Smoketown, Louisville’s oldest historically black neighborhood, has been seeing redevelopment and new energy in recent years. To celebrate Smoketown’s 150 years of rich culture and history and highlight its current vitality, several local institutions are collaborating on the first Smoketown Arts Festival on Saturday, July 11, from 4-10 p.m. at the corner of Preston and Lampton streets.
IDEAS, YouthBuild Louisville, Louisville Metro Housing Authority, Asia Institute-Crane House, the Louisville Ballet, and Bridge Kids International are among the groups that will offer a wide range of arts and cultural performances.
The River City Drum Corps and the Fierce Dancing Tigerettes will perform their unique brand of music and movement. The Steam Exchange will organize several performances and the West End theatre project Roots & Wings will honor Smoketown personality and musical icon Zephra May Miller. In the evening, the documentary “More than Bricks and Mortar: Smoketown A New Beginning” by Lavel White will have its premiere.
The festival also will host free health screenings and community health information workshops. Admission to the festival is free. If weather is rainy, the event will be held across the street at Meyzeek Middle School.
