COVINGTON, Ky. – This weekend offers you a cool literary reading that will serve up soup beans and cornbread while you listen to stories … a workshop that shows you how to manifest your perfect life … bingo with cats … live music and more. (Pretty sure we got your attention with “soup beans and cornbread.”)
Big narratives from small towns
If you’re not familiar with Backwoods Literary Press, you can – and should – change that on Saturday.
The Backwoods Literary Press Reading at Artmarkit is free to attend and will feature Discarded: A Rural Anthology, featuring 63 diverse artists with place-based relationships across 27 states.
Backwoods Literary Press is an independent publisher that is reclaiming, expanding, and documenting narratives about rural and small towns, and reservations; an effort that goes a long way in preventing the erasure of histories. (Plus, there’s just something about small towns that spurs big stories.)
As if good writing weren’t sustenance enough, there will be soup beans and cornbread available for your nourishment.
Be intentional about your year
With a new year comes a lot of talk about vision boards, which are a collage of images, words, and affirmations that represent things you want in life. By regularly reviewing this board, you reinforce your goals and intentions. Even science says so.
Turns out the brain’s Reticular Activating System (RAS) – which is a network of neurons – filters information based on relevance. When you visualize your goals (in this case, your vision board), you activate neural pathways and effectively trains your brain to focus on opportunities that align with your aspirations. Without those images to focus on, a lot of opportunities might go unnoticed.
If you haven’t already started on your 2025 vision board, you can on Saturday at Artmarkit’s Vision Board Workshop. You’ll be provided with supplies, instruction, and plenty of space to create a board to manifest all the great things you want in your life.
West Sixth on West 6th
West Sixth Brewing is in The Cov and there’s a Grand Opening on Saturday.
West Sixth got its start in Lexington back in 2012 and has additional locations in Louisville and Frankfort.
West Sixth Covington House is aptly located at 100 6th St., in what was once the Covington Fire House No. 1. On Saturday, West Sixth Covington Haus will give the first 100 guests a free ceramic stein. Plenty of great beer, to-go specials, and exclusive merchandise.
Bingo with cats
Happy Meow-R prices on cocktails, snuggles with kittens, and bingo in a cat lounge. Is this a great way to have a fun Friday in The Cov, or what?
Bingo Night with Rescue Cats at Purrfect Day Cat Café promises a fabulous evening of bingo, prizes, and feline cuddles. (You never know, this could well be the cat distribution system calling to you.)
If you’re not familiar with the Purrfect Day Cat Café, you should know that they have adopted out more than 4,600 cats to date. And, if you can’t have a cat but crave an occasional furry cuddle, you can mix and mingle with eligible adoptees all while enjoying a coffee or cocktail.
Backstories, explained
Executive director and veteran curator Matt Distel will moderate a gallery panel discussion at noon Saturday at The Carnegie about the content featured in “Southern Democratic,” the featured project in the 2024 FotoFocus Biennial: backstories.It’s free and open to the public.
Judging by the panel, this should be a fascinating discussion: conceptual designer, storyteller, and producer Adam Denney (a contributing author to Storytelling in Queer Appalachia); author, script consultant, and producer Robert Gipe (the trilogy of Trampoline, Weedeater, and Pop); New York-based photographer David La Spina (co-founder, ROMAN NVMERALS Press); and photographer-writer Roger May (Director of Artistic Programs for Appalshop in Whitesburg, Ky.)
And of course there is Distel himself.
Live music
Tonight: The Missy Werner Band at Molly Malones Irish Pub & Restaurant … Sonny Moorman at Smoke Justis.
Friday: Richie Terbush at Smoke Justis … Kevin Sparks Trio at Juniper’s.
Saturday: Grady Burton at Smoke Justis … Ricky Nye Inc. at Smoke Justis.
Miscellaneous
Tonight: Wine Tasting at Crafts & Vines.
Friday: Silver Sneakers Classic at Kenton County Public Library.
Saturday: Covington Farmers Market at Braxton Brewing Co. … MainStrasse Village Food & Culture Tour … Zumba Gold: Dancing to the Oldies at Kenton County Public Library … Weight Training at Kenton County Public Library.
Sunday: Yoga with Cats at Purrfect Day Cat Café.
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