What is Open in Louisville and What is Closed
Kentucky will start re-opening in phases throughout May. This post is a sequence of events to help families see what is closed and what is open in Louisville.
Certain aspects of Kentucky’s economy have opened and from now on, there will be phased reopening.
Below is a list of what is closed and what is open in Louisville. We will continue to monitor for new information in Louisville and will update and add to this list as we can. Keep in mind that this list is generated from multiple sources and there may be a lag in updating information.
Commonwealth of Kentucky adds information to their Healthy at Work page and links to other resources pertaining to what is open and what is closed. They also have a hub page for Covid-19 related resources.
Louisville metro government page has a section for coronavirus updates. For Louisville metro residents, tracking both the state and local changes is cumbersome! We will try our best to collect the information you need about what is open in Louisville to safely get back to some sort of normal according to the guidelines provided by our officials.The CDC has recommended that people wear face masks in public and our governor has said Kentucky will follow these guidelines in order for businesses to open. Click here for CDC recommended DIY face coverings.
When you go out, practice social distancing. Don’t touch your face! Wash your hands!
Article last updated 3/10/21 at 9:00am
What is open in Louisville and What is Closed
November 18 –
KHSAA is delaying some sports for winter. Click here.
November 16 – Governor has stated that restrictions will be put in place on Wednesday if things do not change.
October 26 – Red Zone recommendations:
Starting on Mondays following Thursday updates. These are recommendations for the week following being placed in red zone that can get the county out of the red zone. These are not mandates.
July 27 – Governor to mandate bars to close and restaurants to reduce to 25% capacity inside (100% capacity outside as long as there is social distancing) starting June 28 at 5pm and running through August 11.
July 27 – Governor recommended (during 7/27 briefing) that schools delay start until during or after the 3rd week of August.
July 20 – Travel Advisory – Self-quarantine for 14 days if you visit Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, Arizona, Idaho, Texas, Florida, Nevada, Mississippi. Also, social gatherings are now limited to 10 or less again.
July 9 – The Governor MANDATED Masks be worn in public starting July 10 at 5pm. Kentucky’s response is always posted here, check back for updates. It is an executive order to last for 30 days. Enforced by local health departments and others. No mask, no service. Wear outdoors if you can’t social distance 6 feet.(For adults – exception for those medically unable to wear a mask, kids under 5 do not have to wear one.)
Consequences: Warning, fines if chronically refusing, significant consequences for businesses not complying.
These dates are GOALS
Open
- May 11 – Protocols for opening – Manufacturing, construction, vehicle and vessel dealerships, professional services (at 50% of pre-outbreak capacity), horse racing (without spectators), pet grooming and boarding, photography businesses, vehicle and vessel dealerships
- May 18 – Government offices and agencies
Opening in May
- May 20 – Retail, houses of worship, funeral homes
- If you have been cleaning closets and reorganizing drawers, Goodwill is opening May 20.
- Malls can reopen at 33% capacity. However, whether or not individual stores open is up to that store so not all stores will be open, check their websites for information about which stores are open. Hours maybe restricted.
- Mall St. Matthews
- Jefferson Mall
- Oxmoor Center Mall
- Outlet Shoppes of the Bluegrass
- Green Tree Mall – Indiana, currently open
- May 22 – Restaurants at 33% capacity to indoor, outdoor seating allowed with adequate spacing, Social gatherings of no more than 10 people (NEW DATE), travel ban lifted
- May 22- Mayor Fischer opened tennis and pickle ball courts to open as well as disc golf courses and the Louisville Metro Parks’ 5 dog parks
- May 23 – Louisville metro parks open playing fields – “no pickup games, exercise only, groups of 10 of less if six foot social distancing is followed.” Not basketball courts. Restrooms open.
- May 25 – Barbers, salons, cosmetology businesses, massage therapy, nail salons, tanning salons, tattoo parlors, acupuncturists
Open
- AS OF MARCH 10, 2021 – playgrounds at the Parklands are OPEN
- As of December 22, Louisville metro parks playgrounds are OPEN
- Movie Theaters (Village 8 opening 6/12/20), bowling alleys, and Fitness Centers
- Kentucky State Parks opening for normal operations (yes, even lodging and you can make reservations starting 5/19 but note: beaches/playground/pools remain closed. Masks required).
- AQUATICS CENTERS (with guidance, for exercise, not for summer ‘fun’ swimming). Mary T. Meagher will open but you have to reserve a spot in advance. SafeSplash, AquaTots, All About Kids are opening June 1.
- Salato Wildlife Center open, no interactive exhibits, limited capacity.
- Altitude Trampoline Park, Defy Louisville opening June 1
- MyGym opened with small classes June 1
- YMCA of Greater Louisville has a phased re-opening plan. SI locations to open 5/26, select Louisville locations on 6/1. Opening is not full capacity, has limited operations, young children cannot go. Click here for the full information about which locations, the restrictions, and their safety protocols.
- Museums, Outdoor attractions, aquariums, libraries, distilleries (with safety protocols to be provided, each place will have to make their own decisions on when to open based on the guidelines). Protocols not yet released. Louisville Zoo information is pending.
- Louisville Free Public Library offering CURBSIDE SERVICE.
- In home/smaller (10 or less children) childcare
- Louisville Slugger Museum open
- Campgrounds (public and private), Kentucky Horse Park
- Louisville Zoo is open. Guests will be asked to follow a one-way route through the Zoo. Indoor exhibits, rides, and playgrounds will remain closed. All staff will wear masks, guests age 5 and over encouraged to wear masks. Limited menus available at some outdoor food kiosks bottle refill stations available. Outdoor picnic areas have been arranged to ensure social distancing.
- Clarksville Parks Playgrounds open. Jeffersonville Parks reopening.
- Renaissance Fun Park is OPEN
- (Some) Childcare and Youth Sports (low touch and outdoors) – this includes camps if they can follow the same guidelines as childcare/sports
- Shaker Village is open (if you want a day trip)
- KMAC is open
- Waterfront Botanical Gardens – open with limited hours and capacity
- Kentucky Kingdom is open
- SWIMMING – Beaches; Swimming pools, wading pools, wave pools; Competition swimming pools and diving pools; Water slides and spray pools; and Spas, therapeutic pools, hydrotherapy pools, and whirlpools. Remember, these are guidelines on how these facilities CAN open but some of them may choose to remain closed. Check with your specific pool/sprayground of interest to see if they will open this summer. Click here for sprayground updates.
- Lake Beaches will open for swimming at lakes managed by US Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District. This includes Nolin, Barren River, Green River, Rough River.
- Muhammad Ali Center, Locust Grove, Speed Art Museum are open
Kentucky State Fair
The Kentucky State Fair will take place in 2020: August 20-30. Please click here to see the WLKY’s article on the state fair this year. There will be some changes in place to increase safety for attendees and vendors.
Parks, Hiking Trails, Outdoor Spaces & other places to visit
Most public areas are open for hiking, exercise, and fishing with the idea that everyone there will maintain social distance from people who are not in their immediate household.
In our area around Louisville in Kentucky, no playgrounds or high-contact sports areas – like basketball courts – are to be used. Tennis/disc golf have been opened at Louisville metro parks. Open sports fields can be used but only for groups of 10 or less with social distancing – no pick-up games. Southern Indiana playgrounds and sports areas are now open, not spraygrounds.
Here are some other places you might want to visit that we have not listed above
Kentucky State parks are open to hiking, golfing, and picnicking only.
OPEN
Indiana Caverns, Kentucky Down Under opens, Salato Wildlife Center, Farmer’s markets, Yew Dell Gardens, Ark Encounter, Louisville Mega Caverns, Big Splash Adventure, Holiday World Details about their changes here, Waterfront Botanical Gardens opens, Newport Aquarium phased reopening, Kentucky Kingdom, All About Kids, Muhammad Ali Center, Bernheim, Farms, U-pick click here
Spraygrounds in the area are STARTING to open but MANY remain closed. Click here for updates.
NEW July 3 – Silo Lookout opens at the Parklands
Restaurants
If you want a night off from cooking, many restaurants are open to curbside takeout, delivery, and offer family meals. Some even offer Kids Eat Free Deals
- May 22 – Restaurants at 33% capacity to indoor, outdoor seating allowed with adequate spacing
- NEW July 27 – Restaurants back to restrictions indoors to 25% capacity, outdoor is still 100% if there is social distancing.
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Healthcare
Reopening slides from Dr. Stack
Open
- Non-urgent/emergent health care services, diagnostic radiology and lab services in:
- Hospital outpatient settings;
- Health care clinics and medical offices;
- Physical therapy, chiropractic offices and optometrists;
- Dental offices (but with enhanced aerosol protections)
May 6
- Outpatient surgeries and other invasive procedures – facilities will have to meet strict guidelines.
May 13 – Phase 3
- Non-emergency surgeries and procedures – 50% of their pre-COVID-19-era patient volume.
Summer camps
On 5/6/2020 Governor Beshear said that they are looking to add basic childcare into the phase 2 opening and should be announcing that this week. He said “I would not count on summer camp in June.” Video here.
NEW June 15- If summer camps can meet the childcare regulations, and sports regulations if it’s a sports camp, summer camps can open. (from 5/19/20 briefing)
Click the image for summer camp information
Currently Not Open
-
- Schools – see information here.
- Bars – 7/28-8/11
- Professional Sporting Events – Louisville Bats canceled for the season
- Colleges to in-person classes
- Many Pools (Clarksville Cove, Jeffersonville Parks pool to remained closed for summer 2020, Charlestown Family Activities park will be closed for 2020)
- Jeffersonville Riverstage concerts canceled June 2020
- Libraries – open only for curbside. Click here for details.
- Many Spraygrounds and splashpads (potentially being treated like recreational swimming/pools). Click here for specific updates
- Playgrounds (some Indiana playgrounds are open)
- Concert and performance venues
- Events (large and small)
Thinking you need a pool or at home?
We know you are wondering what is open in Louisville! We are watching all of this closely so families can find information about getting out and supporting businesses and having fun in a safe manner.
In the meantime……
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