The 125th VFW National Convention will take place from July 27-Aug. 1 at the Kentucky International Convention Center in downtown Louisville.
Convention housing opened on March 18, giving attendees an extra month to register. Please note that shuttle service will not be available this year during the convention.
While the convention’s main purpose is to allow VFW delegates to vote on resolutions, attend workshops and hear from prominent speakers, it also offers a time for camaraderie. Below is just a small sampling of all that the city of Louisville has to offer for those attending this year’s convention.
Be sure to check out https://www.vfw.org/media-and-events/125th-vfw-national-convention for the latest on convention news.
Fourth Street Live!
411 S. 4th Street
Louisville, KY 40202
https://www.4thstlive.com
This entertainment and retail district near the convention center offers something for everyone. Laugh Louisville is a comedy club sure to entertain. Howl at the Moon is a dueling piano bar offering fun times. Restaurants such as Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse and Brazeiro’s will delight the tastebuds after a full day of meetings.
Kentucky Derby Museum
704 Central Avenue
Louisville, KY 40208
https://www.derbymuseum.org
Phone: (502) 637-1111
General admission includes a 30-minute walking tour of Churchill Downs racetrack and access to two floors of museum exhibits, where you can see Derby fashions over the years, watch every Derby race dating back to 1918, learn the history of African Americans in horse racing and see a replica of Churchill Downs’ famous Winner’s Circle. Also included is an 18-minute film about the Kentucky Derby, which provides a look at what it is like to be at the Derby on the venue’s most important race day. Be sure to check out the gift shop and the Derby Café.
Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory Store
800 West Main Street
Louisville, KY 40202
https://www.sluggermuseum.com
Phone: 1-877-775-8443
From items used by Babe Ruth to lifelike sculptures of some of the best to ever play, there is no shortage of history to witness in the museum gallery. Hank Aaron’s bat used to hit his 700th home run in 1973 is on display. The museum’s “Hold a Piece of History” exhibit features at least one bat from every major league baseball team. “Where Wood Meets Wonder” provides an opportunity to see how baseball’s most iconic baseball bats are made.
Muhammad Ali Center
144 N. Sixth Street
Louisville, KY 40202
https://alicenter.org
The six-story multicultural center and museum celebrates the life and legacy of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Through the museum’s exhibits, follow Ali’s journey from his Louisville childhood through the three world heavyweight titles and humanitarian efforts that made him a global icon. Take the opportunity to punch and jab in a re-creation of the Deer Lake training camp where Ali reshaped his technique to regain his title.
Belle of Louisville Steamboats
401 W. River Rd.
Louisville, KY 40202
https://www.belleoflouisville.org
Phone: (502) 574-2992
Take a step back in time aboard the Belle of Louisville, the last remaining authentic Mississippi River-style steamboat left in the world. Or see the “River City” onboard the Belle’s sister vessel, the Mary M. Miller. Either way, experience Louisville and the Ohio River in a scenic way.
Cherokee Park
45 Cochran Hill Road
Louisville, KY 40206
Phone: (502) 574-7275
Acquired in 1891, Cherokee Park is nearly 390 acres of beauty. Open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., the park features a 2.3-mile Scenic Loop, with separate lanes for vehicle traffic (one-way) and recreational users. The park provides a pastoral setting amid rolling hills, open meadows and woodlands of the Beargrass Creek valley. For vehicles on the Scenic Loop (or recreational users moving in the direction of vehicle traffic), the secret to navigating the park is to keep turning left to stay in the park or keep turning right to leave the park.