BOGO Beer Fest Tickets, Legacy of Explorer York, July 4 Community Day, and More
The start of summer brings so many wonderful things. My favorite things are spending time outside with family, friends, and my amazing dog, Pepper. Summer also marks the start of beer season. There’s nothing better than enjoying a cold one on a warm summer day with the aforementioned people or fur baby.
I might not be a dad, except to Pepper, but a day I love celebrating in June above any other is Father’s Day. I have an amazing father who has been there for me at every turn in my life, and it’s always fun to crack open a beer on a warm Father’s Day and celebrate him. This year for Father’s Day, spend time with your dad and give him a gift that you two can do together.
In honor of all dads (and beer-loving moms), we’re offering a buy-one-get-one-free deal on General Admission tickets to Frazier Summer Beer Fest for a limited time. Just use the discount code BEERBOGO during checkout.
This year will be bigger than ever with more beers than ever—250 beers to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary! Go to fraziermuseum.org/beer-fest to get your tickets and Frazier Summer Beer Fest shirts. Don’t miss out on an amazing event and a fantastic sale. Your dad will love it, you will love it, and you might just create a memory or two!
In today’s Frazier Weekly, Mick teases next week’s program on explorer York. Rachel previews our July 4 I Too Am a Kentuckian exhibition opening and community day—and how you can get free admission from 1 to 4 p.m. And Amanda reveals that our Davis Jewelers’ Love & Marriage exhibition has won a Kentucky History Award!
Greg Schoenbaechler
Sr. Marketing Manager
Frazier Kentucky History Museum
This Week in the Museum
Frazier and Partners to Honor Legacy of Explorer York Next Tuesday
Original clay bust, plaster cast of feet, and maquette from Ed Hamilton’s sculpture of York, on display in the Frazier Kentucky History Museum’s Lewis and Clark Experience, October 28, 2025.
The story of York is one of the most fascinating in American history. York was born enslaved to the Clark family and moved with them from Virginia to Louisville. For part of his life he accompanied the youngest Clark son, William, in his military pursuits and ultimately gained fame as he travelled with Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery. Along the way he lived a life unique to him, and one more than worthy of honor and remembrance.
Often, stories like his are missing solid sources, which makes them ideally suited for artistic interpretation. As such, York’s image is often associated with the work of the capable hands of Louisville’s own Ed Hamilton. Ed created the York statue at the Belvedere and has partnered with us to display some of the remnants of his artistic process in creating the world-renowned work of art.
We’re excited to share the story of York with a bevy of excited community partners at George Rogers Clark Park. The park is the former site of Mulberry Hill, a place York lived much of his life. We’ll be joined by Ed Hamilton, poet Frank X Walker, and historian Jim Holmberg on Tuesday, June 16, starting at 6 p.m.
Mick Sullivan
Curator of Guest Experience
Frazier to Celebrate America250 at KPA’s American Revolution Doc Screening Tonight
Flyer for American Revolution screening at KPA.
Any plans tonight?
Kentucky Performing Arts is hosting a special highlight screening from The America Revolution, the six-party, twelve-hour documentary series by Ken Burns!
Admission is free—but advanced registration is encouraged.
The excerpts will focus on “the Spirit of Service,” tracing volunteerism, civic participation, and public leadership from the nation’s founding to the present day. Following the screening, KET’s Renee Shaw will moderate a panel on the spirit of service and civic education since 1776, exploring its impact today.
The documentary screening begins at 6 p.m.
Before the screening, from 5 to 6 p.m., guests are invited to the Kentucky Center’s main lobby to explore engaging exhibits from historic and community partners. One those partners is the Frazier! My colleagues Andy and Gwendolyn and I will be there to show some artifacts and promote our America250 offerings—specifically, our upcoming exhibition I Too Am a Kentuckian.
Come say hello!
Simon Meiners
Communications & Research Specialist
Say the Words “I Too Am a Kentuckian” on July 4!
I Too Am a Kentuckian graphic.
Remember these magic words: “I too am a Kentuckian!” If you say those words on July 4 between 1 and 4 p.m. at the Frazier Kentucky History Museum, you get in free for our community day.
We know there is a lot going on to celebrate America’s 250th birthday that day, and we are adding to it with the opening of our newest exhibition, I Too Am a Kentuckian.
Those words were of course spoken by one of the most famous Kentuckians of all, President Abraham Lincoln.
The exhibition showcases the many people who have made their mark on our Commonwealth through public and military service and leadership. It also spotlights everyday people who’ve gone the extra mile to make us better.
We will have special exhibition tours at 1:30 and 2:30 p.m. and special curator availability at 2 and 3 p.m.
We’ll also have family-friendly activities from 1 to 4 p.m. in our Pursuit of Happiness exhibition.
It will be a day to celebrate and walk away proud to be a Kentuckian!
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
Curator’s Corner: Davis Jewelers’ Love & Marriage Wins a Kentucky History Award!
From left, Lucas Keown, Amanda Briede, and Nick Cook accept a Kentucky History Award at KHS in Frankfort, June 6, 2026.
This morning, I get to share some good news from the Exhibitions and Collections department: Our exhibition Davis Jewelers’ Love & Marriage was awarded a Kentucky History Award for History Projects! This marks the fifth year in a row that we have received state, regional, or national awards for our exhibitions. I am so proud of our team for consistently creating exhibitions that are educational, fun, and meaningful.
This past Saturday, Lucas, Nick, and I had the pleasure of attending the awards breakfast during Kentucky History Day at the Kentucky Historical Society in Frankfort. I always love attending the Kentucky History Awards to hear about all the incredible things historians across the Commonwealth have been working on over the past year. As a Kentucky-focused museum, it is always so special to win an award specific to Kentucky history.
Permanent exhibitions The Commonwealth: Divided we Fall and 120: Cool KY Counties are among our award-winning exhibitions. Be sure to stop by to check them out the next time you visit the Frazier! (And we think I Too Am a Kentuckian opening on July 4 is going to be pretty great, too!)
Amanda Briede
Sr. Curator of Exhibitions
Sign Up your Kiddos for Summer Camp Week 3: The Museum, The Myth, The Legend!
Credit: Sarah Jemerson.
As big fans of the strange and unusual, we present to you The Museum, The Myth, The Legend! Campers will take a deep dive into history’s greatest legends and mysteries. We will explore the myths that inspired the popular Percy Jackson series as well as some of the more “unusual” museums from around the world. A hint or two about the additional topics we’ll cover are hidden in the drawing of our scaley friend. Running June 15–19 and July 20–24, this is the perfect week for the creature-obsessed child in your life.
We have a long “history” of unique and engaging camps. Click here to see all our exciting themes this summer and to sign up for The Museum, The Myth, The Legend and more! Add a sibling in the same week and get $10 off the additional booking.
Have questions? We’d love to hear from you at education@fraziermuseum.org.
Nicole Clay and Sarah Jemerson
Education Team Members
Cool Kentucky Shop: I Just Want to Golf and Drink Bourbon
Greg Schoenbaechler shows off a box sign sold in the Frazier’s Cool Kentucky Shop.
“Hey Dad, what do you want to do today?” Help him get straight to the point with this sign that just might describe the perfect day: “I just want to golf and drink Bourbon.” It's the ideal Father’s Day gift for the dad who appreciates a good round and a good pour! Find it in the Cool Kentucky Shop.
History All Around Us
Toyota Celebrates Forty Years in Kentucky
Cabinet members, family members, and associates of the late former governor Martha Layne Collins celebrate forty years of Toyota in Kentucky, May 2026. From left, Gordon C. Duke, Diane Collins, Steve Collins (son), Mary Helen Miller, Larry Hayes, Jolene Greenwell, Tommy Greenwell, Crit Luallen, and Barbara Hadley Smith.
It was a watershed moment for Kentucky when Georgetown landed Toyota’s largest manufacturing plant globally, opening in May 1988. It is part of the legacy of Governor Martha Layne Collins, who passed away last November. Forty years after its opening, the milestone is still being celebrated and recently brought together members of her cabinet at Shelby County’s Chamber of Commerce. Collins’ former Secretary of Finance, Gordon C. Duke, is the father of our Director of Events at the Frazier, Melanie Duke. Melanie mentioned to me the gathering and I thought, that’s amazing history, so let’s share it. Here’s former Secretary of Finance Gordon C. Duke with a story about the recent gathering and celebration.—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
The Shelby County Chamber of Commerce, in partnership with the Shelby County Industrial & Development Foundation, recently hosted its annual Stakeholders Luncheon featuring keynote speaker Kerry Creech, President of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky (TMMK).
In recognition of Toyota’s recent fortieth anniversary in Kentucky, the program honored the legacy of the late Honorable Martha Layne Collins, whose leadership as Governor helped make Toyota’s investment in Kentucky possible.
Having served as Governor Collins’ Secretary of Finance, I was honored to attend this landmark celebration and hear firsthand about the continuing impact Toyota has on Kentucky’s economy and communities.
I vividly recall the meeting in 1985 that then Cabinet Secretary Larry Hayes and I had with Governor Collins on the morning after GM’s Saturn Automotive announced plans to locate its manufacturing plant in Tennessee. Upset by the loss of the Saturn project, Governor Collins made it clear that Kentucky would not lose its bid for Toyota. She announced that she would personally lead the recruitment effort and involve her entire cabinet and staff. From that day forward, that is exactly how it worked.
Much has been written about the visits to Japan and the renowned Kentucky hospitality that helped persuade Toyota’s leadership to choose Kentucky. Often forgotten is the significant opposition that emerged shortly after Toyota’s announcement. The project sparked widespread protests from several statewide organizations and interest groups, followed by lawsuits from property owners and legal challenges to the state’s incentive package.
It took months of press briefings, testimony before committees of the General Assembly, and extensive court proceedings to move the Toyota project across the finish line.
The impact Toyota continues to have on the state still brings feelings of joy and accomplishment to those of us who made the journey with her. It’s rewarding to know we helped secure one of the most significant economic development projects in the Commonwealth’s history. Governor Collins deserves tremendous credit for her vision, leadership, and determination in bringing this landmark investment to Kentucky.
Highlights of Toyota’s lasting impact on Kentucky were listed by President Creech:
10,000 team members in Kentucky
Team members reside in 80 Kentucky counties
Over $12 billion capital investment
$164 million donated to Kentucky programs
27 million vehicles and engines produced
120 Toyota suppliers located in Kentucky
It’s great to know Toyota’s investment will last another forty years!
Gordon C. Duke
Secretary of Finance (1983–87) to Governor Martha Layne Collins
Guest Contributor
