Don’t miss these June events in Central KY

Have an upcoming event to highlight? Send details a month in advance to cleach@herald-leader.com, or list your event at kentucky.com/events.

Between the return of WWE to Lexington, the Bluegrass Fair and local festivals, there are plenty of events to add to the calendar for June.

Here is a summary of events you don’t want to miss this month in Central Kentucky, including live performances, outdoor festivals and much more.

Heart concert

Heart, an American/Canadian rock band who has made music and performed for nearly five decades, will play in Rupp Arena on June 3. The concert starts at 8 p.m. and tickets are on sale for as low as $43.75 plus fees.

Heart formed in 1973 and two years later released their first album, Dreamboat Annie. The band has sold more than 35 million albums worldwide and produced 20 top 40 singles.

The Bluegrass Fair

The 64th annual Bluegrass Fair returns to Masterson Station Park in Lexington June 5-15. As is typical with the Lexington Lions Club-hosted fair, there will be shows, rides, attractions, carnival games, live music, fair food and many activities for fair-goers of all ages.

Three acts have appeared on national television shows like America’s Got Talent, the Today Show and the Gong Show, according to the fair’s website. The popular shows include an internationally recognized unicycle act, a stunt performance and a comedic stunt dog show.

Admission to the fair is $8 for people 7 years old or older, while children 6 and under are free. It costs $2 per ride ticket, and most rides require more than two ride tickets apiece. Attendees can purchase unlimited ride wristbands for $35 on Saturday and Sunday, and $30 for every other day.

The fair’s website says it’s the largest county fair in Kentucky. Gates open at 5 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. on weekends.

Seton Summerfest

The family-friendly Seton Summerfest will take place June 6-7 at Seton Catholic School on 1740 Summerhill Drive in Lexington. The event is a fundraiser for the school and will include games, live music, a beer tent, food trucks and more.

The event is free to attend. People can donate supplies on the event’s website.

250Lex PorchFest

To celebrate Lexington’s 250th birthday, the city will host a community-wide porch festival. The event is designed to bring the community together with low-key, intimate musical performances on front porches or lawns all over the city.

The porch festival will take place from noon to 6 p.m. on June 7 and 8. People can choose to take in musical performances in their own neighborhood or branch out to other areas of town.

The hour-long musical performances are free to attend.

Swahili Day

The fourth annual Swahili Day will take place from 4-9 p.m. June 7 at the Bluegrass Community & Technical College Newtown Campus. The event celebrates the diverse culture of Africans living in Lexington, most of whom speak Swahili.

The event will feature a market of African-owned businesses, live music and performances, cultural food vendors, activities for children and a fashion show. It is free to attend.

“Cruisin’ for a Cause” car show

Fans of classic cars will be interested in the “Cruisin’ for a Cause” car show hosted by Morning Pointe of Lexington-East. Guests of all ages are invited to come out and enjoy classic cars, live music and local food trucks.

The event will take place from noon to 2 p.m. June 7 at Morning Pointe of Lexington-East on Shoreside Drive. All proceeds from the car show will go to the Morning Pointe Foundation, which supports caregiver education and clinical scholarships.

Lavender Festival

The sixth annual Lavender festival hosted by the Kentucky Castle will take place June 12-14. With the purchase of a ticket, attendees can handpick a fresh lavender bundle from the lavender fields and learn about the various ways to use lavender in everyday life.

There will be a vendor market, live music and food trucks on the castle and farm grounds. There will also be one-hour farm enrichment activities and workshops each day at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

June 14 is family day and will include activities for kids, a scavenger hunt and surprise visits from Cinderella and Rapunzel in the castle’s grand ballroom.

People are encouraged to buy tickets to the festival ahead of time. Tickets for adults cost $30 while tickets for kids between 3 and 11 years old are $20. Kids 2 and under are free.

Tickets will be sold at the door pending festival capacity, and in-person tickets will not include all items in the welcome bag.

Spirit in the Bluegrass Music Fest

The three-day Spirit in the Bluegrass Music Fest will take place from June 12-14 at the Kentucky Horse Park. The event will feature America’s best bluegrass talent, including the Steeldrivers, Woodbox Heroes, Appalachian Road Show, The Creekers, Southern Legacy, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys and Volume 5.

It’s the third year of the music festival after the Festival of the Bluegrass was discontinued.

A variety of ticket options, such as VIP tickets, weeklong tickets and one-day tickets are on sale. VIP tickets are $300, weeklong tickets are $150 and day tickets range from $40-70 plus fees. There are reduced rates for children ages 13-17, while children 12 and under are free.

WWE Friday Night SmackDown

World Wrestling Entertainment will make its return to Rupp Arena June 13 for WWE Friday Night SmackDown. The event is expected to feature undisputed WWE champion John Cena, WWE women’s champion Tiffany Stratton, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton, LA Knight, Solo Sikoa, Nia Jax, Bianca Belair and more.

Tickets are on sale for as low as $49.90.

WWE has visited Rupp Arena several times in the past, most recently in February 2024.

It’s a Grand Night for Singing!

The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre’s annual It’s a Grand Night for Singing! is set to return with six shows across two weekends between June 13-22. There will be three shows during the June 13-15 weekend and three more shows during the June 20-22 weekend.

The popular musical revue will feature more than 100 UK Opera Theatre and community artists performing some of Broadway’s best musicals. The event previously won an Emmy for the KET broadcast of the production.

“What can you expect from Grand Night? A little of everything! From large dance numbers to heartfelt solos to a duet from Everett and Alicia Helm McCorvey,” reads the show’s website.

The shows will be held at the Singletary Center for the Arts on UK’s campus. Tickets cost $61 plus fees for adults and $15 plus fees for children 12 and under.

Winchester Beer Cheese Festival

The Winchester Beer Cheese Festival will take place in downtown Winchester from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m on June 14. The event is the world’s only festival dedicated to celebrating beer cheese, according to the festival’s website.

The event will feature music, food, crafts, shopping, children’s activities, and of course, beer cheese. There will also be a Miss Beer Cheese Festival Pageant and Beer Cheese 5K.

The event is free to attend, but purchased tickets are required to sample beer cheese.

Vintage Dad’s Day at Shaker Village

Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill will celebrate Father’s Day in style with Vintage Dad’s Day on June 14. The activities include a vintage baseball game, bourbon tasting, a pie eating contest, mustache and beard pageant, car and tractor show and heritage demonstrations and activities.

There will also be a beer tent and food trucks specializing in burgers, hot dogs and barbecue on site.

All the activities are included with admission tickets, which are $20 for people 13-61 years old, $15 for seniors 62 and older, and $10 for kids between 6-12 years old. Kids 5 and under get in free.

Wallflowers concert

Popular rock band The Wallflowers will perform at the Lexington Opera House on June 17. Tickets are on sale for as low as $67 plus fees.

The Wallflowers are led by Jakob Dylan, Bob Dylan’s son. The band has been in the music industry for 30 years and most recently released the album “Exit Wounds” in 2021.

Lexington Adult Prom

Adults 30 and older will get the opportunity to relive the glory days of prom night at Lexington’s Adult Prom. The event will be hosted by producer and DJ Mannie Fresh and will feature additional music by DJ YK and Johnny Rock.

Admission into the dance includes unlimited beer, wine and champagne, access to a photo booth and chef-curated hors d’oeuvres. There will also be a prom king and queen crowned for the best-dressed attendees.

Only 350 tickets are available, and tickets cost $120 plus fees. The event will be held from 8 p.m. to midnight, June 21 on the 15th floor of Chase Bank’s Mane on Main venue.

Eddie Griffin comedy show

Stand-up comedian Eddie Griffin will host a show at the Lexington Opera House on June 22. Griffin is known for his award-winning comedy special Dysfunktional Family from 2003 and his Showtime special, Undeniable, from 2018.

Comedy Central ranked Griffin No. 62 on the top 100 greatest stand-up comedians of all time list.

Griffin has appeared on the big screen many times in his entertainment career, most notably playing a standout role as Anton Jackson in Undercover Brother from 2002. He has appeared in more than 50 films and numerous television shows.

Tickets to Griffin’s show are on sale for as low as $52 plus fees.

Lexington Pride Festival

The Lexington Pride Festival will take place June 28, one of the final days of Pride Month. The festival is the Lexington Pride Center’s largest fundraiser and will feature live entertainment, speakers, vendors, community booths, food options and activities.

The festival will take place on Oliver Lewis Way between High Street and South Broadway. It will also feature a pride parade for the first time.

The festival will run from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and is free to attend, but a donation of $10 per attendee is suggested.