It’s a Bardstown Christmas!
When Bardstown kicks off its official holiday season on November 29th with the annual Light Up Bardstown event, it will be ushering in a month of activities that have made the city a must-visit for all who love Christmas.
Bardstown is so devoted to the Happiest Season of the Year that it has dubbed itself the “North Pole of Kentucky” – even if it does come with a healthy dose of Southern hospitality.
It’s not just a self-appointed title, however. No less an arbiter of homespun charm than HGTV has included Bardstown in its 2024 roundup of “50 Favorite Small Towns to Visit for Christmas.”
Light Up Bardstown is a good place to start your seasonal odyssey as it provides residents and visitors with their first look at the city’s official Christmas tree, as well as a jump start on holiday shopping.
Don’t worry if you don’t get it all done, as Shop Small Saturday takes place the next day (November 30th). Special discounts and promotions at an array of unique downtown businesses make shopping a treat rather than a chore, while the ice rink at the Farmer’s Market will be open for a relaxing respite from the rigors of gift buying.
The usual line-up will once again be part of Bardstown’s Christmas calendar, including Springhill Winery’s Sip n’ Shop (November 30th) and the McIntyre Winery Sip n’ Shop (December 11th); the Guthrie Opportunity Center’s fabulous Festival of Trees (November 30th and December 1st), and Log Still Distillery’s Christmas Show and Dinner, this year featuring country music favorite Pam Tillis (November 30th).
Should you be looking for a kid-friendly event, Log Still also has three dates (December 6, 15 and 22) to choose from for their Brunch with Santa Claus.
You’ll have multiple opportunities to hop aboard the festively decorated My Old Kentucky Dinner Train – along with Santa, who really seems to love Bardstown and is bringing Mrs. Claus along for a date night on the train’s North Pole Express journey.
Every Saturday and Sunday in December, the jolly old man himself will lead passengers in a chorus of caroling as they enjoy a three-course meal.
And if it just isn’t Christmas without a production of the Charles Dickens classic “A Christmas Carol,” you’re in luck. My Old Kentucky Home will again be the site for following Ebenezer Scrooge on his journey to discover the true meaning of Christmas. Performances will be held at the mansion December 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 and 21.
Even the bourbon distilleries which make Bardstown the Bourbon Capital of the World the rest of the year are getting in the Christmas spirit.
Starting at the beginning of November, both Heaven Hill Distillery and Lux Row Distillers are doing their part to light up Bardstown with dazzling displays on their distillery grounds.
In addition to all the usual holiday activities, something new has been added this year. An entire Christmas carnival will take over the grounds of My Old Kentucky Home for two days (December 7 and 8) with an array of activities guaranteed to please the entire family.
A trackless train will take visitors on a journey through the park for an up-close look at all the Christmas displays. An old-fashioned carousel in the rotunda will complement other fun activities such as a 22-foot alpine tubing slide (even if there isn’t any snow), a mechanical snowboard experience and glow-in-the-dark mini putt putt.
There will be delicious goodies from a variety of food trucks; face painting for a creative take on the season, and photo ops with Santa.
The biggest news out of Bardstown this year will be the annual Christmas Parade put on by the Kiwanis Club and scheduled for Thursday, December 5th at 6:00 p.m.
Always a crowd pleaser with its armada of colorful floats, it promises to be even more so this year as a movie crew will be in town filming our small-town parade.
Writer/director/producer Tane McClure and her film crew will use the parade as a backdrop for the film Ethan Almighty – The Movie. The story centers on Ethan, a Presa Canario, a large mastiff breed originating in the Canary Islands of Spain, whose story has tugged at the heartstrings of people nationwide.
Having been traded by his owner for drugs, Ethan was found abandoned and near death, weighing 38 pounds instead of the 90 he should have weighed.
It took the concerted efforts of medical professionals, generous donors and animal lovers, but Ethan beat the odds and became a symbol of abused animals. His plight was responsible for the 2024 Ethan’s Law, making it a felony to abuse a dog or cat.
Ethan embodies a true Christmas miracle as he has come full circle, and this year will be joined by his doting human Jeff Callaway as Grand Marshals of the 2024 parade.
Come cheer Ethan and Jeff on as they make their way through downtown, and you just might see yourself in the crowd when McClure’s movie is released in theaters.
“Our dazzling downtown Bardstown streetscape makes a perfect location for the family-oriented parade,” says its organizer Wilma Sorrell.
“We are proud of the rich tradition this parade provides to the people of Bardstown and Nelson County,” she continues. “We have one of the most beautiful Christmas parades in the state, if not the whole southern region.”
As most everyone knows by now, Bardstown has received accolades as “America’s Most Beautiful Small Town” and it only becomes more beautiful during the holiday season, according to Stacey Phelps, President of Bardstown/Nelson County Tourism.
“Bardstown truly shines during the Christmas season,” says Phelps. “It’s transformed into a festive wonderland, creating a magical experience like no other in Kentucky.”
For more information about Christmas in Bardstown, go to VisitBardstown.com.