Organizers Unveil Five Day Lincoln Festival For Lexington

The city of Lexington will once again celebrate its ties to the 16^th US president and native Kentuckian Abraham Lincoln.  Organizers on Wednesday rolled out details for an extended Lincoln Days citywide celebration from November 20^th through the 24^th.  This year’s theme is Henry Clay’s influence on Abraham Lincoln. 

In addition to the usual tours of the Mary Todd Lincoln House and Ashland the Henry Clay Estate, kids activities at the Explorium, Civil War reenactors, and special guest speakers, festival goers will also get to view Lincoln’s own pocket-watch on display that Saturday only in the VisitLex visitor center inside the renovated old courthouse.

You can see the complete schedule of events for Lincoln Days at lexhistorytours.org/lexington-lincoln-day

2019 Lexington Lincoln Days

Dates: November 20-24, 2019 

Theme: Henry Clay’s influence on Abraham Lincoln

Programs/Events: 

· Wednesday, Nov. 20 @ 7:15 pm

Kentucky Theater:  $7

     -   Showing 1940 classic movie:

          “Abe Lincoln in Illinois”   

          starring Raymond Massey

· Thursday, Nov. 21 @ 6 pm

Lexington Public Library Farish Theater (downtown):  Free

     - Speakers/Presenters:

1. Witnessing History: video on Lincoln’s Kentucky youth 
2. Dr. John E. Kleber’s address on “Clay’s influence on Lincoln”

 
· Friday, Nov. 22 

Ashland (The Henry Clay Estate):  Regular tour rates apply

     - Tours dealing with Clay and Lincoln

· Saturday, Nov. 23 (10 am – 2 pm)

VisitLEX Visitor’s Center @ the renovated old courthouse:  Free

      - Activities:

1. Display of Lincoln’s pocket watch
2. Kentucky Historical Society traveling Lincoln display 
3. Downtown Lincoln related walking tour 
4. Civil War reenactors 
5. Lexington Explorium - activities for kids
6. Mary Todd Lincoln House – pose with a photographic cutout of the Lincolns wearing mid-19th century costume accessories.

                  
· Sunday, Nov. 24 

Second Presbyterian Church (commemorating his attendance on November 25, 1847)

1. Forum presentation on Lincoln’s Second Inaugural address
2. Reading of Lincoln’s Second Inaugural address during services

 
Partners:  LEX History Tours, Lexington History Museum, Kentucky Historical Society, Witnessing History, VisitLEX, Mary Todd Lincoln House, Ashland (The Henry Clay Estate), Lexington Explorium, Lexington Public Library, Kentucky Theater, and Dr. John Kleber