Berea Tourism

Birthday and Butterflies Celebration
2025-04-26 18:00 - 22:00 (America/New_York) | Atrus Ballew Farm, 1643 Boonesborough Rd., Richmond, KY, 40475, United States
Family and friends will gather on Saturday April 26, 2025, to celebrate the 3/4 Century+1 Birthday Recognition for Jim Embry. Feel at ease to come Saturday for as long as you can or to just drive by and say hello…or drop by Sunday anytime to say hello.
What to bring: 1) Let’s all contribute to a POTLUCK Dinner, so bring your favorite vegan or vegetarian dish and drinks… 2) Bring your favorite chairs… 3) bring musical instruments… 4) bring favorite songs or stories to tell around the fire… 5) telescopes for stargazing… 6) feel at ease to bring other friends and family members!
****No need to bring presents…but if you must: bring something to PLANT!!
Everyone interested in attending must RSVP
Activities 6-10pm ¾ Century +1 Celebration:

Ancestral Tribute
POTLUCK DINNER. Please bring primarily vegan/vegetarian dishes…but also Bring your own favorite drinks and chair
3/4 Century+1 Birthday salutes
Entertainment: drumming, music, spoken word and BLACK APPALALCHIAN STORYTELLERS: https://blackbygod.org/articles/community-and-culture/the-national-association-of-black-storytellers-announces-the-black-appalachian-storytelling-fellowship-awardees-for-2024-25/
Fireside conversations and stargazing
overnight tent camping
Sunday morning activities: breakfast, and Seed Visioning

Campfire 8-11pm
Music, food, singing, drumming. (if you attend the campfire…YES, you can bring your meat or veggie hotdogs to roast and smores)
Overnight tent camping
8pm… until Sunday: Bring your own tent for overnight camp out, enjoy the country evening air and stars in sky.
Other weekend activities:
Saturday April 26: 2pm-5pm SEED & PLANT SWAP
https://www.cumberlandseedcommons.org/events/

Seed & Plant Swap with farm products table
Garden Work Party: planting of fruit trees, pollinator plants, and more!
Hands-on art stations

Seed Workshops 2:30-5pm
Garden Work Party: You are invited to help me celebrate my birthday AND dig in the soil! We will plant fruit trees, berry bushes, and veggies; create a habitat for butterflies and other pollinators; play in the compost pile; create art projects and much more! We might even look inside the beehives! This experience of the work party is specially designed with children in mind. We will have different kinds of flower seeds and plants to get in the ground that would qualify as a Monarch Waystation and Pollinator Habitat. Each family will get a brochure that describes the Krohn Conservatory’s Butterfly Show located in Cincinnati, pollinator plant seeds and flower plants… and red worms to start your compost bin.
Sunday April 27
9am-10am Breakfast
10am-1pm SEED VISIONING

The SpongeBob Musical- Madison Southern High School
2025-04-26 19:00 - 21:00, 2025-04-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Madison Southern High School, 279 Glades Road, Berea, KY
Join us for the final show of the 2025-2026 season as the Madison Southern High School is transformed into Bikini Bottom for “The SpongeBob Musical”.
Tickets available online (bit.ly/mshsspongebob) or at the door, $5-$15.

Much Ado About Nothing
2025-04-26 20:00 - 22:00, 2025-04-27 14:00 - 16:00 | Spotlight Playhouse, 214 Richmond Road North, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Step into a world of wit, romance, and comedic chaos with William Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing,” brought to life by the Bluegrass Players. Directed by the talented Jennifer Woodruff, with the support of her husband, Edwin Tait, this production highlights their passion for bringing Shakespeare to our community theater. Set in a lively Italian villa, the play captures the clever banter of Beatrice and Benedick, the tender love story of Hero and Claudio, and the hilarity of mistaken identities and scheming plots.
Jennifer and Edwin’s dedication to the arts has made Shakespearean performances a cornerstone of our community’s cultural offerings. This rendition of “Much Ado About Nothing” showcases the humor, depth, and timeless appeal of one of the Bard’s most beloved romantic comedies. Whether you’re a seasoned Shakespeare fan or new to his works, this production promises an evening of laughter, drama, and unforgettable storytelling. Reserve your tickets now for a performance that celebrates the joy and complexity of love and friendship!
Presented by The Bluegrass Players

Spring into LearnShops!
2025-04-27
Learn a new skill with hands-on instruction from expert artist instructors all while creating a unique piece of art that you’ll treasure for a lifetime.
For inquiries, email dani@visitberea.com

Live and Interactive Butterfly Exhibit
2025-04-27 13:00 - 17:00 | The Taleless Dog Booksellers, 204 Estill St., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Live butterfly exhibit at the Taleless Dog. Take a walk through a wonderland of magical butterflies and experience these amazing and beautiful creatures up close. Tickets are $6.00 per person and can be purchased on the events page at http://www.thetalelessdog.com. All children under 6 are free but must be accompanied by a paid adult.

Growing Good Garden Workday
2025-04-27 13:00 - 19:00 | East Ridge Community Garden, 401 Estill St., Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Come help us grow fresh produce for the Berea Food Bank! Enjoy some sunshine and join our volunteer gardeners! Tools, gloves, and drinking water will be provided as available!

Bug Safari
2025-04-27 14:00 - 15:00 | Berea College Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Road, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join us for a family activity! We’ll slowly walk around the lower forest to find as many bug friends as we can find to observe with magnifying glasses and the microscope (if we can catch the bugs!)
Geared towards younger kids but all ages welcome.
Weather dependent ☀️⛅🌤️🌥️🌦️☀️

Berea College Planetarium Shows
2025-04-27 16:00, 2025-05-02 19:00, 2025-05-04 16:00 | Margaret A. Cargill (MAC) Natural Sciences and Health Building, 271 N Main St., Berea, KY, 40403
The Berea College planetarium hosts shows twice a week in our large planetarium. The shows are open to the public and held every Friday at 7PM and Sunday at 4PM. Tickets are $5 for adults and $3 for children and seniors. You can check out https://planetarium.berea.edu to view the available shows and descriptions.
Located in the Margaret A. Cargill (MAC) Natural Sciences and Health Building (34) on the 4th floor. Visitors can enter using the two doors located at the front of the building. Parking and location information is provided by the interactive campus maps.

Foundations of Furniture Making with Rob Spiece
2025-04-28 09:00 - 2025-05-03 17:00 | Pine Croft, 1865 Big Hill Rd, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
In this course, we’ll dive deeply into the techniques and fundamentals of solid wood furniture making. We’ll use all the tooling available in the modern home shop and the hand tools that have been used in woodworking forever. I don’t ascribe much to the concept of being a “hand tool woodworker” or a “power tool woodworker”. I’ll use the best option at hand to produce the finished results I’m looking for. The reality is those decisions are often made by what tooling is available to you – or sometimes the mood that strikes you. You’ll be working in a well-equipped shop, but we won’t rely on high priced equipment exclusively. There are many ways to cut a mortise – we’ll take you through the process of laying out and chopping by hand, using a plunge router, a mortiser, a drill press, and a domino. It’s my goal that when you leave this course, you can adapt what you’ve learned to your own shop. We’ll spend a lot of time on the table saw, with routers, jointers & planers, an array of hand-held power tools and then we’ll fine tune joinery at the bench with hand tools.
From Scratch
No parts will be prepped for you in this course. We’ll begin with rough sawn material and finish with a completed piece of furniture. Learning the craft of woodworking is far more than fancy tools and techniques. A deep knowledge of the material is at the core of this class. Hundreds of decisions are made throughout the initial phases of material selection and milling that have a direct impact on the finished quality of the work and you won’t miss out on any of it. You’ll start the week with a pile of rough sawn boards and end it with a piece ready for finish.
Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced
Whether you are an absolute beginner or even an advanced woodworker, you’ll leave this course with a renewed sense of ability and inspiration. For those just starting, you can learn how to safely and efficiently operate woodworking machinery and design furniture built upon traditional joinery techniques. For advanced woodworkers, a week spent with a professional furniture maker will boost your efficiency, productivity, and bag of tricks – allowing you to make a greater impact in the limited time you may have in your home shops. There will be plenty of one-on-one time in this course, and we’re happy to tailor the experience to you.
The Project
The project pictured is a Shaker-inspired riff on the hall table. While we’ll all be working on a hall table, the design is up to you. We’ll give you several options, but I’ll also encourage you to bring some of yourself to the table. We’ll discuss what makes a successful design and why, then help you to realize your own ideas. This project is an ideal piece for a thorough grounding in furniture making techniques.
All material costs and daily lunches are included in the course fee at Pine Croft.

Monday Live Team Trivia
2025-04-28 18:00 - 21:00 | Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge, 440 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Weekly on Mondays. Hosted by Questionable Activities Trivia inside Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge.
Bring a team or join on when you arrive. Free to play. Top two teams win prizes!
Doors open at 6pm.
Trivia begins at 7pm.
Cash bar + food truck available.

Appalachia 2025 Annual Community Art Show
2025-04-30 - 2025-05-01 | Berea Arts Council, 444 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
The Berea Arts Council is excited to announce a call for art for the Community Art Show: Appalachia 2025. Our annual community art show has been hosted for OVER A DECADE NOW thanks to your support!

This opportunity is open to all artists from Madison and the surrounding Appalachian counties, regardless of their background or experience. We welcome diverse artistic interpretations and encourage artists to share their unique perspectives. We invite submissions that creatively and meaningfully explore contemporary Appalachia, challenging conventional perceptions.

To submit your artwork, please follow the specific submission process outlined below. Artists can submit work in any medium or style (excluding digital or video formats), and both 2D and 3D pieces are welcome. Artists can submit up to 2 pieces. The Berea Arts Council reserves the right to make final decisions on the submissions.

Participating in our Community Art Exhibit: Appalachia 2025 provides an opportunity to showcase your art in a professional gallery setting, gain exposure, and potentially sell your work. Please ensure that all artwork complies with our gallery system requirements: 2D pieces should be framed with a wire mounted one-third down the back to keep the hook hidden, and all 2D and 3D pieces should include the artist’s name and contact information on the back or bottom of the work.

We understand that meeting these requirements can be challenging, and our staff/exhibition coordinator, Kiana Mahjub, is available to help. You can reach them at info@bereaartscouncil.org or by calling 859-985-9317 to discuss concerns. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further assistance!

https://www.bereaartscouncil.org/calls-for-art

Woodcarver Wednesday
2025-04-30 10:00 - 12:00 | Madison County Public Library, 319 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Every Wednesday, our talented woodcarvers from around the local area come together from 10:00AM – 12:00PM to demonstrate their skills at the Madison County Public Library. Watch them work, ask questions, and learn about their intricate craft!

Wine Down Wednesday
2025-04-30 17:00 - 20:00 | Historic Boone Tavern Hotel and Restaurant, 100 Main Street, Berea, KY, 40403
Every Wednesday at Boone Tavern is Wine Down Wednesday! Stop by the Frost Cafe or Boone Tavern Restaurant between 5 pm and 8 pm, for $2 off glasses and $5 off bottles of wine.
Reservations are required due to renovations at Boone Tavern at this time.

May Day in Berea's Old Town Artisan Village
2025-05-01 17:00 - 20:00 | Artisan Village, 3 Artist Circle, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
The shopkeepers of Old Town invite you to join us in celebrating May Day — a joyful spring gathering full of tradition, creativity, and community spirit!
Our doors will be open wide, welcoming neighbors and visitors alike to explore the heart of Berea’s Artisan Village. Wander through our working artist studios and locally-owned shops, where you’ll find one-of-a-kind treasures, thoughtful craftsmanship, and friendly faces behind every counter.
Highlights include: Maypole & Morris Dancing Music Open studios + shops to browse and explore Tasty eats from Becky’s Breads Old-fashioned sodas from GHS Chuck Wagon A magical Bubble Dome And a surprise activity — details coming soon!
Whether you’re a longtime local or just discovering Berea, we’d love for you to stop by, say hello, and celebrate the season with us.
Hosted by your friends at Maddox Made, Top Drawer Gallery, and Fire & Fern Glass Studio.
Come be part of the magic of May Day in Old Town — we can’t wait to welcome you.

Electric Joyride
2025-05-01 18:00 - 20:00 | Get Outside Kentucky, 204 Estill St. Suite C, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
20 miles of backroads and scenery for E-Bike riders to enjoy a group road ride experience without all the work and lycra.

Calligraphy with Bob Berger
2025-05-01 18:00 - 20:00 | Berea Arts Council, 444 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join master calligrapher Bob Berger for a three-week calligraphy workshop at the Berea Arts Council! Held on Thursday evenings (May 1, 8, and 15), this hands-on class is perfect for beginners and experienced letterers alike. Open to ages 12+, the workshop covers essential techniques, styles, and creative applications. Fee: $120 (all materials included).

Jammin’ on the Porch
2025-05-01 19:00 - 21:00 | Russel Acton Folk Center, 212 W Jefferson Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Bring your instrument and join in the jam session, or feel free to just sit and tap your toes. Father and daughter duo, Lewis and Donna Lamb host the free event from 7:00-9:00pm.

High Tunnels for Urban Agriculture
2025-05-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Berea Urban Farm
Kayla Preston of Grow Appalachia has built most of the high tunnels on the BUF and more than 100 tunnels elsewhere in eastern Kentucky. She will discuss high tunnel construction and costs, and their use in season extension and protection against severe weather.

Create T-Shirt Yarn with Shayla Roberts-Long
2025-05-03 10:00 - 12:00 | Berea Arts Council, 444 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
At this workshop, participants will learn how to make yarn from old T-shirts! Roberts-Long will take participants through every step of the process. No supplies are required for participants to bring to this workshop, although we do ask that if you have T-shirts you have been waiting to take to Goodwill, bring them with you! We should have enough T-shirts for every participant, but will be able to use them no matter what. Come learn a creative way to upcycle your T-shirts!
Although this workshop is FREE, space is limited, so pre-registration is required.

Berea Farmers Market
2025-05-03 10:00 - 13:00 | Chestnut Street Pavilion, 635 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Know Where Your Food Comes From — Shop Small and Support Local! Fresh items every Saturday🌱
Visit the market for baked goods, fresh produce, greens, eggs, cheese and meats, hand crafted items, and more!

The Berea Makerspace Spring Hammer-In, led by Jeff Farmer
2025-05-03 10:00 - 16:00 | Berea Makerspace, 116 Spring Circle Drive, Suite 3, Berea, KY, 40403
This is our second annual open blacksmithing event, and we want everyone to come check it out!
In partnership with members of the Blacksmiths of Kentucky Facebook group, and with help from our perennial blacksmith instructor Jeff Farmer, we’re hosting a Hammer In event. This is a chance for smiths of all skill levels to come out, meeting other makers, hammer some iron, and enrich the blacksmithing community of Eastern Kentucky.
-Jeff plans on leading demos during the day, and we encourage others to do the same. If you want to let us know in advance what you’d like to show off, feel free to reach out to Jess or Jeff
-Even if you don’t want to hammer, spectating is allowed and encouraged!
-Participation is free
-Young folk are encouraged to come, but we reserve the right to refuse hammer time if safety becomes a concern.
-Please fill out a liability form for any potential kids here (to be linked to later)
-Bringing a dish for our potluck lunch is highly encouraged. We’ll do our best to get a food sponsor as well.
-“Iron in the Hat” – bring something you want to raffle off, buy raffle tickets for a dollar. Winners will be drawn in the afternoon, and the proceeds will be used to help fund further blacksmithing events at the Berea Makerspace! Max of 500 raffle tickets will be distributed at $1 each.
Events like this are made possible through a grant from the Appalachian Fund, providing us the means to provide accessible training in the traditional crafts of blacksmithing and hand tool woodworking. Stuart Mullins of Blacksmiths of Kentucky Facebook group has also been a huge resource in helping us set up this event, and why we want to make sure to namedrop them here.

Growing Common Medicinal Herbs
2025-05-03 13:00 - 14:00 | Berea Urban Farm
Learn about native habitats and growing conditions for specific herbs from community herbalist Joana Amorim of Sylvatica Forest Farm. Hands-on propagation methods by seed, cloning and root division, and a tour of the BUF medicinal herb beds. Cost of the workshop is $10. Register and pay here https://www.sustainableberea.org/event-details-registration/growing-common-medicinal-herbs

Comic Book Day
2025-05-03 13:00 - 15:00 | Russel Acton Folk Center, 212 W Jefferson Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Did you know that May 3rd is Free Comic Book Day? Help us celebrate by joining us at our Comic Book Day!

Comic Book Day
Free!
Superhero Costumes Encouraged
Saturday May 3rd 1-3pm
Folk Center
Grab a photo with Batman, Super Girl and Spiderman
Enjoy our superhero craft and activity stations
Berea Parks & Recreation and Madison County Public Library

Nature Hikes at the Pinnacles
2025-05-03 13:00 - 15:30 | Berea College Forestry Outreach Center, 2047 Big Hill Road, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Want to make new friends? Worried about hiking alone until you gain your confidence? Want to learn about the local wildlife?
Then join a group hike at the Pinnacles in Berea!
Every Saturday at 10:00am this summer, FOC staff and Berea College students will be ready to hike with you! The group that attends will decide on the destination together. We can also split groups (if there is ample staffing) if there are different wants/needs of hike difficulty.
Please bring water and any medications you might need (i.e. inhaler). Dress for the weather.
*The hike will be cancelled in the case of inclement weather including thunderstorms or high winds*
Group hikes are offered year-round.
Hike times:
*May-August, 10:00am
*September-April, 1:00pm
No hikes the weekends of Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years

Break a Leg 5K Run/Walk Fundraiser
2025-05-04 09:00 - 11:00 | Berea Community Park/Trail, 1 Pirate Parkway, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Join us for the 3rd Annual Break A Leg 5K on Sunday, May 4, 2025, at 9:00am at Berea Community Park/Trail as we raise funds to support the Spotlight Acting School.
RACE FEATURES
Scenic race through Berea Community Park and the Berea City Trail on paved trail surfaces
Commemorative race T-shirts (While supplies last)
Free race photos
Awards for the Top 5 Male/Female Overall finishers
Costume contest–Prize for the Most Creative Costume!!
Finish Line Dance Contest–Show us your best dance moves as you cross the finish line. Prize for the most unique and fun dance!
Form a Social Team to expand your race experience — Prize for the largest team!
5K run/walk, 1 mile walk and virtual options
Music, food, fun and fellowship!
Our race benefits Spotlight Acting School.
Spotlight Acting School is a theatre school for children from ages 4 to 18. Our purpose is to provide a creative environment for children who want to learn about performing on stage and to foster a life-long appreciation for the arts. The classes are designed not only to expose children to the various aspects of the theatre but also to teach them how to be comfortable in front of an audience which is a valuable skill for a lifetime. Spotlight Acting School has a standing tradition and goal to turn no student away regardless of the ability to pay tuition. In addition Spotlight Acting School is dedicated to the inclusion of children with various physical and mental disabilities to share in the opportunity to participate in the performing arts. All children are taught to work together and support each other in producing each performance.
PACKET PICKUP — Our packet pickup will be on race day (Sunday, May 5th) from 8:00-9:00am at the Berea Community Park. There is no advanced day packet pickup for this race.

Monday Live Team Trivia
2025-05-05 18:00 - 21:00 | Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge, 440 Chestnut Street, Berea, KY, 40403, United States
Weekly on Mondays. Hosted by Questionable Activities. Trivia inside Rebel Rebel Studio & Lounge.
Bring a team or join on when you arrive. All ages! Free to play! Prizes for winners!
Doors open at 6pm.
Trivia begins at 7pm.
Cash bar + food truck available.
