Gala this Friday, $1 Million Award from General Assembly, Going Bananas for Jackson Purchase Bourbon, and More
Guests dance at last year’s gala, April 5, 2025.
Party people, the moment is here! Night at the Frazier is this Friday, May 15, and we can’t wait to welcome you for our third annual gala at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum.
This year’s Red, White & Bluegrass celebration brings our community together for a vibrant evening that blends history, culture, and fun—all in support of the museum’s mission to inspire, engage, and educate. From the moment you step into the galleries, you’ll be part of an unforgettable experience filled with music, connection, and Kentucky spirit.
Wondering what to wear? Think semi-formal, but fun! Stars, stripes, and sparkles—in any combination of red, white, or blue—to embrace an elevated Americana vibe.
If you’ve been thinking about joining us, now is the time—our Buy One, Get One 50% Off Party ticket offer ends tonight at midnight. It’s the perfect opportunity to grab a friend and make a night of it.
And starting today, you can get in on the action early—our silent auction is now open for early bidding! Browse an exciting lineup of items and experiences and start planning your winning bids before the event.
Party guests will enjoy:
· Live music and dancing to V-Groove with the Bottled in Bond Boys as our bluegrass opener
· Featured Bourbon tastings and cocktails from Horse Soldier, Dark Arts, and Larrikin
· Curated grazing stations from local culinary partners
· Themed photo ops and Kentucky karaoke
· Access to our silent auction and Bourbon pull
More than just a celebration, Night at the Frazier is a meaningful way to support the work we do every day—connecting Kentucky’s past with its present to shape the future through education, exhibitions, and community programming.
We would love to celebrate with you this Friday!
Purchase tickets and view the full event lineup here.
In today’s issue of Frazier Weekly, the Frazier’s Stories in Mind program will be featured in our gala with a Mission Moment. Thanks to the generosity of the General Assembly, the Frazier is able to share our mission in a new way. And voting remains open for the Best in Kentucky awards—and we need your help!
With gratitude,
Hayley Harlow
Sr. Manager of Fundraising
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
This Week in the Museum
$1 Million Award for the Frazier Kentucky History Museum
Did you hear the news? The Frazier Kentucky History Museum is “ready to roll” after being awarded $1 million from the Kentucky General Assembly.
The award secures a traveling exhibit to share the stories of Kentucky’s 120 counties and their rich and diverse history.
Visitors explore the 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit at the Frazier, November 5, 2024.
We want to replicate the experience of our permanently installed 120: Cool KY Counties exhibit in 120 on the Road full-time throughout the state. Each county is represented through a unique story and song that stakeholders have helped to curate.
Some of the places we’ll visit will be in partnership with the Louisville Orchestra’s In Harmony tour to jointly celebrate the arts and Kentucky’s Cultural Heritage. Mark your calendars for Glasgow on June 25, Elizabethtown on June 26, and Shelbyville on June 27!
Other visits will be aligned with popular festivals in communities and other spots where Kentuckians gather!
We thank the General Assembly for their generous support to help us fulfill our mission of igniting the human spirit. This award allows us to visit places that perhaps don’t have resources to bring museum-quality experiences to their community, so we will bring this experience to the people.
House Speaker David Osborne says “investing in the Frazier Kentucky History Museum means investing in the story of our Commonwealth and the people who have shaped it”—and we agree!
Senator Julie Raque Adams added: “Projects like this offer a simple but meaningful way to expand hands-on learning opportunities.” Yes!
We are ready to roll. Be on the lookout for 120 on the Road!
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
Frazier’s Stories in Mind Program to be Recognized at Gala
Frazier’s Stories in Mind team Susan Reed and Jason Berkowitz leave an engagement at Signature at Rockford, 2026.
When we gather for our gala on May 15, we will be celebrating all things Frazier Kentucky History Museum. And we have so much to celebrate this year! It is guaranteed to be a special evening. One of the highlights of the evening will be our Mission Moment. This year we will recognize our senior partners from our Stories in Mind mission.
Mission driven, Stories in Mind is a community program, created and initiated by the Frazier Kentucky History Museum, to serve a valuable community resource: our elderly citizens. With thirty-six engagements to assisted living campuses every month, Jason Berkowitz and I meet with seniors at senior living campuses to share stories.
Stories in Mind fills something missing in our senior community: connection. This valuable population can often feel disenfranchised, forgotten by the larger community. With conversations with the Stories in Mind team, they begin to see that their stories and their life have meaning.
It would be easy to say that we present historical stories about Kentucky, but that would miss the larger point. The reward is when a resident tells us a story. It could be collateral to our topic for the day, or it might be completely unexpected. This happened when a resident, Billie Willow, shared with us that she had a significant early country music and television career as “the Yodeling Cowgirl.” Stories in Mind was able to record Billie recounting her life stories so that her story will not be lost and that future generations can hear her story firsthand.
Billie’s family will be with us at the gala, where we will celebrate and honor Billie’s contributions to Kentucky. We have also invited two of our resident friends to attend the gala with us. Attendees at the gala will be able to meet and talk with our residents and hear firsthand what the Stories in Mind program means to them.
Please attend the gala and meet our special guests. If you would like to know how you can support this meaningful and impactful program, please reach out! Jason and I love to talk about what we do! My email is sreed@fraziermuseum.org.
Susan Reed
Engagement Specialist
Sippin’ with Stephen: Larrikin Rosewater Bourbon with Greg Keeley
The Frazier Kentucky History Museum shares stories of the people, places, and producers of the Kentucky Bourbon industry. To learn more, visit our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center or tour our Spirit of Kentucky® exhibition.
Today’s guest on Sippin’ with Stephen is Greg Keeley, founder of Larrikin Bourbon Company in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.
As a Service-Disabled Navy Combat Veteran, Greg has the unique honor of commissioned service in both the US Navy and the Royal Australian Navy, with combat roles in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the Pacific. Raised in Australia, Greg also served with the Australian Federal Police.
Larrikin offers Bourbon, rye, and cocktails in a unique setting that includes a cocktail bar, tasting room, and a walk-in cigar humidor. The name “Larrikin” comes from Australian slang for a rebellious, unconventional person, reflecting the distillery’s spirit of honoring tradition while standing apart. The expression we sample is the Larrikin Rosewater Small Batch Bourbon. Here was my findings with this expression:
A two-barrel blend proofed down with Rosewater Tea. The result is a uniquely floral 86 proof Bourbon with distinctive notes of brown sugar and black cherry, accented by subtle hints of leather. Not overly perfumed, but delicately balanced—this limited release captures the essence of our experimental spirit.
Larrikin and its next-door neighbor Wild Turkey Bourbon make a great 1-2 Bourbon visit for any Bourbon enthusiast. For more information regarding Larrikin, go to their website.
Larrikin is also a Lounge Sponsor for the 2026 Night at the Frazier gala. Tickets are limited, so get yours today!
Stephen Yates
Community & Corporate Sales Manager
Psst—you Can Keep Voting for the Frazier as Best Museum in Kentucky!
Last summer, Kentucky Living magazine readers crowned the Frazier the Best Museum in Kentucky. Now, the polls are open for the 2026 awards.
If you want us to keep that crown, you can vote for us again—and again, and again!
That’s right: You can vote once per day, per email address.
Polls are open May 1 to May 31. So please help us retain our title!
Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist
Summer Teacher Workshop to Share How to Use Tabletop Role-Playing Games to Teach Kentucky History
Teacher PD flyer.
When the Frazier education team was approached by the Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative (OVEC) with a unique idea last year, we were excited to learn more! OVEC had experience partnering with the Kentucky Department of Education’s Division of Innovation to train educators on utilizing tabletop role-playing games in the classroom and they were looking to offer the next session in a museum setting. Partnering with the Frazier Museum would allow teachers to engage with our exhibitions and resources and use them to design their own TTRPG experience tied to Kentucky history.
We are excited to announce that the two-day workshop will take place in June. We will bring in Kurt Griesemer, Manager of PK-12 Education Initiatives, at the Wisconsin Historical Society and creator of Wisconsin Adventures, as a guest presenter. His expertise—along with that of Adam Watson, OVEC consultant, founder of kyedrpg.com, and author of Tabletop Role-Playing Games in the Classroom, with Kalli Colley, Regional Innovation Specialist with the Kentucky Department of Education Division of Innovation, and Frazier staff—make this a teacher training not to be missed!
Engaging Students with Kentucky History Through Tabletop Role-Playing Games
Dates: June 11 and 12, 2026
Time: 9 a.m.–3 p.m. each day
Cost: FREE to educators.
Registration: Spaces are limited and advanced registration is required.
Due to our generous sponsors, we will be able to offer free admission to teachers, as well as a light breakfast and lunch each day. Special thanks to Lurking Fears, OVEC, and Walmart for their support.
Megan Schanie
Sr. Manager of Educational Programs
Going Bananas Over our Jackson Purchase Bourbon Program
Open the West flyer.
Frazier staff make a barrel selection at Jackson Purchase Distillery, 2026.
Oh, the things I learn on this job!
And oh, the things you’ll learn if you come to our Opening the West: Jackson Purchase Bourbon program on June 5.
It all starts with a complimentary cocktail, a Fulton County Old Fashioned.
And featured as part of that cocktail, a candied pecan garnish as well as a spritz of banana liqueur.
The former reporter in me means I’m always asking questions and I wondered about the connection to pecans and bananas with Fulton County, in far western Kentucky! An amazing connection. The town of Fulton was once known as the “Banana Capital of the World.” And yes, there’s a pecan connection, too. But you have to come to the program to learn all about it.
Of course, the real show is Master Distiller Craig Beam with Jackson Purchase Bourbon who will walk us through three expressions, including a private barrel selection from our Frazier team. Don’t forget to purchase a bottle when you buy your ticket to the program.
Our team got to talk with Craig, his wife Nichole, and other key players from Jackson Purchase for our recent barrel selection—what a treat.
One other treat, WAVE Chief Meteorologist Kevin Harned will join us for our program too, discussing how the weather in Western Kentucky is impacting the Bourbon industry.
Where else can you drink and talk about Bourbon, bananas, pecans, and weather?
Click here to purchase your ticket. We’ll see you on June 5!
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
Cool Kentucky Shop: Cardinal Dish
Cardinal dishes sold in the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky Shop.
The cardinal. It can be a divisive choice if you’re a college sports fan, but we like to think the cardinal belongs to all Kentuckians—as our proud state bird and as a fitting symbol for the newest University of Louisville graduates taking flight into the world after this weekend’s commencement celebrations. This handmade ceramic dish is the perfect little spot for rings, treasures, or keepsakes for all Kentuckians. Find it in the Cool Kentucky Shop or online.
Walden Conservatory Celebrates Fifty Years of Inspiring Young Actors
Walden Conservatory 50th anniversary graphic.
Still from a performance of The Crucible written by Arthur Miller. Walden Conservatory students sign up for semester-long courses that introduce them to Shakespeare, stagecraft, and stage combat.
Walden Conservatory alum Emma Pfitzer-Price now plays Dr. Hannah Clark on the Fox series Doc. Credit: Deborah Lopez.
What a storied history for the Walden Conservatory in Louisville. The arts are part of our Cool Kentucky exhibition, and we are happy to spotlight the good work they do. There is a special celebration in May for a very big milestone. Keep on reading to learn more.—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
The renowned theatre conservatory will celebrate on May 17 with a party featuring distinguished graduates, a musical performance, and treasures from the archives.
The three-story school building at 1123 Payne Street that is the longtime home of Walden Conservatory is buzzing with energy this month. “This birthday is a big milestone for us,” Conservatory Director Charlie Sexton says. “I’m proud that we've been able to sustain such a high level of arts education for young people in the Louisville region for half a century—through a pandemic, through recessions.” Walden was founded in 1976 by Sexton’s mother, Nancy Niles Sexton, as a place for young people from across the community to come after school to “take a deeper dive and study theatre on a different level.” Students who enroll in this after-school program receive world-class training in stagecraft, movement, voice, directing, and playwriting while being exposed to great works of Shakespeare, Arthur Miller, and Jane Austen, and becoming immersed in an inclusive, supportive community. Classes are offered for children ages six to eighteen and many students stay with the program from elementary through high school.
“We meet kids where they are,” Sexton says. “We talk to them like they’re people and we bring them up at their own speed and pace—giving them lots of room to grow.” It’s the special Walden alchemy of being respected and seen as a young person that leaves such a lasting impression on alumni like Emma Pfitzer-Price, class of 2016, who now stars as Dr. Hannah Clark on Fox’s medical drama Doc. “I was in middle school and going through a rough time when I found Walden,” says Emma, who will join Charlie for a Q-and-A during the birthday event. “It was truly life-changing for me. I found my confidence and I found my passion.”
While many Conservatory alumni are accepted into top university theatre programs and go on to careers on Broadway or in film and television, the critical life skills cultivated there—creative problem-solving, collaboration, communication, and discipline—support success in many career paths. “Our alumni are also lawyers, doctors, entrepreneurs,” Sexton says. “The skills we cultivate here translate.”
If you’d like to go: Walden’s Fiftieth Birthday Celebration will be held on Sunday, May 17, from 4 to 6 p.m., at 1123 Payne Street. It will feature a vocal performance by singer-songwriter and Walden alumna Carly Johnson, a Q-and-A with Emma Pfitzer-Price, special cocktails from Whiskey Thief, light bites from Noble Funk Brewery, and wine, beer, and non-alcoholic beverages. Suggested ticket prices are $25 for students, $50 for adults. Tickets can be purchased at stageone.org.
Christine Fellingham
Director of Advancement & Community Engagement, StageOne Family Theatre
Guest Contributor
