in the future.
While the topics Peter writes about change depending on where he is in the world, who he is with and what he is doing, some themes have remained constant throughout his life.
“I wrote in a way that intended to bring people with me into each moment I was writing about,” he says. “The moment we are in — the present — is the essence of life.”
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He reflects on the trajectories of his life and says, “I was fully present in the moment as a kid playing in the swamp, fully present in the moment when singing in choirs, fully present when interacting with parishioners immersed in their lives at important times, fully present each moment of each day when taking care of Mary Ann, and now I try to be 100% engaged with the people I meet in my travels.”
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
NALLEY’S LAWN SERVICE AND LANDSCAPING LLC
Writer / Gavin LaPaille
For most high school and college students, a summer job is a temporary bridge to a “real” career. But for Jody Nalley, a small push mower and an electric trimmer weren’t just tools for a season; they were the foundation of a life’s work. He started at just 10 years old with the help of his grandfather, tending his grandparents’ neighbors lawns. Now celebrating 39 years in business, Nalley’s Lawn Service and Landscaping LLC has evolved from a solo neighborhood route into a powerhouse operation with a fleet of six trucks serving Louisville, Simpsonville, Prospect, New Albany, Jeffersonville, and surrounding communities.
ROOTED IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP
“I did not realize this was what I was going to do when I was in college,” Nalley says.
He started at just 10 years old, tending his grandparents’ neighbors’ lawns.
“I do not like to be stuck inside, and I’ve always had an entrepreneurial side,” he says. “It just hit me one day that this is what I need to do.”
That epiphany proved to be a win for Kentuckiana. Over nearly four decades, Nalley has cultivated a reputation built on flexibility — not just for his customers, but for his family. In the early years, that work-life balance allowed him to build a business while being present for his children, a value that remains at the heart of the company culture today.
A FULL-SPECTRUM PORTFOLIO
Today, the business offers much more than a standard mow. Nalley has expanded the company into a full-service outdoor solutions provider. Using full-color landscape design software, he allows customers to visualize their dream projects before a single plant is installed. Once the vision is set, his team handles everything from flower planting, seeding, and sodding to complex tree work, paver patios, and the hauling of aggregates.
The commitment to a neat and clean property extends to hard surfaces as well. Nalley’s team performs pressure washing for houses, driveways, curbs, and sidewalks. Even as the seasons change, the work doesn’t stop. The company transitions into leaf removal, professional Christmas light installation, and reliable snow removal services.
THE “CLEAN & GREEN” PHILOSOPHY
In an industry often scrutinized for its environmental footprint, Nalley has integrated sustainable practices that prioritize the health of the local ecosystem. He recognizes that “picky” service should also be responsible service. Unlike many companies that rely on synthetic lubricants, Nalley uses high-quality biodegradable two-cycle oil to protect the air and soil.
He has also declared war on the plastic bag. By utilizing a professional debris loader, his team vacuums up leaves directly into trucks, diverting thousands of plastic bags from local landfills every year. Even equipment
maintenance reflects that mindset. Nalley operates an in-house professional blade sharpener. By extending the life of mower blades through precision grinding, he reduces metal waste and ensures a cleaner cut for the grass, promoting faster healing and natural disease resistance.
A STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE
Nalley’s success is largely due to his refusal to cut corners. While other companies might subcontract some services, Nalley keeps his full-year treatment plans and services inhouse, ensuring every application meets his personal standards.
“We do great work,” Nalley says. “That is the only way we do it. I am very picky. We have a great team of guys that work for us who are just as picky as I am.”
As he looks toward the future, Nalley’s goal is simple: to keep growing while staying honest. He encourages customers to hold him to the same standard he has set since those first days in his grandparents’ neighborhood.
“We are not perfect, but if we make a mistake, we will correct it,” Nalley says. “I did not get here by doing the job halfway. We have built an excellent reputation, and I want to keep it.”
CONNECT
John Timmons
ear X-tacy
LONGTIME RECORD
STORE OWNER HOSTS POPULAR RADIO SHOW
Writer / Carrie Vittitoe
If you lived in Louisville in the late 1980s and 1990s — and especially if you were a teenager or young adult heavily into punk, grunge or college alternative radio — you were likely spending an inordinate amount of time in the Highlands. You may have grabbed a bite to eat at Twice Told Coffeehouse or Another Place Sandwich Shop. Dessert was probably at White Mountain Creamery.
Depending on where you began your journey along Bardstown Road and how far you went, you almost certainly followed a path of shops that included The Great Escape and Electric Ladyland. But a trek wasn’t complete without perusing the latest
albums and CDs at ear X-tacy.
John Timmons, who founded the store, didn’t intend to create an iconic place that anchors thousands of people’s good memories. He would probably be the first to tell you he didn’t have a plan at all.
Although he was born in Evansville, Indiana, his family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, where John spent much of his childhood. During those years, he listened to a lot of music — either 45 rpm records or a transistor radio that was in his hands wherever he went.
“I was burning out those nine-volt batteries
like crazy,” he says.
When he wasn’t listening to music, he was playing baseball. In 1955, his parents purchased a Motorola console stereo, and he remembers spending hours lying on the floor with his head between the speakers, immersing his brain in sound.
His brother Mark, four years older than John, exposed him to a lot of new music. While John’s first purchase was a Monkees record, his brother introduced him to bands of the British Invasion, including The Kinks and The Rolling Stones. One of John’s clearest memories is of The Beatles performing on television in 1964, a moment
when he fully understood the power of music by seeing fans’ reactions. Another turning point came when he and a group of grade school friends went to see The Beatles movie “Help!” at the theater.
“It was at that point I decided I wanted to be in a band,” he says. “I was probably in sixth grade. Somehow I convinced my mom to buy me a $50 set of drums at Woolco.”
He continued to play drums through high school and into college, eventually also learning to play guitar. His family returned to Evansville around 1969, and John headed to college, where he says he “minored in everything and majored in nothing.” He didn’t land on anything that thrilled him, so he decided to sit out a year.
He had been working at a local record store called Karma, where his depth of knowledge and interest in music soon earned him the job of buyer. Still, with three years of college under his belt, when he developed
an interest in photography, he returned to Arizona to major in it and finish his degree.
After several months, it became clear to John that he didn’t like the program at Arizona State University, but he had stayed in contact with management at
Karma. When they offered him a job at a Karma store in Louisville, he packed up his belongings and drove across the country. In 1976, with his first apartment on Cherokee Road, Louisville “felt like home from day one,” he says. “I landed in the right place at the right time.”
10,000
After several years at Karma, he moved to Vine Records and then Phoenix Records until it went out of business. He began selling music out of his apartment and created a mail-order catalog. On weekends, he traveled regionally to record collector shows in Columbus, Cleveland, Nashville, Chicago and St. Louis. He made the rounds, but it got old quickly, so in 1985, he says, “I took my record collection and a cash advance on my Master Charge” and opened his first store on Poplar Level Road.
After six months, when space on Bardstown Road next to The Great Escape became available, John moved there. He named the store ear X-tacy in homage to one of his favorite bands, XTC, though one can’t help but think he was also inspired by the ecstasy his young ears experienced sandwiched between thumping bass notes, crisp hi-hats and wailing guitar riffs on the Motorola stereo. Drawing from his experience in record stores, he took the best of what he had seen others do and applied it to his
shop. Still, he had never taken a business class, so his expertise was limited at first.
“My business plan was to stay in business one more day,” he says.
For many years, ear X-tacy was the place to find alternative music in Louisville.
“We were carrying a lot of music that people wanted but other stores weren’t carrying, like imported records from Europe and Japan,” he says.
Over time, the store expanded beyond the niche of punk and alternative music. But it wasn’t just the music that made ear X-tacy special. The shop had an aura of coolness, even for people who felt like misfits. For many young people, it was a store of possibility.
As the owner, John admits he saw ear X-tacy differently than anyone else, particularly the stresses and negatives of entrepreneurship,
which worsened with the rise of Amazon and Apple Music. When the store closed in 2011, John took it hard.
“There were numerous reasons why it had to close, but I feel better about it now because it hasn’t died,” he says. “People still talk about it.”
He even brought back ear X-tacy bumper stickers and shirts due to demand. “It still amazes me that there’s this much talk about the store,” he says.
What do people say about ear X-tacy? They might recall the time the Foo Fighters played at the store.
“They were early in their career and in town for the Fourth of July,” he says. “Dave Grohl had shopped the store when he was with Nirvana. It was an all-acoustic show, and the store was packed. The fire marshal was not happy.”
Others may remember when My Morning Jacket held an album release show there, or when John Mayer or Tenacious D met fans at the store.
Or their memories may have nothing to do with famous musicians, but with the bands that formed within the walls of ear X-tacy. It was a place for musically minded people to hang out, explore new sounds and feel connected to something bigger than themselves.
While we can’t go back in time — and John wouldn’t want to recreate the store — he does give listeners a taste of ear X-tacy through his radio show on 91.9 WFPK called, what else, “ear X-tacy.” For 12 years after the store closed, John worked at the station doing a daily show, but he recently switched to a three-hour slot on Saturday nights in an effort to slow down after turning 70.
“It’s music from the 1980s and ’90s,
alternative and college rock. I have free reign to play whatever I want to play,” he says.
It isn’t a stretch to say John Timmons created a legacy with ear X-tacy, even if he would rather focus on the fact that he never
decided what he was going to do with his life. But to the people who worked for him, the customers who browsed the bins and the listeners who tune in each week, what he began in 1985 has only become a more beloved Louisville institution.
LAYER BY LAYER
AN ARTIST’S LIFE TOLD THROUGH TEXTURE, TRAVEL & COMMUNITY
Writer / Melissa Gibson
As a child, Licia Priest spent a lot of time at the Speed Art Museum in Louisville while she and her mother waited for her father, Sam Neal, to finish his day teaching at the University of Louisville. Exposed to many different art mediums at a young age, Priest took sewing in her home economics classes, along with acting and art classes in the community, which continued to expand her creativity and passion for art.
She loved designing clothes, sitting up by the light of the sewing machine many nights while in high school, preparing a new outfit to wear the next day. Then, people who noticed her unique designs began commissioning their own fashion requests for pieces they could not find anywhere else. She made hand-beaded wedding gowns, hand-painted garments, and loved mixing
textures and patterns.
Her college days in the art department jumped from fiber to painting and sculpture, and she had plans to transfer to Parsons School of Design in New York City. But like many young brides and mothers, art took a back seat to raising a family.
“You imagine your life unfolding one way, with very minimal change, but the time you pour into raising your children is a sacrifice you never regret, and life unfolds in a very different manner,” Priest says. “I decided to homeschool them, and we’d do projects together. I even taught art projects through
the Louisville Visual Arts, one of which was completed in 1995 and is a three-panel mosaic mural that still hangs on the side facade of Kenwood Elementary School.”
During homeschooling, Priest taught her son and niece African American history, focusing on the Underground Railroad. While their son gave an oral report on Harriet Tubman, her husband, Mark Priest, a narrative figurative painter and professor at the University of Louisville, was inspired to make that history the center of his artistic practice. For many years afterward, Licia supported his work through archival research, conversations with historians, and walking routes believed to have been used by those escaping on the Underground Railroad.
Priest traveled to West Africa in 1998 through Parsons School of Design, where she studied weaving and fabric dyeing in Mali and Cote d’Ivoire. In 2012, after finishing homeschooling her son, she returned to the University of Louisville
and completed her degree, concentrating on painting, fiber art and sculpture, with a minor in art history. By 2014, the family’s first trip to Zimbabwe opened a new chapter in her artistic practice.
“I’ve been to Zimbabwe two times since then, and prior to going to Africa, you mostly hear stories about people starving, war, and the lack of modern technology. If you just watch the news, you’d think there was constant gunfire,” Priest says. “Don’t get me wrong, there are challenges across the 54 countries that make up Africa, just as there are everywhere in the world, but there’s a lot of beauty and positivity, too.”
She began taking photographs that celebrate what makes Africa unique: a bicycle vendor selling his produce as he cycles down the street, the beauty of the Ivory Coast, rolling hills and landscapes, and the intricate patterns on a woman’s skirt. Returning to her Louisville home and using paper tole, a three-dimensional decoupage art form created by cutting, shaping and layering
pieces together, Priest set out to bring others on her journey through her art.
Early this summer, she received the 2025 Bill Fischer Award for Visual Artists through the Community Foundation of Louisville and Louisville Visual Art, which includes a $10,000 award she is using to further develop and expand her artistic practice.
Her recent solo exhibition, “I Am We,” at the Kentucky Museum of Arts and Crafts came with a six-month residency supported by a South Arts grant, allowing Priest to meet visitors, discuss her practice and art form, and share the stories behind the work.
“I loved the residency,” Priest says. “People came to my studio almost daily, and I’d teach them how to do paper tole and paper beadmaking during their visit. I worked on projects that would be exhibited in the museum and would go out and talk to every person who came in, from school groups to adult visitors.”
HOW LONG DOES EACH PIECE TAKE?
Priest is not sure because she gets so absorbed in a project and does not keep track of time. But when calculating the many hours it takes to create up to 40 to 50 layers of a subject and then paint it, each piece could take months to complete.
More important to Priest is that visitors are able to have a collective experience that affects each person individually.
One piece in the “I Am We” exhibition depicts Priest wearing a dress with one-eighth images of individuals who have shaped her life.
“The concept behind it is that all the people who cross our paths become a part of who we are and how we process experiences, whether negative or positive, can make us a better person,” Priest says. “There are images of people in my life as well as images of everyone who came into my studio. They look like a pattern in the skirt, but look closer.”
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Priest will not stop there. The artist, with a background in fashion, painting, photography, glasswork, sculpture and other mediums, has more planned for the future, and the sky is the limit.
In May 2026, Priest’s paper tole work will be displayed at the Art Center of the Bluegrass.
“They saw the glasswork I’ve done, and they want to show the paper tole work to share the variations and changes an artist can take with their work,” Priest says.
In October 2026, she will have an exhibit at the Moremen Gallery that is in the planning stages of a new, thought-provoking idea.
“I am going to develop portraits and incorporate mirrors,” she says. “People love to see themselves, and I’m going to use mirrors as the back layer of the works so the viewer becomes a part of the scene. I want people to enjoy my work and to be a part of it.”
Looking forward, Priest hopes to get involved in public art space projects, commissioned work and more.
“I’d love to do projects in public art spaces I want the public to interact with the work and for people to be moved and impacted by what they see,” she adds.
To learn more about artist Licia Priest, visit layeredimages.com.
April 18, 2026
April 18, 2026
LIVING THEATRE
ACTORS THEATRE OF LOUISVILLE HAS BEEN A CREATIVE HOME FOR GENERATIONS
Writer / Melissa Gibson
The Actors Theatre of Louisville has been offering groundbreaking performances and a unique cultural environment for more than five decades.
Founded in 1964 during the rise of the American regional theatre movement, Actors Theatre was created from a merger of two young local companies with the shared belief that Louisville could be a home for professional, nationally significant theatre. It was a big dream, but over the decades it has gained international recognition as a leading incubator of new work, launching hundreds of productions — including multiple Pulitzer Prize-winning plays — that went on to shape American theatre.
Whether creating reimagined classic works for contemporary audiences or inspiring young thespians, the goal has always remained the same — fostering a sense of belonging for all.
It has continued to grow from there, expanding performance spaces, investing in education and community engagement, and building a culture and home on Main Street in Louisville.
“I still feel like a parent and it is my child,” says Richard Black, co-founder and producer-director from 1965 to 1969. “[We want to continue] caring for the history and looking toward and planning for the future of this wondrous, living, treasured home of
human experience, exploration, enrichment, humor and joy.”
Today, Amelia Acosta Powell, Artistic Director for Actors Theatre of Louisville, says the theatre still sits at the intersection of national artistic leadership and deep local responsibility.
“For decades, we’ve been a place where world-premiere plays are developed and launched into the American theatre to be seen around the country,” Powell says. “Artists, audiences, volunteers and neighbors are in genuine relationship with one another, brought together by unique shared experiences.”
Theatre has long been a catalyst for creativity and imagination, often providing a “home” for those who have a passion for the arts.
Adults and youth alike can gain skills that benefit them on and off the stage, including listening across differences, creative problem-solving, disciplined collaboration and civic imagination.
“We don’t just produce theatre in Louisville, we help model how the arts can strengthen community, reflect the complexity of this
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place and invite people to see themselves as part of a shared cultural life,” Powell says.
The remainder of the 2026 season promises to be just that.
In March, Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors takes the stage in collaboration with New York-based company Fiasco Theater and The Saunders Collective, a family of multi-talented performers, singers, composers and producers.
“This performance is especially exciting
due to the original music composed for the show by Heath Saunders,” Powell says. “It will also be unique because the two sets of identical twins from Shakespeare’s story will be portrayed by two real-life sets of identical twins from the Saunders family.”
The Comedy of Errors runs March 4-15, 2026.
Later this spring, the Storytelling Revolution Festival will feature the world-premiere production of Wave After Wave by Benjamin Benne over two weekends, April 2-12.
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1984 8th Humana Festival: Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, John Turturro and June Stein
“The festival offers a range of storytelling modalities, including readings, short plays, sketch comedy, puppetry and more,” Powell says.
In the spring of 2026, Actors Theatre will announce its 2026-27 season. Outside of upcoming shows, other programs and opportunities continue to inspire artists.
The Learning and Creative Engagement (LACE) programs for lifelong learners of all ages include initiatives intended for professional skill development in theatre as well as fun and play.
Student matinees serve thousands of young audience members from elementary school through university each year.
In addition, adult scene study classes with professional acting instructors are offered, along with a monthly series, Stagecraft Tools for the Apocalypse, in partnership with the Louisville Tool Library, which focuses on artsbased tools for survival, sustainability and joy.
“We also offer in-school or in-community residencies where our teaching artists
1989 Julianne Moore: Bone The Fish By Arthur Kopit, 13th Humana, Photo by David Talbott
Curious Incident 2018
provide hands-on workshops in playwriting, poetry, comedy, music, movement and more,” Powell says.
This summer, Actors Theatre will host its first summer camp for middle school and high school students.
“We’re very excited,” Powell adds. “Each week has a different theme, so participants can engage in one week of their favorite topic or attend the full month for a robust dive into all of the different disciplines.”
Summer camp will run throughout the month of July. Week One’s theme is Audition Techniques for Theatre. Week Two features Epic Voices/Epic Battles — Stage Combat and Vocal Production. Week Three focuses on playwriting, and Week Four’s theme is Technical Theatre and Design.
Powell says it is important for the theatre to foster creativity at all ages, especially for the next generation.
“We know that participation in the arts builds social skills, increases self-confidence, improves mental health and opens the mind to new ideas,” Powell says. “We also believe that investing in future generations of arts enthusiasts is an investment in our city and our region, as data shows that communities with thriving arts ecologies also thrive in other ways, such as health outcomes, economic growth, technological innovation and social connectivity.”
In addition to fostering creativity and inspiration for Louisville and far beyond through groundbreaking performances, music and innovation, the staff and volunteers at Actors Theatre know they are offering something special to the community.
“The most meaningful way to support Actors Theatre of Louisville is to show up with curiosity, openness and a willingness to engage,” Powell says.
Buying a ticket, becoming a member, inviting friends and family and sharing experiences with others not only helps sustain the theatre’s work but also helps lead and direct it.
“Audiences help shape the theatre by being present and in conversation with us. It’s important to check out the theatre because Actors Theatre of Louisville is where professional theatre is being created right here in Kentucky,” Powell says. “Unique stories are being shared, and they reflect the wonder in our world and the spirit of this community. It’s not just entertainment. It’s an invitation to connect and to participate in a cultural institution that belongs to and is strengthened by the people who choose to be a part of it.”
To learn more about upcoming shows and other opportunities, visit actorstheatre.org.
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IRISH ON PARADE
LOUISVILLE’S BELOVED ST. PATRICK’S DAY TRADITION RETURNS
Writer / Gavin LaPaille
Louisville streets will once again turn green for the annual Ancient Order of Hibernians’ St. Patrick’s Day Parade. The parade is set for its 53rd year celebrating Irish heritage in the local community March 14.
“Everyone wants to be Irish on St. Patrick’s Day, wherever you live,” says John O’Dwyer, Kentucky AOH president and parade coordinator. “Anyone can come that day and feel part of this big group of friends they’ve never met before. That feeling is what continues to let the parade grow.”
The parade will take place on its familiar route in the Highlands neighborhood, traveling up Bardstown Road from the corner of Broadway and Baxter Avenue and ending at Windsor Place. Hundreds of
groups participate from across the country, marching down the streets playing music while throwing candy and other goodies to thousands of attendees. The parade showcases many local businesses and brings a festive energy to the area, making this the “people’s parade,” O’Dwyer says.
“Baxter and Bardstown Road are the mom-and-pop corridor for the city,”
O’Dwyer says. “We work with a lot of those businesses all year-round to support them, and the parade is one of their biggest days. The parade has moved around a little over the years, but we went back to that corridor and we’re not going to move it.”
The theme for this year’s parade is “Built Kentucky Irish Strong,” which aligns with
the AOH’s passion to advance Irish culture both locally and nationally. Established in 1966 on the principles of friendship, unity and Christian charity, the AOH is one of the country’s leading Irish Catholic fraternal organizations, with deep roots in Louisville. The parade is presented by the Hibernian Cultural and Charitable Association, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization for the AOH of Louisville. The HCCA promotes Irish culture through fundraising events and charitable giving, and the parade helps fund many of its goals.
“Anytime we can make money throwing that parade, we are able to take care of those in need in Louisville and the surrounding region,” O’Dwyer says. “We will help anyone who is in need, anywhere in the
country. I’m not aware of another privately run parade for charity. We like to raise money and spend it wisely to get the biggest bang for our buck.”
O’Dwyer says he expects 2026 to be the biggest parade yet. Those who have attended in the past can expect to see many familiar faces taking part, with some new additions sprinkled in.
“It’s most heavily attended by people in Louisville, but we get visitors from other states,” O’Dwyer says. “We’re one of the biggest St. Patrick’s Day parades in the region. You generally will see 115 to 135 units each year. A lot of the same groups like to come back, and some have been here every year. They do a really good job of dressing up and meeting the theme of the parade. We always get newcomers, and it’s neat to see how others put their own twist on it.”
The parade is annually set for the Saturday before St. Patrick’s Day. O’Dwyer says the date helps local businesses capitalize on both the parade and the holiday itself.
“If we shut down a street on a weekday, it would hurt some businesses, and that’s not something we want to be part of,” O’Dwyer says. “A lot of our sponsors are restaurants and small businesses, and they use parade day in their yearly planning. That trickles down to workers getting a really good day that weekend and benefiting from St. Patrick’s Day as well.”
While the parade is the most publicfacing event the AOH hosts, many other activities throughout the year help further its mission. The Wearing O’ the Green Gala has become a premier pre-parade event, featuring live music, dancing and food. The Blessing of the Beer and Tapping of the Keg kicks off the festivities at Goodwood Brewing & Spirits on Market Street, where
a priest blesses special kegs of beer brewed specifically for the parade each year. The organization also hosts an Irish for Kids Golf Scramble in September, which includes a hole-in-one challenge for a chance to win a free trip to Ireland.
Another way the community can get involved is through the St. Patrick Coloring Contest, open to area students in kindergarten through fourth grade. The top submissions from each grade receive a monetary award and an invitation to take part in the parade. Each child colors the same drawing, originally created by one of the AOH’s past presidents, and submissions must be delivered two to three weeks before the parade.
“It’s a way to teach kids about St. Patrick and what he stood for,” O’Dwyer says. “When the national convention was here in 2018, we challenged the rest of the country to take part, and now we’re in six states with the coloring contest. The kids who win attend a
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Mass each year, receive awards and get to be in the parade.”
O’Dwyer credits current AOH President John Favier with helping move the organization forward while making the parade bigger and better. He says it fills him with pride to see people lining the streets, decked out in green and enjoying the celebration.
“I start my day when there is no one out there,” O’Dwyer says. “As the day goes on, you see people filling the streets. Everyone is just having fun with each other. The brothers of the AOH work very hard to make the parade happen, and when you see it come to fruition, you feel proud of everything that went into it. It’s a feel-good moment and a day to celebrate our Irish heritage and what the Irish have brought to Louisville.”
For more information on the St. Patrick’s Day parade and the AOH, visit aohlouisville.com/st-patricks-parade.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
AROUND
MARCH
View All Local Events or Submit Your Own
LOUISVILLE AREA EVENTS
3
THE PARKLANDS WALKING CLUB (BIG BEECH WOODS TRAIL)
John Floyd Community Building, Pope Lick Park, Blue Moon Canoe and Kayak
8:30 - 11 a.m.
This walking club will meet almost twice a month, for a morning and an evening session, to trek all over The Parklands, exploring different trails each time.
5
CINDI SULLIVAN
Historic Nunnlea House at 1940 South Hurstbourne Pkwy 10:30 a.m.
Cindi Sullivan will be speaking on Louisville’s tree canopy and how to improve it. The event is free, will begin at 1030 a.m., and is open to the public. Ample parking is available and refreshments will be provided.
7
BLESSINGS IN A BACKPACK LOUISVILLE CHAPTER’S
“PACK THE SACK”
FUNDRAISER
The Olmsted, 3701 Frankfort Ave.
5 - 9 p.m.
Blessings in a Backpack Louisville Chapter, which helps feed local school-age children on weekends, will host its Eleventh Annual Pack the Sack event to benefit Louisville students.
INTRO TO VERMICULTURE WITH MASTER GARDENERS
KATE GREER & JOYCE BROWN
Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Ave.
10 - 11:30 a.m.
Saturday, March 7
Frances Newman Alden Learning Center, in the Ellen T. Leslie Building
THE LOUISVILLE ORCHESTRA PRESENTS ERIC WHITACRE IN
CONCERT
Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W Main St.
7:20, 7:30 p.m.
Grammy-winning composer and conductor Eric Whitacre leads the Louisville Orchestra in an evening of his own breathtaking works.
NOISE POLLUTION: THE AC/DC EXPERIENCE
Mercury Ballroom, 611 S 4th St. 8 p.m.
The Mercury Ballroom is an allages, standing room venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. Doors open one hour prior to the event.
TAILSPIN ALE FEST
Bowman Field
2700 Gast Blvd, Louisville, KY 2 - 7 p.m.
Tickets: VIP / First Class: $90 + taxes & fees
Gates open at 2:00 PM
General Admission / Coach Class: $60 + taxes & fees | Gates open at 3:00 PM. Designated Driver and Premium Restroom passes available. Visit: tailspinalefest. com for further info and ticket information.
14
LOUISVILLE CITY FC VS MIAMI FC
Lynn Family Stadium, 350 Adams St.
WHO’S
BAD: THE ULTIMATE MICHAEL JACKSON EXPERIENCE
Mercury Ballroom, 611 S 4th St. 8 p.m.
The Mercury Ballroom is an allages, standing room venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. Doors open one hour prior to the event.
16
THE PHIL COLLINS STORY
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St. 8 p.m.
Chronicling his remarkable chart-topping time with Genesis to his multi-Grammy winning solo career to his Academy Award-winning work for Disney, The Phil Collins Story brings the artist’s distinctive story to life.
TAKE IT TO THE LIMITTHE MUSIC & LEGACY OF THE EAGLES
The Brown Theatre, 315 W Broadway. 7:30 - 10 p.m.
Eagles fans! Get ready to celebrate the music & legacy of the Eagles on March 16, 2026 when acclaimed tribute Take it to the Limit arrives in Louisville for the 1st time!
18
BERNHEIM FIRE TOWER TOUR & GUIDE HIKE
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, 10 - 11:30 a.m.
Perhaps you and your family have memories of climbing Bernheim’s Historic Fire Tower and taking in the forest from its bird’s-eye cab.
19
FREE ELECTRONICS RECYCLING EVENT
The Arterburn, 310 Ten Pin Lane. 12 - 3 p.m.
The Chamber St. Matthews, Greenway Shredding & Recycling, and Z-JAK Technologies have partnered to host a free electronics recycling event. business.stmatthewschamber.com
20–29
CHOREOGRAPHERS’ SHOWCASE
Louisville Ballet, 315 East Main St.. 7:30 - 1:30 p.m.
21
BREAKFAST WITH THE BEASTS: BEARS
Louisville Zoo, 9 - 11 a.m.
SINCE
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24
RIVERDANCE - THE NEXT GENERATION (TOURING)
Kentucky Center for the Arts, 501 W Main St., 7 - 9 p.m.
Since Riverdance first emerged onto the world stage, its fusion of Irish and international dance and music has captured the hearts of millions worldwide.
26–29
EURYDICE
Bellarmine University, 2001 Newburg Rd. Sarah Ruhl’s Eurydice retells the Orpheus myth with a modern twist, centering its heroine in a fresh take on timeless love.
27–29
TATTOO FEST LOUISVILLE
Kentucky International Convention Center, 221 S 4th St.
1 - 10 p.m.; 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Join us for the 2nd annual Tattoo Fest Louisville!
29
ROBERT PLANT WITH SAVING GRACE AND SUZI DIAN PRES. BY 91.9 WFPK
Louisville Palace, 625 S. 4th St.
7:30 p.m.
Doors open at 6:30pm. All sales are final. No refunds or exchanges. Everyone, regardless of age including babes in arms, must purchase a ticket.
30
FILTER, FINGER ELEVEN, LOCAL H - PRESENTED BY ALT 105.1
Mercury Ballroom, 611 S 4th Street. 7:30 p.m.
The Mercury Ballroom is an all-ages, standing room venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. Doors open one hour prior to the event.
31
GWAR - PRESENTED BY ALT 105.1
Mercury Ballroom, 611 S 4th St.
7:30 p.m.
The Mercury Ballroom is an all-ages, standing room venue, all tickets are General Admission unless otherwise stated. Doors open one hour prior to the event.
We test it out, make you an offer and CUT YOU A CHECK ON THE SPOT.
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The Courtyards At Curry Farms
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New Home Sales Specialist
502.503.5125
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Amanda Goldfarb
New Home Sales Specialist
502.490.2614
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From morning walks to evening conversations, our neighborhoods are thoughtfully designed to bring people together. It’s a more comfortable, more connected way to live— every single day.
A CENTURY STRONG
LOCAL RESIDENT & VETERAN REFLECTS ON 100 YEARS OF FAITH, FAMILY & SERVICE
Writer / Melissa Gibson
Veteran and local resident Jesse McGee recently celebrated his 100th birthday.
Born Sept. 19, 1925, in a small Kentucky town, one of his first memories was Christmas Day in 1931. McGee had appendicitis, and after calling the doctor, who recommended a trip to the hospital in Louisville, the trip itself proved difficult because no one had a car. The family had to ask neighbors and friends and eventually find someone in town who could transport the ailing 6-year-old.
“These were horse-and-buggy days,” McGee says. “We had no electricity or running water. We’d get water from the well, but it
would go dry every summer.”
Growing up, McGee recalls summers spent working on the farm, hunting, fishing and playing baseball. He has plenty of stories surrounding family, getting into trouble with his siblings and having fun.
He remembers the 5-mile walk to and from school and the family purchasing their first car around 1938.
The 1940s served as a decade of change in McGee’s life.
Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941 when McGee was a sophomore in high school. By
1944, he was headed to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, for basic training at just 18 years old and spent his 19th birthday on a threeday pass to London.
“In the early part of my service, I was at a camp in southern England near the English Channel and then on to France, Holland and Germany,” McGee says. “I was in harm’s way a few times but never saw combat. Still, when I earned enough points to come home and you see the Statue of Liberty, it really does something to you.”
While overseas, McGee had been writing letters to Edwina, a friend from his high school days. The special relationship they
built through letters led to love, and the two married in 1947.
He recalls living in an apartment in Bardstown for $40 per month and making 74 cents per hour. Just one year later, he took a job at Robertson Paint Co., later named Porter Paint and then PPG Paints, for 90 cents per hour.
Like many in the 1940s, McGee worked hard and worked his way up, spending nearly 40 years with the company and eventually becoming superintendent at the industrial finishes plant.
“I started out as a laborer and worked a lot
of long hours but took classes in the evening at the University of Louisville and received promotions as I went along,” McGee says.
The couple moved to Jeffersontown in 1948, and McGee began volunteering at his church, Jeffersontown Christian Church, and joined the Masonic Lodge. He was instrumental in the launch of Jeffersontown Little League and served as a coach for several years. In addition, McGee served on the Jeffersontown City Council in the early 1950s.
“When Edwina and I moved here, Jeffersontown was just a small town,” McGee says. “I don’t know if there was even a traffic light. Growth was just beginning to take effect, and I was able to be a part of some of that growth when subdivisions were coming in and changes were taking place.”
He served only one term, however. Work and family life were calling.
The couple had four children — Dennis,
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THURSDAY: .99 WINGS
FRIDAY:
SATURDAY:
SUNDAY:
Walter, JoAnn and Rob — and advances in technology were moving quicker than many could keep up.
me to guess what we were having for dessert. I’d usually guess right, and they accused Mom of telling me beforehand. She never did. She just had good mental telepathy, I guess.”
my own children. They treat me just like their father. I believe when Edwina went to be with the Lord, she asked that He send someone to me so I wouldn’t be lonely.”
McGee says there are four things in life that really matter: God, country, neighbors and family.
McGee recalls buying his first television in 1949, purchasing a microwave, an 8-track and more.
“Some of the best memories of our family life were when the children were all home and in school,” he says. “I used to call Edwina and let her know I was on my way home from work. Our dog, Pepper, got the message and would wait at the door for me, announcing my arrival when I turned the corner. The kids would all be called in to have dinner, and we’d sit around the table, and I would listen to each of them talk about their day. They would eventually ask
After 53 years of marriage and a long illness, Edwina passed away in July 2000.
McGee says he knew then what it was like to be lonely. However, life didn’t stop there.
In 2002, he met Evelyn and eventually her children. They were married for 14 years before she passed away in 2016.
“I’ve been very fortunate to have had two of the best. Now I have two angels in heaven,” McGee says. “I’m so glad we had time together with all the memories and two great families. My stepchildren are just like
He has read the Bible from cover to cover at least three times, and these days, McGee still resides in the home that he and Evelyn purchased in Jeffersontown. His children visit often and say he spent so long taking care of them, now it is their turn to take care of him.
The secret to celebrating a 100th birthday?
“I guess just living a clean life,” McGee says. “I’ve been blessed in so many ways. The Lord has helped me through some sad times, and there are things I wish I had not done and things I wish I had done or said that I didn’t. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”
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