13 free things to do in Louisville this fall

Fall in Louisville is better than a Bob Ross painting — and you don’t have to spend a dime to experience it. From the crisp, colorful foliage to unique festivals, these 13 things are all free to do in Bourbon City.

1. Cave Hill Cemetery
Aside from being the final resting place for famous Louisvillians, including Colonel Sanders and Muhammad Ali, this Victorian-era National Cemetery is also an arboretum with over 600 tree and shrub species. Take a walk or drive around the 296-acre property daily, 8 a.m.-4:45 p.m. to view the beautiful autumn landscape.

2. Pawpaw Festival
Celebrate the state’s most tropical and mysterious fruit, a cross between a mango and a banana, at the Louisville Nature Center on Saturday, Sept. 12 with vendors, guided hikes, live music, and family fun.

3. St. James Court Art Show
Voted as the No. 2 “Best Fine Art and Design Show” in the country this year by Sunshine Artist magazine, this juried fine arts and contemporary crafts show features over 600 artists. The event — Friday, Oct. 2-Sunday, Oct. 4 — spans four-square blocks in the Old Louisville neighborhood, home to the country’s most extensive collection of Victorian-era homes. Talk about a backdrop.

4. Halloween on Hillcrest
Beginning mid-October, residents along Hillcrest Avenue go above and beyond (the grave) for Halloween, turning their homes into haunted attractions every year. The spooky tradition has made headlines and invites visitors to enter the “Halloween Street” — if they dare.

5. The Witches' Tree
Louisville lays claim to one of the scariest trees ever, and according to local lore, it was conjured up by witches in the 1800s. Gnarled and knotted, The Witches’ Tree can be found on the corner of 6th Street and Park Avenue in the Old Louisville neighborhood. Just be sure to leave behind a good luck gift when you visit to stay in the witches’ good graces.

6. Iroquois Park’s Scenic North Overlook
This vista is located at the top of Iroquois Park, Louisville’s largest Fredrick Law Olmsted-designed park, and offers panoramic views of the city popping with fall color. The overlook is accessible by foot via the paved Uppill Road, the Corbly Trail, and sandstone staircase. You can also reach the overlook by car Saturday, Sept. 12-Sunday, Sept. 13, Saturday, Oct. 10-Sunday, Oct. 11, and Saturday, Nov. 14-Sunday, Nov. 15 when the Uphill Road gate opens to vehicle access.

7. Garvin Gates Blues Festival
Celebrate the blues during one of the nation's longest-running free blues festivals in the heart of historic Old Louisville on Saturday, Oct. 9 and Sunday, Oct. 10.

8. Goatman Festival
Learn about (and maybe even meet) Louisville’s most famous cryptid, the Pope Lick Monster — aka the Goatman — during the four-day fest (Thursday, Oct. 15-Sunday, Oct. 18) at Pope Lick Park in The Parklands. Hear from expert cryptozoologists, shop from vendors, and enjoy live music and movie screenings.

9. Seelbach Hotel Historic Tour
Led by historian Larry Johnson, this walking tour travels through the 120-year history of the famous downtown hotel. No reservations are required to hear the stories about presidents, mobsters, and a wedding in “The Great Gatsby” — plus, learn about the 20th-century architecture and a fleeting resident ghost. The one-hour tours are offered Thursday-Saturday and start in the hotel lobby.

10. LouGrass
Celebrate Kentucky Bluegrass during LouGrass Sessions around the city through the end of November. Local venues, like Waterfront Botanical Gardens and Charr'd Bourbon Kitchen & Lounge, will host musicians keeping the Appalachia genre alive — check the schedule for a full list of performances.

11. Downtown Drive-In
Bring a blanket or a lawn chair to enjoy a movie on the banks of the Ohio River at Waterfront Park’s Brown-Forman Amphitheater. On select Fridays through October the Downtown CineBus will screen movies beginning at sundown, including "Moana 2," "Night at the Museum," and "The Nightmare Before Christmas."

12. Hayride in the Park
Hop on a hay bale on Sunday, Oct. 25, 2-5 p.m, and take a ride through Shawnee Park, an urban park designed by Fredrick Law Olmsted in 1892. The 285-acre park offers stunning views of fall foliage, and the event will include lawn games, the children’s Free Play experience, and food trucks.

13. Blackacre State Nature Preserve and Historic Homestead
Located about 15 miles from downtown Louisville in Jeffersontown, this 280-acre preserve and 18th-century homestead is open daily from dawn to dusk. Spend the day hiking, feeding farm animals, exploring the open-air museum featuring one of the last double-crib Appalachian-style barns in the U.S., and wander through Kentucky’s oldest two-story springhouse, a smokehouse, stone cottage, kitchen garden, and the 1844 Presley Tyler House.

For more free things to do in Louisville check out our events calendar.