Review of Abbey Road on the River in Louisville
Last year, we joined some friends and spent some time at Abbey Road on the River – the FIVE day festival geared toward helping you “rediscover your inner Beatle.” We wanted to explore and see just how kid-friendly this festival is in case parents wanted to check it out. In 2013, the dates are May 23-27th and you can see the full concert schedule here.
We arrived on the Saturday right around the time that the festival opened up. People were lined up to get in if they were visiting for the first day. I believe those that purchased tickets for multiple days were about to get in faster. You enter the festival via the Belvedere that’s between the Kentucky Center and the Galt House. It was very hot that day, crazy hot. It was very refreshing to see staff come by on a golf cart and start handing out water to those of us who were waiting.
Once in, we found a shady spot under a tree to take in some of the music. There are multiple stages and many vendors spread out for the typical festival offerings. We noticed a lot of families finding spots and claiming them so that they could hang out for a while. In front of one of the main stages (by the fountain area on the Belvedere) there were families and kids dancing and enjoying the music, kids of all ages.
We explored more and took in the sites over the Ohio and noticed all of the windows of the Galt House hotel that people decorated with Beatles themes – people really love this festival and travel miles to enjoy it. The kids wanted a snack so we purchased some french fries and such for them to share and at the top of the Belvedere, near the river, we sat under a tent at a picnic table. There was a stage under that tent that featured people of all ages singing their versions of Beatles tunes.
Our intent was to check out the festival, hang out for a while and then head to a sprayground. The weather was just too hot for us (unseasonably) so we didn’t stay as long as we wanted, but that’s not something you can control. However, there are plenty of shady spots and lots of ways to hydrate and if the weather is just right, this festival will be fantastic. There’s never a break in opportunity to hear someone performing and into the evening, even if it is hot, sitting out by the river with a cold beverage and dancing to the music is something that you and your kids will enjoy.
Stephanie