Dreamscapes Travel & Lifestyle Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dreamscapes.ca/i/776538
DREAMSCAPES WINTER/SPRING 2017 42 local food at the opening-day "Taste of Hen- derson Barbecue," then follow the food and fun trail through a Mardi Gras-style Street Strut while rocking to the beat of all types of music, including zydeco. Chicken lovers will enjoy the World Chicken Festival in London, home of the first KFC restaurant in the 1940s. On the last full weekend in September every year, volunteers serve fried chicken dinners cooked on the World's Largest Stainless Steel Skillet. Since the skillet's inauguration in 1992, it has cooked more than 120,000 fried chicken dinners. Culinary trails are a great travel menu item. The Western Kentucky BBQ Trail boasts more than a dozen eateries offering slow-roasted beef, pork and mutton. For snowbirds driving through, the I-65 and I-75 Culinary Trails present myriad options for wine, BBQ and song. COLOURFUL CULTURE Some unusual festivals and events this spring might coax snowbirds and spring vis- itors to stay awhile. From April 19–24, for example, the 22 nd annual Festival of Faiths in Louisville will feature talks by His Holiness the Dalai Lama on universal human values and nonviolence. Theologian Richard Rohr has dubbed the festival "the Sundance of the Sacred," and the Huffington Post included it among America's top seven spiritual travel destinations. The interfaith event combines music, poetry, film and art with internation- ally renowned spiritual leaders. Following in May is the Kentucky Derby Festival (kdf.org), built around Louisville's classic horse race. It offers the world a chance to celebrate one of the state's oldest traditions with food, festivities, competi- tions, concerts and countless family- friendly activities. Hot-air balloons splash the sky with colour, Celebrity Day at Churchill Downs brings out the selfies, and the Pegasus parade sends the whole family into a festive mood. Over the years, many celebrities have marched in the parade, from John Wayne and Loretta Lynn to Muhammad Ali and William Shatner. In Lexington, Keeneland exudes a very different sort of culture that includes thoroughbred breeding, racing and "horse- trading." Many families have created a tradition around weekends and holidays there, picnicking and roaming on the sprawling grounds to pet the horses and watch them exercise, meet the trainers and just enjoy a galloping good time. In 2016, Keeneland hosted the Breeders' Cup for the first time; the 2017 Spring Race Meet runs from April 7–28 (keeneland.com). And for lovers of all things artistic, Kentucky Crafted: The Market from April 21 to 23 in Lexington is one of the nation's top-rated events. It boasts nearly 200 exhibitors of fine art, crafts, books and specialty food products. Music perfor- mances include Americana and bluegrass (artscouncil.ky.gov). The Kentucky Artisan Center at Berea showcases the works of more than 700 artists and artisans with cultural and heritage exhibits and cuisine. Educational demon- strations and workshops throughout the year add flavour, as do the menu items in the Café and Grill: Comfy Cow ice cream, Kern's Derby Pie, Weisenberger Mills Corn muffins and hush puppies—and an assortment of tradi- tional dishes. Kentucky's tastes and sounds ensure there's never a dull moment. T R A V E L P L A N N E R Air Canada (aircanada.com) flies directly from Toronto (YYZ) into Cincinnati (CVG), which is the main hub for Ohio and Kentucky. Lexington is about a 10-hour drive from Toronto. For a comprehensive summary of events and travel ideas, visit kentuckytourism.com. BELOW: Local growers bring their produce into the Lexington Farmers' Market. kentuckytourism.com CENTRE: An artistic strain runs through Kentucky. kentuckytourism.com BOTTOM: Bardstown's Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History gives rare glimpses into the business of spirits. E. Lisa Moses DS