Despite the fact that this event is next weekend I don't have a ton of details on it. Since I won't be around next week to post however I'm going to just go ahead and share what I've got.

Admission to event on grounds only: $5/car for parking; walkers and bikers are free. Admission to House for the usual fee.

A new event. Presented in conjunction with Slow Food Bluegrass and affiliated farmers and chefs. Bring your own picnic or purchase "slow" foods created by area chefs. Farmers will be on hand with their bounty, and craftspeople will demonstrate "slow" skills. Learn about distilling, Kentucky's signature "slow" craft.

Locust Grove Historic Home and Slow Food Bluegrass present a day-long celebration of food, farms and families featuring heritage breeds of farm  animals, cooking demonstrations, gardening classes, music, games, a Bourbon Academy featuring Brown-Forman Master Distiller Chris Morris, and local farmers displaying their bounty.

June 22, 2008
Noon-4:30PM

This is early notice but it sounds interesting enough to tell you about now so you can mark it on your calendar. 

Zephyr Gallery presents Summer Solstice Sale

Saturday, June 21 from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm

Reductions on Fine Art Inventory
Come Browse, meet the artists, find a terrific bargain on work by your favorites. $25.-$500.

Zephyr Gallery
610 E. Market Street
Louisviile Kentucky 40202
502-585-5645,

I don't know if everyone is familiar with Etsy so let me quote their about page for a second:
 

Etsy is an online marketplace for buying & selling all things handmade.

Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers.

Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice: Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade.

Got it? I've bought everything from stationery and notebooks to earrings and bags from Etsy sellers. Normally I just type in what I'm looking for in general terms (notebooks, earrings, etc) or follow random links to find cool stuff. I didn't know until just the other day that you could search by area. Meaning you can search for crafters in your local area, say, like Louisville, Kentucky.

Such a search led me to some cool stuff.
 
paperfarrago sells really cool paper products (a deep and true love of mine) including really neat gift tags.

littleapplesauce has these wicked cool Green Lantern Returns earrings

qtips offers custom designed card sets which kick ass because they include cards, envelopes and envelope closure stickers.

HiFiDiva makes cool new stuff out of old records. She's currently got tote bags made from recycled records including Sinatra, Seger (!) and the Broadway production of Annie among others.

I've never been to Kentucky Crafted: The Market so I can't give you a first hand account of how neat or interesting it is. However I can say that more than one person whose opinion I trust has urged me to write about Kentucky Crafted: The Market and encourage people to go to it. So this is me, telling you about it and encouraging you to go.

Steve over at Louisville History and Issues is very enthusiastic about this event so I'm going to quote him: "I'm telling you folks, Kentucky Crafted is quickly becoming the hottest public event of the year in Louisville! This is THE place to sample and purchase all sorts of Kentuckyfood products, meet and greet Kentucky authors, and peruse all sorts of crafts made by people right here in Kentucky. This is the ultimate "Buy Local" event! I've already gone for two years straight, and I give this show the highest recommendation.

Now, Business First is reporting that the Southeast Tourism Society has named Crafted: The Market" as one of the top 20 events in the Southeast this winter! "Every quarter, the Atlanta-based organization selects 20 of the top events for each season and publishes them in more than 300 newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations and in 125 AAA publications, according to a news release."

Kentucky Crafted: The Market 2008
Saturday, March 8, 2008
9:00 am to 6:00 pm

Sunday, March 9, 2008
10:00 am to 5:00 pm (EST)

South Wing B
Kentucky Exposition Center
Louisville, Kentucky

$1 off admission coupon (PDF)

If you're interested in going to an event about the benefits of buying local you're probably the kind of person who is already making a concerted effort to buy local. Never mind that detail though because this sponsored by the Louisville Independent Business Alliance is a winner.

Appearances by Congressman John Yarmuth, ear X-tacy owner John Timmons and a presentation from Stacy Mitchell, author of Big Box Swindle are highlights of this Sunday afternoon event at Rainbow Blossom that also includes a panel discussion and an audience Q&A.

If you go tell Yarmuth thanks for donating his salary for me.

Why Buy Local?
Sunday January 27, 2008
3:00PM

Rainbow Blossom
3738 Lexington Rd.
Louisville, KY 40207
(502) 896-0189

A couple days ago I had a very nice meeting (hi Paul!) and then hit several shops and stores to buy provisions for holiday entertaining. Restocking adult beverages was necessary so I headed to Old Town Wine and Spirits. I had specific wines in mind but needed some help with beer. I'm not a beer drinker and wanted some advice. A very, very nice employee was there to give me all the help I needed. As I was checking out he asked if there wasn't any beer I liked at all and I said, no, I've never found one I could stomach. He said hang on, ran back to the cold beer cases, came back with a bottle and said something like "this one is on me. I really think you should try it. This is the beer that opened me up to beer." Super helpful and giving me a free bottle of beer? Fantastic. Yes, Old Town has certainly earned my repeat business.

Old Town Wine and Spirits
1529 Bardstown Road
Louisville, KY 40205
Phone : 502-451-8591