In 2025, we learned, shared, danced, toasted, read, rode, walked, visited, explored and celebrated the first 250 years of our great city! By the numbers: 🗓️ 250Lex had over 100 events and programs that were spread throughout our city and allowed thousands of people from all walks of life to participate and celebrate. 💙 18 Community Grants totaling over $300,000 of programming. 💸 Financial and in-kind support from businesses and non-profits made our year of celebration possible. 🪕1,500 musicians and vocalists participated in 250Lex celebrations. 📲2 Co-chairs, 25 Commission Members, 22 Ambassadors, 42 Sponsors, 75 Community Partners, 15 Media Partners, LFUCG Councilmembers, Public Safety, Parks & Rec and City officials contributed and collaborated to ensure 250Lex was a success. Our 3 highest attended events: 🥃 BigAss Bourbon Tasting at LexLive 🎂 Back to School & Big Birthday Cake Celebration at the Kentucky Horse Park 🎶 Sacred Music Festival Week 📍Lexington, KY was voted the #1 city to visit in America in June 2025 during VisitLex’s ‘Come Home’ campaign. Thank you, Lexington, for making this year so incredibly memorable. And most importantly, cheers to the next 250 years!

Light it up!💡 The Lexington Legends are proud to be hosting Lexington’s Legendary Festival of Lights, a spectacular new holiday tradition that will illuminate the ballpark through January 4, 2026. This immersive experience features millions of dazzling lights, themed displays, holiday entertainment, and festive community programming designed to make Lexington the go-to destination for seasonal joy and celebration across the Bluegrass. To learn more, visit lexingtonlegends.com/single-….

Celebrate Lexington’s 250th Birthday with us tonight! Join us at the Central Bank Center at 6:30 p.m. for the unveiling of a vibrant, community-inspired work of art! A special thank you to LexArts and the UK School of Art and Visual Studies, for their partnership, artistic design, and installation of this look back at our momentous year of celebration.

The Alltech Celebration of Song returns for its 20th anniversary this December, doubling the joy with two public performances on Sunday, Dec. 14, at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Alltech Arena at the Kentucky Horse Park. This year, the concert also serves as a bookend event to 250LEX, Lexington’s yearlong celebration of the 250th anniversary of the city’s founding. Dozens of talented vocalists will take the stage at both performances, including members of the University of Kentucky Opera Theatre, winners of the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition and other special guests, all accompanied by a professional orchestra. As always, audience members will be invited to join in singing classic favorites — a hallmark of this beloved community tradition. For more information, visit alltech.com/alltech-celebrat….

Celebrate Lexington’s 250th Birthday with us! Join us at the Central Bank Center at 6:30 p.m., Monday, December 15 for the unveiling of a vibrant, community-inspired work of art! A special thank you to LexArts and the UK School of Art and Visual Studies, for their partnership, artistic design, and installation of this look back at our momentous year of celebration. For more information contact lexarts.org.

Santa Claus is coming to (down)town! The most wonderful time of the year is just around the corner and we couldn’t be more excited! We hope you’ll join us at 11 am on December 6 for the Downtown Lexington Holiday Parade presented by Commonwealth Credit Union! The parade will feature a variety of organizations, bands, floats, and of course, Santa himself! For more information, visit downtownlex.com/signature-ev….

All are invited to the 250Lex “Students Impacting Industry” Showcase on Thursday, December 4, where high school creators and local companies are tackling real-world challenges together. Witness the solutions being developed from GenAI applications and immersive VR training to renewable energy and robotics. Meet the students who are shaping tomorrow's workforce and see how industry is collaborating with them to evolve Lexington into a genuine technology hub. Date: Thursday, December 4 Location: The Hub for Innovative Learning & Leadership (The HILL). 100 Midland Ave. Self-Tour of The HILL: 5 p.m, Showcase Doors Open: 5:30 p.m. Come witness how students are not just preparing for the workforce, but how they are already shaping it!

Get your tickets for a special musical concert performed by internationally renowned Mariachi Garibaldi de Jaime Cuéllar on Wednesday, December 3 at Bryan Station High School. Mariachi Garibaldi will perform a Christmas themed concert of two 45-minute sets with a brief intermission in between, with musical selections that invoke the cultural traditions of Mexico and the United States. Additionally, Mariachi Garibaldi's director Jaime Cuellar, will personally lead a student workshop about mariachi, to the students of Mariachi Escudo de Bryan Station High School, and any other Fayette County Public Schools students who wish to participate. For more information, please visit stationarts.ludus.com/index.…. #250lex #sharethelex #lexingtonky #cheersto250years

Words inspire us, art connects us, together they give us hope. Redwood Cooperative School's middle school students created artwork for a show centered around "hope,” and utilized a combination of vocabulary and text with visual art. The mediums include typography, ink, collage, papier-mâché and paper sculpture. This exhibit, “Hope: The Power of Art and Words,” is now on display at Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center until January 3rd. To learn more, visit lexingtonky.gov/playing/faci….

Lexington’s next era of innovation starts here! All are invited to the 250Lex “Students Impacting Industry” Showcase on Thursday, December 4, where high school creators and local companies are tackling real-world challenges together. Witness the solutions being developed from GenAI applications and immersive VR training to renewable energy and robotics. Meet the students who are shaping tomorrow's workforce and see how industry is collaborating with them to evolve Lexington into a genuine technology hub. 📍Date: Thursday, December 4 Location: The Hub for Innovative Learning & Leadership (The HILL). 100 Midland Ave. Self-Tour of The HILL: 5:00 PM Showcase Doors Open: 5:30 PM Come witness how students are not just preparing for the workforce, but how they are already shaping it!

Come out tonight for the very last “hop” of 2025! Get all the details and learn more at lexarts.org/discover/lexarts….

Step into Clara’s dream and journey alongside the Ebony Nutcracker Prince as they dance through faraway lands filled with rhythm, color, and culture! Experience the vibrant energy of dances from Asia, Africa, South America, the Caribbean, and the U.S. — from ballet to traditional to hip-hop styles that will have you moving in your seat. Join this magical celebration of movement, music, and holiday joy on Saturday, November 29. Tickets are available at historiclyrictheatre.com/eve….

Make plans now to join the Lexington History Museum and Lexington film maker and writer Jeff Hoagland as they debut four new multimedia projects that complement the “Intersections: 250 Years of Lexington History” exhibit. The four projects explore – and celebrate – the complexities of Lexington as a home, a setting, and a character in the stories of its citizens, including jazz legend Les McCann, civil rights activist and lawyer RCO Benjamin, and Ashland resident Charlotte Dupuy. Lexingtonians can experience the stories for themselves on Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m. at Lexington Public Library’s Central Branch (Farish Theatre). The program will feature a live play reading, short film screenings, and a panel discussion. The event is free, and registration is encouraged. For more information, visit secure.qgiv.com/for/lexingto….

Celebrate 250Lex’s Arts Month with the final LexArts hop of 2025 on Friday, November 21. For more information, visit lexarts.org/discover/lexarts….

On Tuesday, December 9, students from STEAM Academy, who represent every zip code in the city, will be presenting research projects that specifically look at the qualities that make a community strong and future-ready: health and vitality, local leadership, environmental best practices, civil engineering and infrastructure, and social well-being. Students will showcase their research findings and have an opportunity to ask questions to help shape their understanding. Food from Chick-fil-A will be provided to the first 400 guests, along with refreshments, live orchestral music, and exhibits that will spark imagination and conversation. Hear Mayor Linda Gorton’s reflection on this year’s celebration, along with civic and community leaders, as we pause and consider the possibilities of Lexington’s future. There is no fee to attend the event. For more information, visit 250lexatsteam.com.

Music doesn’t just resonate — it reaches the heart. Heartsong brings together three deeply expressive works that speak to love, memory, and emotional resilience. Heartsong: Mendelssohn, Guo, & Rachmaninoff by the Lexington Philharmonic will carry you through a powerful journey of memory, love, and revival. For more information about this Saturday, November 22 performance, visit lexphil.org/heartsong. #250lex #sharethelex #lexingtonky #cheersto250years

This Charles Dickens Christmas classic gets a whole new spin in Alan Menken and Lynn Ahren’s spectacular musicalized version. Delight in this holiday favorite as Ebeneezer Scrooge is visited by the spirits of Christmas – past, present and future – who hope to change his curmudgeonly ways. A fantastic holiday gift from The Lex, to you and yours. The Lexington Theatre Company combines Broadway veterans, rising stars, and local professionals for a production that feels just like Broadway, crafted right here in Lexington from Thursday, November 20 through Sunday, November 23. For more information, visit lexingtontheatrecompany.org/….

Save the date for the final LexArts hop of 2025! Be sure to come downtown on Friday, November 21. For more information, visit lexarts.org/discover/lexarts….

Every fall the halls of the Carnegie Center transform into a celebration of a classic tale. This immersive experience with entertainment, heavy appetizers, an open bar, and plenty of surprises, will transport you into the pages of the book. This year’s book: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. 🪄✨ Buy your ticket before they sell out for this incredible celebration on Saturday, November 8. For more information and tickets, visit carnegiecenterlex.org/events….

Join the Allegro Dance Project on Friday, November 7th from 7-8:30 pm at the Ahava Center for Spiritual Living for a benefit concert and silent auction! The Allegro Dance Project band will be performing their hit songs from the past 11 years of shows while attendees can bid on artwork, jewelry, gift cards and more during the silent auction. All donations and silent auction bids will benefit Inclusive Dance Outreach and 2026 performances. No cover or admission fee – but donations will be accepted (and appreciated) at the door. For more information, visit allegrodanceproject.org.