When living in a small town like Mount Washington, it can be hard to find fun things to occupy time, but there are plenty of entertaining events happening in neighboring cities during the next few months.

Within the months of August and September, there are a variety of events occurring near Bullitt County. This ranges from festivals, solar eclipses, to football games and it’s sure to be a fun filled two months. Local, affordable and fun, these events are sure to bring a crowd.

Beginning on Thursday, August 17, ending on Sunday, August 27, Louisville is hosting the Kentucky State Fair. People from all over the state travel here to attend this fun-filled event. With an admission fee of $10, the fair is filled with entertaining activities, such as animal showings, exciting rides, delicious foods and fun games.

Taking place on August 21, a solar eclipse visible from various areas around Kentucky. A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth, covering the sun’s rays for a short period of time. There hasn’t been a total solar eclipse visible across the United States since March 1979. “The last time something like this happened, my dad was eight,” said sophomore Caleb Strobel. Though one might wish to marvel at this celestial wonder, it’s crucial to wear proper eye protection when looking at the eclipse. Never look directly at the sun as it can burn your retinas and permanently damage your vision. There will not be another occurrence of a total solar eclipse visible from the United States until April 2024. This is a rare event that one wouldn’t want to miss.

On August 26, Louisville will be hosting their annual Zombie Walk. This event never fails to attract a large crowd. Last year, the estimated total of participants involved was around 35,000 people. The Zombie Walk is a free event where participants dressed in zombie gear, walk down Bardstown Road scaring others. So called ‘zombies’ chase people around with chainsaws, stapling money to their arms, bringing their snakes and much more.

If being diverse is the goal, WorldFest is winning. Hosted on the Belvedere during Labor Day weekend, this festival will celebrate its fifteenth anniversary starting September 1. WorldFest is a colorful and inviting festival designed to bring together people of all nationalities. Celebrating the many cultures and faces of Louisville, this event is a go to for people of all ages looking for fun. Both entertaining and affordable, this event is a can’t miss. Filled with music, food, and lively people WorldFest is an unforgettable experience. This year, the SLAM group at East will be attending the festival. They will be volunteering and in return receiving money for the program.

The Gaslight Festival in Jeffersontown takes place from September 15-17. The festival’s origins date back to 1969, when it was created by the Jeffersontown Chamber of Commerce to celebrate the remodeling of the town square and to unofficially replace the Jeffersontown Community Fair. It has since grown to be one of the largest festivals in the region.
It’s best known for its Balloon Glow event, in which hot air balloons are lit up and put on display in front of festival attendees. Other activities spanning across the festival weekend include musical performances, a car show, golf, poker, youth football, the Gaslight 5k and the Gaslight Parade. With this variety of choices, the Gaslight Festival has something for all types of people with all types of interests.

On Saturday, September 30, NuLu will be hosting its well-known street festival for people of all ages to come out and enjoy. NuLu is group of people who want to revitalize the Louisville area and more importantly they want to “help retain the city’s unique Sense of Place”. With the event focused on showing what makes up Louisville, it will feature local foods, craft beer, vendors and live music presented by SonaBlast! Records. The event is held on the 600, 700 and 800 blocks of East Market Street. The festival is free and it is from 11am to 11pm.

CERT testing is back in full swing this week as underclassmen are preparing to take it Wednesday. CERT stands for College Equipped Readiness Tool, the test focuses on bringing 21st Century assessment and remediation programs to high schools and middle schools. Seniors will not be taking the CERT test.

CERT testing is a day long set of tests that include math, science, reading and english. “I think CERT testing is long and boring, but effective and helpful. The CERT test helped me with my ACT tremendously. The test also takes so long that I just want to guess, but then I pull it together and try my best,” said junior Karley Dawson. Each test is timed and the tests are multiple choice.

Off to a rough start this year, the Bullitt East football team fell to Butler 53-0 on Friday, August 18 in their home opener. The Chargers will be on the road this week as they take on Central Hardin. The Chargers have many key home games this season against tough competition and they are looking for a bounce back performance.

Senior Clay Williams plays defensive end. He believes the team needs to improve on a lot of things like keeping the energy high throughout the game and caring more about it. “Our coach said we have no heart and I agree with him. We’re going to do as best we can with the time we have to prepare for  the Central Hardin game this Friday, August 25. We’re just gonna do what we always do when preparing for a game,” said Williams. His goal for the rest of the year is to be the best he can be by the end of the season and the team’s goal is to come together and have more heart.

The Chargers have many competitive games coming up against Spencer County on September 1, South Oldham on October 6, Oldham county on October 20 and North Bullitt on October 13. Bullitt Central is coming in on September 29 to face off against the Chargers for a pink out game. “I expect to face South Oldham in the district championship and play a hard game against them but that has been our goal since the ending of last season is to beat South Oldham and be number one in the district because that’s what really counts,” said Williams.

This year’s team has many underclassmen, but they continue to work everyday to become better. “I think our football team has the talent and ability to win games, but I feel like they don’t set their goal as high as they should,” said Dawson.

As for college ball, the game of the year will be on Saturday, November 25. Kentucky and Louisville rivalry games have been and will continue to be the best and most entertaining sporting events in college sports. And the football games are no exception. This year the fans should be in for a show. Lamar Jackson will be trying to continue his reign as Heisman, while Kentucky quarterback Stephen Johnson, will continue to try to prove himself.

If one goes to watch this game they will be entertained for hours. Along with football, there is tailgating, sports viewing and indulgement of foods and snacks. No matter which side one chooses to be on, they will be in for a good time.

The time has come, homecoming is approaching. From voting, spirit week and Friday night football game, this week is not one to miss.

Starting September 25, everyone will be bringing their school spirit during spirit week. Spirit week is when one dresses up in that day’s theme, such as Throwback Thursday. After a week full of school spirited filled fun, the homecoming football game starts on Friday night. During halftime of the game, the homecoming court comes onto the field and announces who is the homecoming king and queen. Homecoming week is definitely something that one should participate in if they’re looking for a good time.

If one is interested in football, food, festivals and more fun, they are sure to find some enjoyment within these next few weeks. So get out and enjoy all of these interesting events.