Frazier Classic Auction & Raffle, Aflora Art Exhibition Opens, Magician Sidney Lee at Fall Break Camp, and More
As we say farewell to September, this week marks a milestone for us at the Frazier History Museum: Our tenth annual Owsley Brown Frazier Classic Sporting Clay Tournament is happening this Friday, September 26!
For a decade, this event has been more than a day of friendly competition in the field—it has stood as one of the museum’s major annual fundraisers, raising vital support for our mission to preserve and share Kentucky’s history and culture while honoring the legacy of our founder, Owsley Brown Frazier.
Even if you aren’t joining us at the Sporting Club at the Farm, you can still take part in the celebration! Our silent auction is now open for bidding, and we’re also offering raffle tickets for a stunning Webley & Scott 920BC Two Barrel Combo Shotgun, valued at $3,500. Both the auction and the raffle will close on Friday, September 26, with winners announced that afternoon. You need not be present to win!
Coach Denny Crum and Susan Sweeney Crum’s cabin near Yellowstone.
Webley & Scott 920BC Two Barrel Combo Shotgun.
Auction highlights include:
· A Remington Bourbon basket from Log Still Distillery
· A six-piece Damascus steel chef’s knife set with leather roll
· A once-in-a-lifetime stay at Coach Denny Crum and Susan Sweeney Crum’s cabin near Yellowstone (July 2026)
Click here to view all auction items and place your bids!
Every bid and every ticket purchased directly supports the Frazier’s work in exhibitions, education, and community programs.
Click here to purchase raffle tickets for the Webley & Scott shotgun!
Thank you for helping us carry forward Owsley Brown Frazier’s vision and for being part of our community of supporters.
In today’s Frazier Weekly, Amanda plugs our new art exhibition Aflora, Tori books magician Sidney Lee for next week’s Fall Break Camp, and Rachel recaps our program on Chippewa sports hero Joe Guyon. Plus, the Frazier and Waterfront Park are each offering outdoor walking tours this fall, and we introduce our new Facility Rental Sales Manager.
Thanks for reading!
Hayley Harlow
Sr. Manager of Fundraising
Frazier History Museum
This Week in the Museum
Curator’s Corner: Aflora Exhibition Opens with Festive Community Day
Artist Héctor Urdaneta talks to a visitor about his piece Katrina Bionic at the Aflora opening day celebration, September 13, 2025.
Visitors speak with artist Uham Janus about her piece Uhmontology at the Aflora opening day celebration, September 13, 2025.
Dancers perform during the Aflora opening day celebration, September 13, 2025.
I’d like to extend a huge thank you to the hundreds of people who attended the opening day celebration for the Latinx art exhibition Aflora, hosted in partnership with La Casita Center. It was a beautiful day, full of art, music, dancing, food, and, most importantly, community. It was truly one of the best days I have experienced in more than eight years at the Frazier. I don’t know if the museum has ever been more colorful!
If you missed the opening day celebration, don’t worry! The exhibition will be on display until next March, so you have plenty of time to come see all the beautiful artwork still on display on the second floor. There will also be an artist talk early next year: another opportunity to meet all the incredible local artists.
Thanks again to our partners for the exhibition, La Casita Center, for giving us the opportunity to have such vibrant artwork brightening up our galleries this fall and winter.
Amanda Briede
Sr. Curator of Exhibitions
Camp Frazier to Host Local Magician Sidney Lee on October 2!
2025 Fall Break Camp flyer featuring magician Sidney Lee.
Now that we are only a week out from Camp Frazier’s All Tricks, Some Treats! Fall Break 2025 camp, it is my pleasure to announce that the Frazier will host famed local magician Sidney Lee! On October 2, Sidney will do an exclusive magic performance for our campers and even teach them how to do a close-up magic trick of their own! There may even be opportunities to win some magical prizes . . . but I guess you will have to sign up here to find out! Many thanks to Sidney Lee for agreeing to come and perform for our kiddos. We are so excited!
The Frazier’s fall break camp will take place September 29–October 3. Registration will be pay-by-the-day, and camp will be geared towards kids in grades 1–5. Grab your top hat and magic wand, as we will explore all things mystical and magical (or magic-adjacent, that is!). Discover the secrets behind some of the world’s most well-known magic tricks, create your own illusions, and even learn about a famous clairvoyant born and raised right here in Kentucky! I can’t wait to meet your campers, so join in on the fun this fall break and register your campers!
Tori Kennedy
Manager of Youth & Family Programs
Thank You for Giving for Good!
We at the Frazier History Museum are thrilled to share that this year’s Give for Good Louisville was our most successful yet! Together, you helped us raise $14,480 in support of lifelong learning at the Frazier. We are deeply grateful for your generosity and for choosing the Frazier among so many wonderful organizations in our community. Your support emphasizes the importance of museums as places for connection and reflection, and furthers our mission to engage, inspire, and educate people of all ages by connecting Kentucky’s past with its present to shape the future. Thank you!
Hayley Harlow
Sr. Manager of Fundraising
Family Members and Community Celebrate Native American Sports Hero Joe Guyon
Attorney Greg King speaks during the Frazier’s Joe Guyon program, September 16, 2025.
Unveiling of a medallion on Joe Guyon’s gravestone at Rest Haven Cemetery in Louisville, September 17, 2025.
Joe Guyon’s grandson said his father was born poor on the White Earth Indian Reservation in Minnesota, and he died poor in Louisville, but was among the richest men he ever knew.
Paul Guyon made that statement at Rest Haven Cemetery where his grandfather is buried. It’s where we unveiled a medallion from the Pro Football Hall of Fame on his gravestone last week as part of a two-day celebration of the sports phenom.
Joe Guyon was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1966, as well as the College Football Hall of Fame and so many others, for his prowess on the football field—although many haven’t heard of him.
He also played baseball for the Louisville Colonels until an injury ended his sports career. He would later coach at all levels, including a stint coaching football at St. X High School.
Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory’s Andrew Soliday hands out Louisville Slugger bats engraved with Joe Guyon’s signature, September 16, 2025.
Joe Guyon trivia appears on the big screen at Slugger Field during a Louisville Bats baseball game, September 17, 2025.
About twenty of Guyon’s family members traveled from throughout the country for our program last week on Louisville’s forgotten sports hero. Attorney Greg King has done extensive research on Guyon and shared his incredible story that included ties to his best friend Jim Thorpe, Pop Warner, John Heisman, Dwight D. Eisenhower, and so many more.
Andrew Soliday presented bats to both of Guyon’s grandsons, Paul and Rich, as well as other family members: bats with their grandfather’s signature on them because of his baseball career here in Louisville.
The Louisville Bats featured Guyon trivia throughout their game last Wednesday and let Guyon’s two great-grandsons throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
It was a family reunion for the Guyons, some family meeting for the very first time and learning new things about the man named Joe.
What they all know is he didn’t talk much about his sports accolades; he was humble. He always loved working with young people as a coach and mentor and dearly loved his family. He was also one of the greatest athletes to ever be associated with Louisville.
Born and died poor, but still a very rich man.
Rachel Platt
VP of Mission
Frazier Museum and Waterfront Park each Offering Historic Walking Tours!
Our Step into History Walking Tours are back, and the first one happened last week! We only have two more dates, with limited spots available, so you better hurry to book one for either October 16 or October 23. Our Mick Sullivan leads the 75-minute tour along Main Street where history comes alive! The tours are the price of admission to the museum or free to members, but you have to sign up! And we are thrilled that even more tours are happening around our city on the weekends with Waterfront Park. Keep reading to learn more about tours with historian Rick Bell!—Rachel Platt, VP of Mission
The Frazier’s Mick Sullivan leads a Step into History Walking Tour, September 18, 2025.
Abraham Lincoln statue in Louisville’s Waterfront Park.
Step into Louisville’s past with free guided walking tours led by historian and author Rick Bell. On select dates this fall, you’ll explore the transformation of Waterfront Park from its industrial roots to the vibrant greenspace it is today.
· History Alive at Waterfront Park: Sunday Tours with Lincoln Performance. Location: Meet at the Lincoln Memorial at Waterfront Park. On Sunday, September 21, and Sunday, October 26, at 3:30 p.m., tours will include Laughing with Lincoln, a live theatrical performance by Lincoln interpreter and historian Warren Greer, offering a glimpse into the impact and humanity of the Kentucky native who served as the sixteenth president of the United States.
· Saturday Tours (No Lincoln Performance). Location: Meet at the Belle of Louisville (Blue Lot). Join Rick Bell for his signature monthly walking tour on Saturday, September 20, and Saturday, October 25, at 10 a.m.
Each tour is approximately 1.5 miles and takes place rain or shine. Comfortable walking shoes, water, and sunscreen are recommended. Tours are free, but registration is requested.
Waterfront Park
Guest Contributor
Introducing Facility Rental Sales Manager Samantha Wilcox!
Event spaces at the Frazier History Museum where you can host a holiday party!
Hi there! My name is Samantha, and I’m thrilled to be settling into the role of Facility Rental Sales Manager here at the Frazier History Museum. I am a Kentucky native and a University of Kentucky alumni (go Cats!) with a deep love of history. Growing up, I idolized the intelligent and resourceful characters in The Mummy, Indiana Jones, Romancing the Stone, and Atlantis, which led me to focus my International Studies degree on cultural anthropology, all with the dream of working in the museum world.
I’ve had my sights set on the Frazier for quite some time, and I’m beyond proud to now be a part of its incredible events team. As Facility Rental Sales Manager, I am eager to show you what our venues at the Frazier have to offer. I will be out and about exploring the local community and throughout Kentucky connecting folks to the Frazier and increasing interactions and engagement with our event spaces. If you see me at the upcoming Frazier Classic Sporting Clays Tournament, mingling at Michaelis Wedding Expos, or just exploring my new hometown, don’t be shy—say hello and ask about our event spaces!
Speaking of . . . If you’re looking to make history for your next holiday party, look no further: the Frazier has you covered! Beginning December 4, our annual Lights on Main Christmas tree exhibition will transform the museum into a festive wonderland, creating the perfect backdrop for your seasonal soirée. There’s no better way to share your festive spirit with friends, family, or colleagues in all its holiday glory!
I’m here to here to help you create the perfect holiday party—or any gathering, for that matter—from start to finish. Reach out any time at swilcox@fraziermuseum.org. I can’t wait to connect with you and help you make history with your next event!
Samantha Wilcox
Facility Rentals Sales Manager
History All Around Us
Actors Theatre of Louisville Presents FDR’s Very Happy Hour
FDR workshop at Actors Theatre of Louisville, 2025.
Back in 1908, a fresh-faced Harvard University graduate came to Kentucky. He traveled Bell and Harlan Counties on horseback, assessing titles and surveys. That young surveyor—who would go on to serve as the thirty-second president of the United States, leading the nation through the Great Depression and World War II—is the subject of a new play at Actors Theatre of Louisville: FDR’s Very Happy Hour. As a Kentucky history museum, we’re always excited to share stories of American history told here in our community. Best of all, Actors Theatre is generously offering you—Frazier Weekly subscribers—a 15% discount on tickets! Use the promo code Frazier15 at checkout.—Simon Meiners, Communications & Research Specialist
What if you could have drinks with a dead President? Mixing history and humor, cocktails and warm community, FDR’s Very Happy Hour, a new play receiving its world premiere at Actors Theatre of Louisville from October 15 to 26, invites you to meet one of America’s most fascinating and consequential leaders—in the flesh, back from the Great Beyond. (Along with some charming special guests, but I won’t spoil any surprises.)
The play’s immersive storytelling was inspired by the gatherings Franklin Delano Roosevelt hosted nearly every day at the White House, where he stirred up martinis and lively conversation to unwind during challenging times. Channeling FDR’s knack for bringing people together to laugh and connect, writer-performer Regan Linton and director M. Graham Smith have created a unique experience that builds on this tradition for our era. As strangers become friends, the play asks how the thirty-second President’s complicated legacy might illuminate our current civic health, encouraging us to stay in dialogue as citizens and neighbors.
In bringing the past to life to explore where we go from here, the spirit of FDR’s Very Happy Hour aligns beautifully with the mission of our neighbor on Main Street, sharing the Frazier History Museum’s belief in history’s power to inform and influence the future. Actors Theatre is delighted to offer Frazier Weekly subscribers as well as members 15% off tickets using the code Frazier15.
In addition to the opportunity to be among the first to see this big-hearted new play, the show provides an expansive welcome to guests, incorporating open captioning, audio description, ASL interpretation, and the design of the space for wheelchair access (FDR used a wheelchair, after all). Playwright Regan Linton—also the extraordinary performer who plays FDR—is a leading disability advocate in the theatre field, and the project prioritizes accessibility.
Actors Theatre developed this piece last spring in our Storytelling (r)Evolution Lab, and we can’t wait to share the fully produced world premiere this October, continuing our longtime commitment to launching new work into the American theatrical repertoire. We hope you’ll join us. See you at the happy hour!
Visit ActorsTheatre.org to purchase your tickets.
Amy Wegener
Literary Director, Actors Theatre of Louisville
Guest Contributor
Savoring Spirits & Sounds at Whiskey Thief Louisville
Exterior of the Whiskey Thief Distilling Company tasting room in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood.
As the starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, we’re always watching partners do new and exciting stuff. Many of us are music fans, so the music programming going on at Whiskey Thief has been tremendously exciting lately. In addition to great local and regional musicians in jazz, bluegrass, and beyond, they are soon hosting a rare Louisville appearance from one of my favorite musicians of all time, Seattle-based guitarist Bill Frisell. We’ve asked Whiskey Thief’s Amy Fox to share the details.—Mick Sullivan, Curator of Guest Experience
When we opened Whiskey Thief Distilling Company’s Louisville Tasting Room—affectionately nicknamed “the Goat”—our aim was simple: bring the farm-to-glass soul of our Franklin County distillery into the heartbeat of NuLu and pair it with a soundtrack worthy of our single-barrel Bourbon. What’s unfolded has exceeded even our own expectations.
Nestled in the vibrant NuLu neighborhood, the Louisville Tasting Room has become more than just a space to enjoy our single-barrel Bourbon. It has evolved into a hub where whiskey lovers and music fans meet, sip, and celebrate together. Guests can fill their own bottles straight from the barrel, enjoy cocktails crafted from our uncut, unfiltered Bourbon, and then settle in for a night of music that feels as bold and soulful as the whiskey itself.
Music has always been part of Whiskey Thief’s DNA, and our Louisville stage lets that shine. Our series, Whiskey Sessions, blends genres but gives jazz a special spotlight. There’s something magical about the way jazz fills the room—the improvisation, the rhythm, the energy—it all mirrors the way we think about single-barrel whiskey: nuanced, alive, and never exactly the same twice.
This October, we’re honored to welcome internationally acclaimed jazz musician Bill Frisell and his trio—Frisell, Thomas Morgan, and Rudy Royston—joined by special guest Gregory Tardy. Hosting artists of this caliber in an intimate, Bourbon-forward setting is precisely what we believed a location in Louisville could make possible: world-class artistry, up close.
Of course, October is just one highlight. Our calendar pairs rising regional acts with beloved touring musicians, and every booking is curated to complement the room, the cocktails, and the people who gather here. Whether you’re discovering a new favorite or catching a legend a few feet away, our goal is the same: let our uncut and unfiltered Bourbon take you somewhere unforgettable.
Tickets for all upcoming shows, including October’s jazz feature, are available at whiskeythief.com.
Amy Fox
Head of Operations & Experiences, Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Louisville
Guest Contributor
