‘Tis the season for all kinds of Louisville fun things. Every weekend in September is jam packed with festivals, fairs, parties, walks, charitable events. You’d need to clone yourself a couple times to make it to everything.

Probably going to be popping in pretty regularly with potential fun things but to kick off the month, here’s two that are happening down at the Waterfront this weekend, both family-friendly.

The Big Four Arts Festival
September 7 – 8

This will be the third year for The Big Four Arts Festival which takes place at the Big Four Bridge Lawn at Waterfront Park. this year’s festival will feature more than 200 artists and craft vendors alongside dozens of food trucks and booths. So if you didn’t make it to the State Fair and are still craving a corn dog or fresh squeezed lemonade, they’ve got you covered.

You can grab a beer or cocktail and shop from the vendors who will be selling everything from photography and paintings to clothing, woodcraft pieces, home goods and jewelry. Kiddos can stop by the children’s booth where they’ll have lots of activities lined up.

The festival runs from 10 am to 7 pm on Saturday and 10 am to 5 pm on Sunday. If you’re looking to get out of the house for a little bit this weekend, this is a super easy festival to attend. Parking is really easy since there are so many lots near-by and there’s tons of space so you won’t feel cramped or over-crowded.

The Venardos Circus
September 5 – 15
Brown-Forman Lawn

Okay, so if you’re a fan of The Greatest Showman, this one’s for you.

If you’ve driven down River Road this week, you might have seen the circus tent and wondered what was going on. It’s The Venardos Circus. A new traveling circus show created by former Ringling Bros. Ringmaster Kevin Venardos. The show features a cast of artists in a unique Broadway-style circus.

It’s a classic circus show updated for a new generation. Think aerialists, acrobats, juggling, comedy, dare devils and magic. Shows only seat up to 350 people, so it’s an intimate performance where you can get up close to the performers. Also, just as an FYI, there are no animals involved in the show.

It’s a relatively new group, they launched in 2014, but they’ve been traveling across the country ever since to rave reviews. The show lasts about 90 minutes, with a brief intermission. Ticket holders are invited to a pre-show party that starts an hour beforehand where they can meet the cast, play games and take pictures. General admission tickets are $25 for adults, $15 for kids (12 and under); there are also Premium (Rows 2&3) and Ringmaster VIP (front row around the stage) available for for $35 and $45, respectively. All tickets can be purchased here. Best part? You can get 20% off your tickets with code SPARKLE.

It technically at the Waterfront but it’s close enough, just down the street at the Brown-Forman lawn (1325 River Road).

Get a little look inside here…