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Around Lexington

Free Lexington weekend ideas: November 13–15

A bird walk, a noon folk concert and a talk on Friday, free theater tickets all weekend, archery on Saturday, and a plant walk, sensory-friendly museum hours and a photo with Santa on Sunday. One more option is labeled separately: the Christmas + Gift Show is paid. Check the organizer before heading out.

By Around Lex · Facts checked · About 4 min read

Edition ending . Check the date of each idea below.

Friday: a bird walk at Raven Run at 9 am

Raven Run staff lead their free monthly bird walk on Friday, November 13 at 9 am at Raven Run Nature Sanctuary, 3885 Raven Run Way. The city recommends it for adults and children ages 10 and up, and says the routes run about 1.5 to 2 miles over easy to moderately difficult terrain. Some binoculars are available to borrow. Registration is strongly encouraged but not required.

View Second Friday Bird Walk at Raven Run (November)

Friday: a free noon folk concert at the Niles Gallery

Traditional music performer Jeff Warner plays songs rooted in 19th-century American life on Friday, November 13, from noon to 1 pm in the John Jacob Niles Gallery at UK’s Lucille Little Fine Arts Library, 160 Patterson Drive. The Appalachia in the Bluegrass series is free. Campus parking rules apply.

View Appalachia in the Bluegrass: Jeff Warner

Friday: Jeff Warner’s free talk at 3:30 pm

Warner returns to the same gallery, 160 Patterson Drive, for UK’s Longyear talk from 3:30 to 4:30 pm. It is free, and it is presented by the Division of Musicology and Ethnomusicology in UK’s School of Music.

View Jeff Warner, Longyear Speaker

Friday: free tickets for Lend Me a Soprano

Transylvania University’s theater program stages Ken Ludwig’s Lend Me a Soprano at 300 North Broadway on Friday, November 13 at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 2 pm and 7:30 pm, and Sunday at 2 pm. Tickets are free and donations are welcome. The ticket page says ticket holders who arrive later than 15 minutes before showtime risk losing admission.

View Transylvania Theater: Lend Me a Soprano

Friday: Bluegrass Book Con opens, times still TBA

Central Bank Center, 430 West Vine Street, lists Bluegrass Book Con from Friday, November 13 through Sunday, November 15, with local authors, guest attendees, giveaways and vendors. Admission is free with a ticket reserved online, but every day’s time is still marked TBA, so check the venue’s page before planning around it.

View Bluegrass Book Con

Saturday: try archery at Hisle Farm Park at 11:30 am

City Outdoor Programs staff teach archery safety and stance, then participants try a bow and arrow, on Saturday, November 14 at 11:30 am. The city lists the Hisle Farm Park archery range at 3655 Briar Hill Road; the park’s main address is 3551 Briar Hill Road. It is free, registration is required and participants must be 7 or older. Dress for the weather and bring water and snacks.

View Introduction to Archery at Hisle Farm Park

Sunday: a plant walk at the Arboretum, 10 am to noon

The Arboretum’s native plants technician leads a free guided walk through the Walk Across Kentucky collection on Sunday, November 15, starting at the Visitor Center, 500 Alumni Drive. The walk is mostly on paved paths with some mown turf and woodchip trails, and goes ahead rain or shine unless severe weather is forecast. Space is limited and an RSVP is required.

View Plant Walk Across Kentucky at The Arboretum

Sunday: free Sensory Hours at the Children’s Museum, 11 am to 1 pm

Lexington Children’s Museum, 440 West Short Street, opens outside its regular hours for a free, sensory-friendly visit with information on community resources. The museum says no pre-registration is needed. It overlaps the Arboretum walk, so choose one of the two for the morning.

View Sensory Hours at Lexington Children's Museum

Sunday: a free family photo with Santa, 1:30 to 3:30 pm

Tates Creek Branch, 3628 Walden Drive, offers a free digital family holiday photo with Santa and Creative Camera Club photographers. Families register for one scheduling block, and walk-ins are welcome first come, first served around them. The photo arrives by email after the event, with no prints.

View Free Family Holiday Photo with Santa

Outside the free list: the paid Christmas + Gift Show

The Lexington Christmas + Gift Show fills Central Bank Center, 430 West Vine Street, from 9 am to 7 pm on Friday and Saturday and 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. Admission is $10 for ages 13 and up, $8 online through November 12, and free for ages 12 and under. Parking in the High Street lot is sold separately by Central Bank Center and does not take cash.

View Lexington Christmas + Gift Show

Keep the extras and weather in mind

Free admission does not cover parking, transport, food or purchases. The bird walk, the archery session and the plant walk are outdoors, so plans may change with the weather. Read the official page linked from each event again before leaving; if the weather or crowds do not suit your group, make a different plan rather than treating this list as a reservation.

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Guide link: https://aroundlex.com/guides/lexington-weekend-november-13-15-2026

Official sources for this guide

Conditions can change after a recorded check. Recheck visitor information before leaving.

A useful starting point, not a reservation.

Check the linked official sources for opening hours, admission, restrictions, and changes. These suggestions do not imply affiliation or a measured walking route.

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