[1] The good folks in Southwest Louisville are getting a jump on 4th of July festivities this year, with their Riverview Park Independence Festival this Saturday, June 30, from 3:00 p.m., until 10:00 p.m., at the Park on Greenwood Road (see map, below).
There will be food from Mike Linnig's, Ron's Hot Dogs, and Ehrlers Ice Cream. Music will be provided by Louisville’s favorite band, The Monarchs, along with appearances by 31W and Ode 2 the Gnu. Closing ceremonies will feature a fantastic Fireworks show!
The event is Sponsored by Louisville Metro Councilmen Rick Blackwell, Bob Henderson, David Yates, and Councilwoman Vicki Welch; along with the Riverport Business Association.
Riverview Park can be reached by taking the Watterson Expressway (I-264) to Dixie Highway. Then, South on Dixie (US 60/31W) to Greenwood Road. Hang a right (your author grew up in PRP) on Greenwood, and keep driving straight until you (almost) hit the Ohio River. That’s Riverview Park.
The Monarchs, best known as “Louisville’s Music Ambassadors” and a band celebrating its 52nd anniversary this year, were originally formed as The Blue Angels, and still continue to play several dozen gigs per year across the Louisville area. They’ve appeared in concert with Del Shannon, the Beach Boys, Glen Campbell, Bo Diddley and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. They made $20 for their first engagement – and split that among the entire nine-member band. They took a break in the late 60s as some of the band’s members joined the military, got “real jobs,” got married and had children. Newspaper columnist Billy Reed invited the group to get back together and reunite as the subject of a 1972 newspaper article, and the band has been back together in some form ever since.
Read more:
Other Ideas for Family Fun this Independence Day [3]
The Monarchs: Louisville's Music Royalty Sill Looking Homeward By Kevin Gibson [4]
The History of The Monarchs [5]