Things to Do · Updated Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026
32 events from late October through Thanksgiving, plus a few regulars. Every listing comes from the people running it and links back to them. Plans change, so check the source before you go.
Plus the warm-up acts earlier in the week. Halloween is close enough to smell.
Tue., Oct. 20 & Thu., Oct. 22 · 7:30 p.m. (doors 7)
Starts at the Capital City Museum, 325 Ann St.
Museum director and Kentucky Deceased host Eleanor Hasken-Wagner walks you past the scenes of Frankfort’s murders, mobs and shoot-outs. They recommend 15 and up, and they mean it. Under-18s need a parent along.
Visit Frankfort →Thu., Oct. 22 · 3–6 p.m.
East Frankfort Park, 315 Hickory Dr.
Free. Kids can climb into fire trucks, snowplows and garbage trucks and meet the people who drive them. A sensory hour runs 3–4 p.m.
City of Frankfort Podcast, Ep. 41 → Visit Frankfort →Thu., Oct. 22 · 6–7 p.m.
Josephine Sculpture Park, 3355 Lawrenceburg Rd.
Free, with WalkBike Frankfort. Run, jog or stroll the park’s two miles of trails at whatever speed your knees allow. Register first.
Josephine Sculpture Park →Fri., Oct. 23 · 7 p.m.
Starts and finishes on the Old Capitol lawn, 300 W. Broadway
A costume-friendly 3K through downtown. Registration is $40 this close to race day, and there’s packet pickup on Broadway from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
YMCA of Central Kentucky →Fri., Oct. 23 & Fri., Oct. 30 · 7–8:30 p.m.
Old State Capitol, 300 W. Broadway
A low-light Kentucky Historical Society tour of feuds, the John Fallis gang and two deaths on the Senate floor. $15, or $10 for members. Register by 5 p.m. the day before. Not for small children.
Kentucky Historical Society →Fri., Oct. 23 · 7–9 p.m.
The Boathouse at River Row
Woods & Waters Land Trust screens the documentary about conservationist Aldo Leopold and his land ethic. Fitting viewing for a town built in a river bend.
Woods & Waters Land Trust →Fri., Oct. 23 · 7:30 p.m.
The Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair St.
Thirteen musicians, a five-piece horn section and, they promise, no backing tracks. The heart of rock and roll is still beating, on St. Clair Street.
Grand Theatre box office →Sat., Oct. 24 · 5–8 p.m.
Downtown, St. Clair St. and Broadway
Kids trick-or-treat at downtown businesses along Broadway from 5 to 6:30, with face painting and spooky music. The Thriller Parade heads down St. Clair and Broadway around 6:45. Practice the arm moves.
Downtown Frankfort, Inc. →Sat., Oct. 24 · time TBA
East Frankfort Park, 315 Hickory Dr.
It’s on the city parks calendar, without much else to go on yet. Check with Parks before you pack your bag.
City of Frankfort calendar →Sat., Oct. 24 · 7:30 p.m.
The Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair St.
The Michael Jackson biopic, rated PG-13, on the same night as the Thriller Parade. Somebody at the Grand planned that.
Grand Theatre box office →Sun., Oct. 25 · 4 p.m.
The Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair St.
Free and for all ages. Jim Henson’s goblin fantasy, with David Bowie as the Goblin King. Matching hair is optional.
Capital PRIDE KY on Eventbrite →The big one. Book the ghost tours now; the good ones sell out.
Tue., Oct. 27 · 6–7:30 p.m.
Josephine Sculpture Park amphitheater, 3355 Lawrenceburg Rd.
Free. Bring a poem, story or song about a family meal to close out artist Ceirra Evans’ residency and her sculpture Reunion. Register first.
Josephine Sculpture Park →Thu., Oct. 29 · 6 p.m.
The Ashbrook hotel, downtown (a Liberty Hall event)
Dinner and drinks with the author of How the West Was Lost: The Transformation of Kentucky from Daniel Boone to Henry Clay. $100 a person. Footnote fans, this is your night.
Liberty Hall Historic Site →Thu.–Sat., Oct. 29–31 · by reservation
Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace
A self-guided walk around Buffalo Trace after dark, with storytellers, a neat pour, three cocktails and some treats. 21 and up, $25. These are the last nights of the run.
Buffalo Trace Distillery →Fri., Oct. 30 · 7 p.m.
Liberty Hall Historic Site, 202 Wilkinson St.
Liberty Hall has called her “Our Beloved Ghost” for more than 200 years. Hear how the legend started and meet the real woman behind it.
The Oct. 24 tour is Sold out. Oct. 30 was still bookable when we checked on Oct. 17.
Book Oct. 30 at Liberty Hall →Fri., Oct. 30 · 7–8:30 p.m.
Old State Capitol, 300 W. Broadway
Your last chance this year to see the Old State Capitol after dark. Same tour as last Friday, same advice: register by 5 p.m. the day before.
Kentucky Historical Society →Sun., Nov. 1 · noon–3 p.m.
The Boathouse at River Row
Woods & Waters shows you how to turn Japanese honeysuckle, an invasive plant, into a wreath. Weeding, but make it decor.
Woods & Waters Land Trust events →Costumes go back in the closet. Time for a film premiere, a harvest fair and some blues.
Fri., Nov. 6 · reception 6:30 p.m., film 7:30
Kentucky History Center, 100 W. Broadway
A reception, a documentary premiere and a panel with poet Frank X Walker, sculptor Ed Hamilton and others, from KHS, Kentucky Tourism and America250KY. Register ahead.
Kentucky Historical Society →Sat., Nov. 7 · 3–7 p.m.
Farmers Market Pavilion, 203 Holmes St.
The farmers market’s first Harvest Festival: food, warm drinks, free live music and locally made gifts. Holiday shopping with snacks, which is the correct way to do it.
Franklin County Farmers Market →Sat., Nov. 7 · 7:30 p.m.
The Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair St.
Kim Wilson and the band on a Chicago blues tribute tour. He says he doesn’t use set lists, so the crowd gets to steer.
Visit Frankfort’s calendar lists Nov. 6. The Grand’s box office says Saturday, Nov. 7. We’re going with the box office.
Grand Theatre box office →Sun., Nov. 8 · 4 p.m.
The Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair St.
Free. Tim Burton’s film about one of Hollywood’s most famously low-budget directors closes out this year’s series.
Capital PRIDE KY on Eventbrite →A midweek holiday, so it gets its own spot.
Wed., Nov. 11 · time TBA
Downtown Frankfort
The city commission approved it back in March. Time and route aren’t posted yet. Last year’s parade ran 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. downtown.
The State Journal, March 24 → Visit Frankfort (2025 listing) →Wed., Nov. 11 · 11 a.m.
Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial, 365 Vernon Cooper Lane
Open to the public. Foundation board members will talk about the memorial’s meaning, design and history.
Kentucky Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation →Downtown goes straight from pumpkins to Santa. We don’t make the rules.
Thu. 5–8 p.m. · Fri. 5–9 p.m. · Sat. 3–8 p.m.
Downtown Frankfort
Downtown Frankfort, Inc.’s big one: the Christmas tree lighting, carriage rides, a petting zoo, Santa and a Pajama Sip & Shop. The full lineup is long, so bring a list and comfortable slippers.
Downtown Frankfort, Inc. →Thu., Nov. 12 · 5–9 p.m.
Old State Capitol, 300 W. Broadway
Free. Historic crafts, choirs, the tree lighting and the old capitol in its 1800s trimmings and tinsel. Very Victorian. Very photogenic.
Kentucky Historical Society →Fri., Nov. 13 · 7:30 p.m.
The Grand Theatre, 308 St. Clair St.
A Queen tribute whose frontman gets compared to Freddie Mercury a lot. You can be the judge. You’ll sing along either way.
Grand Theatre box office →Sat., Nov. 14 · 10 a.m.–noon
Josephine Sculpture Park, 3355 Lawrenceburg Rd.
Free and for all ages. Make art outdoors with Red Oaks Forest School, on the second Saturday of every month. Register first.
Just Say Yes listing → Josephine Sculpture Park →Sat., Nov. 14 · time TBA
East Frankfort Park, 315 Hickory Dr.
A C-tier tournament on the city calendar. The name suggests a dress code. Details are thin, so check before you go.
City of Frankfort calendar →The last calm weekend before Thanksgiving. Spend it wisely, or at least locally.
Sat., Nov. 21 · 8:30 a.m.–noon
Farmers Market Pavilion, 203 Holmes St.
The Saturday season runs through Nov. 21, so plan your Thanksgiving sides around it. A holiday market follows on Dec. 12.
Franklin County Farmers Market →Sat., Nov. 21 · 10 a.m.–5 p.m.
Kentucky History Center, 100 W. Broadway
A day of civics workshops where Scouts work toward history and civics badges. $15 per Scout, with one chaperone included.
Kentucky Historical Society →Sat., Nov. 21 · 1–5 p.m.
Josephine Sculpture Park, 3355 Lawrenceburg Rd.
Free to attend. Handmade gifts, live music from Keltricity, s’mores, hot chocolate and a woodcarving demo. Bring a blanket and a chair if you plan to stay a while.
Josephine Sculpture Park →One morning walk, then the long nap. More on our holidays page.
Thu., Nov. 26 · 8 a.m.
Starts at VFW Post 4075, 104 E. Second St.
The biggest yearly fundraiser for ACCESS Soup Kitchen & Men’s Shelter. With the Singing Bridge closed, the route now loops the Capitol instead. $30 ahead, $35 that morning, and walking from home counts.
RunSignup registration →The regulars. Good for when the calendar is quiet.
Fridays · 5 p.m. through Oct. 30, then 4 p.m. from Nov. 6
West Sixth Farm parking lot
Free and unguided, about an hour, usually with a Woods & Waters biologist along. No fee and no free beer, but there are prizes if you keep showing up.
Woods & Waters Land Trust →Nightly · 8 p.m., per the operator
Downtown Frankfort
A private company’s hour-long, mile-long walk past the Old State Capitol, the Old Governor’s Mansion and other downtown spots. Rain or shine, so dress for it.
US Ghost Adventures →Saturdays · 8:30 a.m.–noon, through Nov. 21
Farmers Market Pavilion, 203 Holmes St.
Local produce and goods. Online pre-order with Thursday curbside pickup runs through Nov. 19.
Franklin County Farmers Market →Everything here was checked against its source on Saturday, Oct. 17, 2026. Know of something we missed? Reply to the Thursday email and tell us. We check before we print.