Eight Things to do in Lexington for Fall Stars Weekend
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The Mary Todd Lincoln House is just one thing to see or do in Lexington this weekend. (Photo by Wikimedia Commons)
October is a special month for many people. Cooler weather. Football. Pumpkin spice lattes. Halloween. But in central Kentucky, October is also known for the fall meet at Keeneland Race Course, which kicks off with its Fall Stars Weekend on Friday, October 3. Should you find yourself in the Lexington, Ky. area for Fall Stars weekend, below are some cool things to do while you are in town!
1) University of Kentucky football vs. South Carolina, Commonwealth Stadium, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. ET
In addition to being home to Keeneland, Lexington is also home to the University of Kentucky. On Saturday night, the Kentucky Wildcats will welcome the South Carolina Gamecocks to Commonwealth Stadium for an SEC football showdown. With the game scheduled to kick off at 7:30 p.m., you have just enough time to catch all the great races Keeneland before making it to Commonwealth Stadium for what is sure to be a battle on the football field! And it couldn't be easier - fans can park at Commonwealth Stadium, take a LexTran shuttle to Keeneland for the races, and shuttle back before kickoff. Get your football tickets here.
2) Take a tour of a Thoroughbred farm
Once you arrive in Lexington, it will not take you long to understand why they call central Kentucky the “horse capital of the world.” Lexington is surrounded by hundreds of horse farms, and the beauty of their rolling hills cannot be overstated. Take advantage of the opportunity and check out one of these farms for yourself!
Many prominent farms, including Claiborne Farm, home of 2013 Kentucky Derby winner Orb, and Three Chimneys Farm, home to 2013 champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge, offer tours to guests. You might even get to see where a Kentucky Derby winner was born!
WILL TAKE CHARGE LIVES AT THREE CHIMNEYS
Photo by Eclipse Sportswire
3) Visit retired Thoroughbred champions
While Lexington may be known for its thoroughbred farms where future champions are born, Lexington is also a great city to visit some of your favorite horses from earlier years. At the Kentucky Horse Park you can check in with Kentucky Derby winners Funny Cide and Go For Gin as well as Hall of Famer Cigar and two-time Breeders' Cup Mile winner Da Hoss. At Old Friends you can see Breeders' Cup winner Gulch and Belmont Stakes winner Sarava, among many others. I’m sure these amazing horses would love for you to pay them a visit!
4) The Red Mile
While the Thoroughbred is king, all breeds of horses are beloved in the Lexington area. If you would like to check out the Standardbreds, you’re in luck, as Lexington’s harness racing facility, The Red Mile, is open for live racing through Sunday, October 5. It is also important to note that harness racing’s “Grand Circuit” is currently at The Red Mile, where between October 3 and 5 stakes races worth more than $3.4 million will be contested!
GET YOUR HARNESS RACING FIX AT THE RED MILE
5) Kentucky Theatre
While many Lexington attractions are horse-related, the city does have a charm of its own with plenty of history itself. The Kentucky Theatre, located in downtown Lexington, first opened in 1922 and is still open today, so you can truly experience history by seeing a movie in this old-fashioned theater. If you are a night owl or you are already in the Halloween mood, the theater is offering midnight showings of the 1973 classic “The Exorcist” on both Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4.
6) “House Divided” Cemetery Walking Tour
It is October, and the frightening thoughts of Halloween are on the minds of many. At 2 p.m. every Sunday in the month of October, Lexington Cemetery is offering a “House Divided” Cemetery Walking Tour, which focuses on Kentucky’s civil war history.
The cemetery has been in existence since 1849 and is known in part for the beauty of trees and flowers located on the grounds. The tour takes roughly 90 minutes, and it begins at the Henry Clay monument inside the cemetery. Just make sure you stay with the group to avoid being greeted by any spooky spirits!
7) Mary Todd Lincoln House
The Mary Todd Lincoln House is also located in downtown Lexington and is another example of Lexington’s rich history. This house was the childhood home of President Abraham Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd, and it now serves as a museum that is open to the public. The Mary Todd Lincoln House also holds the distinction of being the first historic site to be restored in the honor of a First Lady.
8) Hunt-Morgan House
The Hunt-Morgan house was built in 1814 and is yet another glimpse into Lexington’s past. The house, which is located downtown, is home to numerous nineteenth century artifacts, paintings, and pieces of furniture which allows the visitor to imagine what it was like to live in another era. The second floor of house is where you will find the Alexander T. Hunt Civil War Museum, which offers an “extensive collection of Civil War relics and memorabilia.”