SUNDAY, DEC. 15
SPOTLIGHT: PIANIST NADA MARIE LOUTFI PERFORMS FREE CONCERT
Pianist Nada Marie Loutfi will perform all 12 “Transcendental Etudes,” by Franz Liszt on Sunday, Dec. 15, 4 p.m.-5 p.m., at Clifton Center, 2117 Payne St. The concert is part of The Classical Hour, a series of free Sunday afternoon concerts hosted by Loutfi. A reception will follow. Loutfi, a native of Beirut, began her early piano training amid the unrelenting civil war and terrorism, which took her mother’s life in a mortar explosion. After seven years of playing the piano, Loutfi was admitted to the Paris Conservatory. In Paris, she was the first woman from the Middle East to take first prize in the International Piano Competition. Loutfi pursued advanced studies at Indiana University and the Banff Center for the Arts. Her performances have taken her from Europe and the Middle East to Canada, Australia and the U.S. Loutfi founded Purely Piano Inc., a Louisville nonprofit organization that sponsors recitals by piano soloists in intimate settings as well as in schools. For more information, visit www.nadaloutfi.com or call (502) 896-0315. (Clifton)
JANE AUSTEN BIRTHDAY/CHRISTMAS TEA AND LECTURE
Locust Grove, 561 Blankenbaker Lane, 2 p.m., $10 non-members. The Greater Louisville Jane Austen Society meets monthly at Historic Locust Grove for a lecture and afternoon tea. This month, Dr. Ken Keffer will present “The Art of Walking.” For more information, visit www.jasnalouisville.com. (Blankenbaker)
THURSDAY, DEC. 19
THIRD ANNUAL GIVE-A-JAM TO END HOMELESSNESS
Clifton Center Reception Hall, 2117 Payne St., 6 p.m.-10 p.m., $20 admission includes $12 food/drink vouchers; $10 for admission only. The Coalition for the Homeless’ Third Annual Give-A-Jam to End Homelessness will feature short performances by some of Louisville’s most beloved musicians and artists. In addition, Louisville chefs will provide soups and stews to be sold to raise funds for the coalition’s Rx: Housing Project, which strives to house the most vulnerable homeless persons on the streets of Louisville. Tickets are available at www.cliftoncenter.org or Carmichael’s Bookstore, 2720 Frankfort Ave. (Clifton)
FRIDAY, DEC. 27
FAT FRIDAY TROLLEY HOP
River Road and Story Avenue to Cannon’s Lane along the Frankfort Avenue corridor, 6 p.m.-10 p.m., Free. Held year-round on the final Friday of every month, this event draws thousands of people to enjoy free trolley rides to participating shops, restaurants and galleries. Many businesses host live music and entertainment, complimentary refreshments and special sales on trolley hop nights. For more information, visit www.fatfridayhop.org. (Clifton, Crescent Hill, Butchertown)
SUNDAY, DEC. 29
SPOTLIGHT: 34TH ANNUAL BOAR’S HEAD AND YULE LOG FESTIVAL
St. Paul United Methodist Church, at Bardstown Road and Douglass Boulevard, presents the 34th Annual Boar’s Head and Yule Log Festival, Dec. 29-31. The pageant celebrates the spirit of Christmas in a medieval setting with 130 elaborately costumed characters and festive music. The Chancel Choir will perform, accompanied by an organist and professional solo and brass musicians. The festival also offers an elegant candlelight dinner – including hot wassail – in the Social Hall. Admission is free, but tickets are required. Performances are Sunday, Dec. 29 and Monday, Dec. 30 at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.; and Tuesday, Dec. 31 at 6:30 p.m. Dinner tickets are $20 (dinner served Dec. 29 and 30 at 6:30 p.m.; and Dec. 31 at 5 p.m.) Call (502) 459-1595 for pageant tickets or dinner reservations. For more information, visit www.stpaulchurch.net/Boar’s-Head-Festival.html.
TUESDAY, DEC. 31
NEW YEAR’S EVE DANCE
German-American Club, 1840 Lincoln Ave., 9 p.m.-1 a.m., $20 ($18 for members), reservations required. Ring in the New Year at the German-American Club, with entertainment by the Rheingold Band. Party favors are included. A light breakfast will be served after midnight. For more information, visit www.german-americanclub.com. To make reservations, call (502) 454-9702. (Poplar Level)
LIBRARY CORNER
BESTSELLING AUTHOR SISTER HELEN PREJEAN
Main Library, 301 York St., Thursday, Dec. 5, 7 p.m., Free, but tickets are required. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Sister Helen Prejean’s book, “Dead Man Walking: An Eyewitness Account of the Death Penalty in the United States.” In 1982, Prejean became the spiritual advisor to Patrick Sonnier, a convicted killer sentenced to die in the electric chair at Louisiana’s Angola State Prison. In the months before Sonnier’s death, the Roman Catholic nun came to know the convicted man, the families of his victims, and the men whose job it was to execute him. Out of Prejean’s experiences came a No. 1 national bestseller. Now, 20 years later, the book has been re-released with a new preface by Archbishop Desmond Tutu and a new afterword by the author along with Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. To order tickets, visit www.lfpl.org or call (502) 574-1644. (Downtown)
COMPUTER BASICS
Western Branch Library, 604 S. 10th St., Friday, Dec. 6, 10:30 a.m., Free. Get hands-on practice with the very basics of computer use: the computer parts, mouse and keyboard. This class is best for those who are new to computers. Space is limited. This class and other computer-related classes repeat at other branches as well. For more information, visit www.lfpl.org, or call (502) 574-1779. (West Louisville)
NUTCRACKER STORYTIME WITH THE LOUISVILLE BALLET
Iroquois Branch Library, 601 W. Woodlawn, Thursday, Dec. 12, 6:30 p.m., Free. All ages are invited to join this special Nutcracker Family Storytime featuring a dancer from the Louisville Ballet plus Nutcracker-inspired activities. One lucky family will receive four tickets to the Louisville Ballet’s production of The Brown-Forman Nutcracker. For more information, call (502) 574-1720. (Iroquois)
HARRY POTTER CAROLING FOR TEENS
Highlands/Shelby Park Branch Library, 1250 Bardstown Road, Monday, Dec. 16, 6 p.m., Free. Learn the words to a Harry Potter version of “The 12 Days of Christmas,” then spread some Christmas cheer throughout Mid City Mall. For more information, call (502) 574-1672. (Highlands)
TEENS MAKE AND TAKE HOLIDAY GIFTS
Southwest Branch Library, 10375 Dixie Highway, Tuesday, Dec. 17, 3:30 p.m., for ages 12-19, Free. Out of holiday gift ideas? Make homemade gifts for friends and create holiday surprises. For more information, call (502) 933-0029. (Southwest)
DISCOVER eBOOKS AT THE LIBRARY
St. Matthews Branch, 3940 Grandview Ave., Friday, Dec. 20, starts at 10 a.m., Free. Get help checking out library eBooks to read on iPads, iPhones, Androids, tablet computers or Smartphones. The class is held in three separate sections: For eBooks on a Kindle, there is a session at 11 a.m.; for eBooks on eReaders, there is a session at noon. Bring your library card and password to class, plus any user names/passwords associated with your device. For more information, or help in deciding which session to attend, call Nicole at (502) 574-1638. (St. Matthews)
For information on these events, or any others at the Louisville Free Public Library’s 18 branches, visit www.lfpl.org or call (502) 574-1611.
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