Louisville, where we introduce you to the people, places and things that make up Kentucky's largest city.

This week, we take you to two popular holiday destinations.

First, we go under Louisville to one of the largest underground caverns in the United States.

The Louisville Mega Cavern is a man made quarry that was once the city's best kept secret, but today it is one of the state's most popular tourist attractions and one of the top five holiday light displays in the whole country.

And then what do you do with a landfill near downtown overlooking the Ohio River?

Well, you create a garden oasis to connect people with nature.

Of course.

The waterfront Botanical gardens are called Louisville's loveliest holiday tradition, and it has its own interesting story.

We'll tell you about the plans for its expansion.

But first, let's go underground to lights under Louisville, a popular drive through experience with more than 900 holiday light displays.

KET Kentucky Edition takes us on a tour.

>> So Lights Under Louisville is one of the ten best Christmas light shows in the nation.

We've been ranked ten best by USA today for the past five years running.

We are probably one of the preeminent shows here in not only in the state of Kentucky, but within the region at large.

>> The Christmas Tree.

>> It's a 1.3 miles of complete drive through, and we have 6.5 million lights.

We have everything from inflatables to laser shows to disco section.

We have all types of different themes that are culturally relevant in today's age.

And then we have obviously Christmas lights.

We have everything from themes like Under the sea to patriotic, and we have what we call the Enchanted Forest.

So we create all of these themes and we create a fresh and new every single year, as well as the fact that we have, first of its kind, for any Christmas drive through this year, we have a Christmas hologram, actually, three Christmas holograms.

I think the the preeminent benefit is we can have the light show literally all day.

So we open at 9:30 a.m.

we close at 10 p.m.

Also, I think people don't realize this, but when it's raining out, you really can't see lights when it's raining out.

An outdoor show because everything gets blurry through your windows.

So?

So that's one of the benefits of just being able to kind of roll down your windows without worrying about temperature or worrying about the weather or things like that.

You know, we're here down every single day and we're kind of used to it.

But when we watch people, people are looking around and they have this incredible amount of awe and wonder of, hey, how did this come to being?

Because we're really smack dab in the center of Louisville.

And and that's very, very unique to see where you have an underground mine that's smack dab in the middle of a major metropolitan city.

So I think we're the greatest light show above ground and underground, and we continue to grow it.

We continue to experience it.

I mean, even this year we grew it 20%.

Last year we grew another 10%.

So if you see throughout the course of the 15 years of how we've grown everything, not only from different themes and different textural elements, we've continued to grow in terms of length, and we've continued to grow at half a mile since the beginning, and we put heart and soul into lights in Louisville.

And we know that it is an incredible familial experience for a lot of families.

They've they've made it a tradition.

And so we want to make sure and we want to honor that tradition with our families.

We want to make sure that that it brings families together, and it brings joy together and brings friends together.

And I think that's that's one of the things that we take with a heavy amount of heart, because we know it's wonderful privilege to do this for not only the city of Louisville, but the Commonwealth of Kentucky at large.

>> We're glad to have Charles Park back here with us in our Louisville studio now, and we saw that story from a couple of years ago.

And that was when holograms were the the brand new thing.

And so tell us more about Lights under Louisville and how it has changed every year and developed with all these new, exciting technologies.

>> Yeah.

Well, thank you for having me on again.

Kelsey.

We have really been able to explode lights under Louisville for the past several years.

I mean, we have over 7 million lights this year.

We're going to have additional brand new projections.

We have a huge LED screen that's transparent and that's going to just really knock your socks off.

It's going to have an animation.

I'm not going to tell you what the animation is.

>> You got to see it.

You got to go see it.

>> But it's going to be amazing.

>> Yeah.

>> And we had these LED transparent screens and we wanted to not only bring all these new technologies that we've employed, from lasers to transparent LED screens to holograms and things to that effect.

But we also wanted to bring the nostalgia of Christmas back as well.

So we've really tried to focus on bringing, really bringing the nostalgia of Christmas back and the miracle on 21st Street, as well as as well as really employ that with new technologies and things to that effect and really still make it fun for kids.

So there's cartoon elements, there's nostalgia, Christmas, there's just an immense amount of programing that goes involved and and just watching the trees, really, and watching characters sing to the music is just amazing.

>> And there's a sing along aspect.

>> There is a sing.

>> Along aspect and you'll be singing along with Santa.

You'll be seeing along with Christmas light bulbs and and maybe even possibly the Grinch.

>> Oh, okay.

There you go.

I hope you can see his shoes here.

So.

Okay, so lights under Louisville.

I do want to talk more about it because it really is a spectacular event.

If you haven't seen it, you drive your own car or you can ride a tram through this and it.

I'm curious how it began.

How did you all even have the idea for Lights under Louisville?

>> Well, it began about 17 years ago, so my father in law was actually with my mother in law, and they they were in California and they were trying to go to see this light show.

And they're like, well, and they were in line and it took forever for them to be in line.

And then they actually turned around and they're like, why not?

Let's do a Christmas light show.

And it really spawned back 17 years ago, and we've had the opportunity and honor to really grow in and explode it.

And and it's now become a Louisville family tradition.

And we're really, really proud of it.

We've won numerous awards from CNN to USA today to TripAdvisor and things to that effect.

And so we're really, really proud that we could have this in Louisville.

>> Yeah.

And it's only in a place like the Mega Cavern.

>> It's only in a place like the Louisville Mega Cavern.

And one of the things that people don't know is we change the show every single year.

So every year you will go to a different show.

And one of the great things about our show is that we're not weather dependent.

So if it's raining, you can't see the Christmas lights.

If it's raining outside, you come into the cavern, you'll be able to see the Christmas lights roll down your windows, be able to really enjoy the wonderful, wonderful, wonderful season of Christmas.

>> Yeah, steady 58 degrees.

All all year round.

>> Right?

Steady 58 to 64 degrees.

>> All year round.

>> Talk a little bit about what goes into this.

Like the behind the scenes of I mean this has got to take a massive amount of coordination manpower, I mean logistics, I can't even imagine.

>> Well, we've been really fortunate to build our team throughout the years, and it does take a massive amount of manpower.

We actually start kind of in July in the back, and people don't realize that we're actually starting Christmas in July, and we're going on that and and we just go throughout the season and we, we, we have a, we have a lady that restricts our Christmas light fixtures all year long.

>> Wow.

>> And that's all she does.

That is her sole job.

>> One lady.

>> One lady that does it all year long.

>> Wow.

>> And then and then we add on to that throughout the throughout the season.

But we have a wonderful team.

That team does an incredible job.

And once we establish that vision of what we want, the team goes and executes on it.

But it's it's they do a wonderful job.

>> Yeah, it's a really cool thing to see.

But the mega cavern itself is a really cool thing to see.

And for those who may not be familiar with it, this is a hundred acres underground.

And tell me a little bit about the beginning of it.

What what is it and where did it come from?

A limestone quarry.

Right?

>> Yes.

So one of the things that people don't realize about the Louisville Mega Cavern was it was actually started in 1935 as a Great Depression era project.

So it was actually started by Ralph Rogers, who founded the Louisville Crushed Stone.

And they were basically doing a room and pillar method of mining where they started to go and start actually blasting out the limestone and blasting out in kind of room and pillar method.

And we have 223 pillars that are left over from the 1930s to the 1970s.

>> Wow.

>> And all of that crushed stone that they had used was basically used for all the highways around around Louisville.

>> Wow.

>> Yeah.

>> I did not know that.

So it's a man made cavern?

>> Yes, ma'am.

>> Right there.

And so then at that point, what was it used for back back then in the 30s.

>> So it was really a man made cavern from the 1930s.

So it was being mined from the 19, from 1935 into 1970s.

>> Okay.

>> And so it lay dormant from the 1970s to the 1980s.

Our family purchased it in 1989 and then started to kind of redevelop some of the surface properties and then decided, hey, we don't know what to do.

And they they found this concept of underground warehousing.

And so they started that kind of in earnest around 1994.

And so they started underground warehousing and, and, and so we have approximately 1,000,000ft S of underground warehousing.

And we have all different types of businesses.

We actually are secure storage for sports, artifacts for local legends, as well as original original movies.

We have some art down there that's stored as well, and because we are a secure facility, a lot of people like that.

And and then we have we have everybody from people who want to do distribution as well as people who want to do some light manufacturing in terms of concrete work.

And, and so they they find that a lot that our cavern is conducive to allowing them to do their concrete work.

>> Wow.

So many different uses.

And there was a point when it was a nuclear fallout shelter, right?

>> That's the little known fact.

So, so during the Cuban Missile Crisis, it was actually designated as a nuclear fallout shelter for several thousand dignitaries.

And legend has it that Colonel Sanders was one of those privileged dignitaries.

>> Okay, so you had to be on the list.

If you were.

>> You had to be on the list.

>> Go there.

Wow.

And I have heard stories.

There's all kinds of stories about what happened down there.

But, I mean, were there it was a place where government could be set up.

Is that right?

Like city government could work out of there if, if some awful disaster happened.

>> That that is actually true.

That was part of the nuclear fallout shelter plans.

>> Yeah.

Wow.

And so is that part of it now like, is could it be used for that now?

>> I'm sure it could.

It could be, but that I, I'm probably not allowed to say.

>> Yeah, I'm not on the list.

I'm just I'm assuming.

>> I don't think I'm on the list either.

>> Okay.

So it's, it's been, it's had all these different uses.

And then when your family purchased it was the idea for it to become a tourist attraction first or what?

>> We fell into it honestly.

And the reason why we fell into it was we're actually doing underground warehousing.

And one one of the things that my father in law said is, hey, let's start doing these tram tours to get people to know about basically the Louisville Mega Cavern.

And the reason why he wanted to do that was just to have people understand that the Louisville Mega Cavern existed, and that we do warehousing, and then and then we added zip lines and we added the ropes challenge course.

And so it just started to kind of grow organically from there.

And so he's built a wonderful business in terms of that.

And then we had lights under Louisville, and it's just been an absolute it's just been absolutely fantastic for, I think, the city of Louisville.

>> Well, up next, we take you to another place that became an unexpected tourist destination for the city of Louisville, the Waterfront Botanical Gardens.

Here to talk about that.

Now, we welcome Megan Hauser.

Thank you so much for being here.

And right now, gardens A glimmer, which is their holiday light show, is underway, and we want to talk about that in a minute.

But first I say unexpected because when the Waterfront Botanical Gardens opened in 2019, they're built on a landfill.

>> It's a landfill.

Who would have thought you could take something that humans had destroyed and turn it into a garden?

>> Yeah.

What's the impact of something like that?

>> There is an enormous impact in having this beautiful green space in a very urban environment.

We're surrounded by I-71.

We've got downtown just across the way.

We are there next to the sand company, and having this green space that is accessible there in an urban area is really important for the community to be able to access that.

It enhances quality of life.

Just having that green space available.

We bring kids out, families out, nature lovers, those that are just learning about gardening.

So it's a really special place to be.

And we're on a landfill.

>> Yeah.

Who knew?

That's new.

I mean, and to think about that now is crazy because it's it's so popular now, and particularly with the holiday show gardens a glimmer.

What tell us what that how that came about and what people can expect there.

>> Yes.

So many botanical gardens across the country do offer some kind of light show in the winter.

The reason for that is they're trying to find ways to connect with their communities, even when the gardens aren't in full bloom.

The same goes for us.

We want to make sure that we continue to engage with the community.

We stay relevant.

We're offering something all seasons of the year, even though, yes, we're a garden and yes, people come to see our plants and our native collections and exotic collections.

All right, look, we can also light up the gardens and make it this beautiful holiday experience.

We like to call it Louisville's loveliest holiday tradition.

And we do hope that it becomes a holiday tradition for those families that come out and see us each year.

>> Let's talk about the gardens as a whole.

Phase one was just completed, and this is about five acres of garden, but the master plan is 23 acres.

Yes.

So what's still to come here?

>> We have a long way to go.

So botanical gardens.

It's important to know it does take time to cultivate and create these lush green spaces.

So it can be a multi-decade process.

Now, being on top of a landfill, it will take us that much longer, because construction can be a little tricky when you're building on that type of land.

So we've completed five acres with phase one.

We're getting ready to embark on construction for phase two A now.

We've been preparing for phase two A for the past year.

When I say building on a landfill is challenging, let me give you a little explanation why.

So everything that is underneath any of the structures on site, we have to make sure that that is completely solid and stable in order to build a structure on top of it.

So we go through a process called force settling or force compaction.

So we stabilize that land by very simply putting a very heavy, large mound of dirt in a precise location and giving it some time to force that compaction.

So we've been doing that the entire 2025 year.

So we have a big giant mound of dirt, which to a guest, it just looks like a grassy mound out in the field.

But it's actually serving a really important purpose.

And that mound is covering the area which will be phase two A now phase two A includes some really important and exciting features.

We have the Grazer Family Bonsai Garden, and that bonsai garden will feature five outdoor rooms that are designed around thematic interpretation of the five great elements according to Japanese philosophy.

So each room will be its own unique atmosphere.

To support the bonsai that are there, we'll have the JAG grievous bonsai house in the bonsai house we will care and maintain for our growing bonsai collection year round, because not all trees will be on display in the bonsai garden at any given time.

Alongside, we'll have the trial.

The trial is going to be a grand tree lined walkway that will, in the future, become kind of the spine of the garden.

So it's a really important element of the gardens.

And that trial guides you to the Beargrass Creek Overlook.

I like to describe the Beargrass Creek Overlook as sort of an on land pier, and it extends out beyond the gardens facing Beargrass Creek, which runs behind our property and into the natural landscape beyond.

And so it'll be a really lovely vantage point for folks to come and and enjoy and visit.

So all of those pieces are phase two, which we are incredibly excited about.

Construction begins in early 2026, and we hope to have a grand opening in early 2027.

>> So beyond phase two, there's still more to come after that.

What's ahead?

>> Yes, so there's a lot more to come after that.

As we mentioned, we have a 23 acre site.

We've developed about five of that right now.

Approximately two more will come with phase two A so there's still quite a few acres to go in the future.

As a part of the full master plan, we will eventually have a large visitor center where we'll have a cafe and a gift shop.

There will be a children's garden, so very specifically curated for kids to get out there and enjoy nature in their own way.

A large event lawn, which we look forward to being able to host weddings and banquets and corporate functions there.

And also, the final phase of the master plan is a conservatory.

And so that will really be the crown jewel of the gardens.

And we'll be able to keep plants in that conservatory that are completely different, different climates and exotic plants that wouldn't grow here in Louisville, Kentucky, but might grow in a completely different part of the country or part of the world.

And we'll be able to display those for guests to see.

So it's going to be a long process, but we invite everyone to be a part of the journey and follow along with us, keep track of where we are and check in and ask, you know, what's next, how are things going?

And we're going to do our best to keep the community engaged through this journey as well.

>> When so many more things go into the construction to make this happen on a landfill, why go through all that extra trouble instead of just doing it in a different place?

>> Sure.

You know, there are a few other gardens across the country that have taken on this challenge and it is a challenge, but it is also something that is incredibly worthy and and admirable to do, because we are truly taking a space that humans have degraded and we are very intentionally trying to reclaim that former landfill.

So our hope is that we become, you know, really a leader in brownfield reclamation that is really a part of our mission.

And our ultimate goal is, is to take that extra step.

Yes.

Could we have done this on a different piece of land somewhere else in town?

And maybe it goes faster?

Maybe it doesn't cost quite as much.

We could, but the impact here is that much greater, and it's that much more profound to offer this experience to the community.

And it's also a great learning opportunity.

We we teach a sustainability often in our youth programs and our adult education programs.

And so we've really woven that into the fabric of the organization and our mission.

>> Yeah.

Tell me more about those educational programs.

I don't know if a lot of people realize all of the work you all do outside of just a pretty garden, right?

The educational programs that you all have, field trips that come, their adult programs, all of it.

>> Yes.

So the gardens are for everyone, no matter what age you are.

So our youngest kiddos that come might, might attend Gardens of Glimmer and they get to see the lights for the first time as they're being strolled around.

When they get a little bit bigger, then they can come back for spring break camp or for some of our weeks of summer camp.

We do themed weeks each week of the summer around topics that are related, of course, to the environment, the great outdoors, but that are relevant for kiddos and very enjoyable for them.

Get a little bit older and maybe you return with your elementary or middle school, or even high school for a field trip.

So we're relevant to that age in in life and education as well.

For adults, we offer a year round series of workshops and programs.

Now those programs, yes, we are a garden.

And so we want to offer natural and horticultural related opportunities, but we take it a little bit further.

So we also offer some culinary classes.

So working with what you're growing in your garden and what can you make, or you have leftover herbs and how can you repurpose those herbs.

Maybe in some of the drinks that you're making or, or seasoning your your meals.

We also do wellness programs.

So we do yoga.

We do meditation, we do some kind of silent journaling.

So really we're trying to make sure that there is something for everyone in all phases of life.

And I will say, our volunteer program is also a tremendous way to enjoy the gardens in a completely different experience.

So some of our, our older volunteers, they like to come out and they greet guests and they get to interact with the public and share the story of the gardens on a daily basis.

And we're really grateful for that support as well.

So yes, there's something for everyone, and we are working hard to make sure that we're cultivating those relationships with our key partners in the community, whether it be a school, the universities, other businesses, other nonprofits.

We we want to be a hub for community connection.

>> Yeah.

And it's so important right now that people do get outside and connect with nature and get off the screens.

And we've all heard the health benefits of that.

You touched on to being a sort of national model.

What can other communities learn from what you all are doing at the Waterfront Botanical Garden?

>> Yeah, that's that's a great question.

So really, we're taking it to a really large scale.

You don't have to go that big to make an impact on your environment and in your community.

You know, find a space in your own backyard that you are converting to, maybe a more natural landscape.

So it won't be as pristine, perhaps not as manicured, but what are you doing to further the ecosystem in your own neighborhood and your own environment?

Gather with neighbors.

Make a community garden.

You know, how can you compost?

You know, that's one way of of reusing and recycling.

And maybe it's not cardboard or paper or aluminum, but you can reuse and repurpose your own kitchen scraps into something that will benefit your garden and benefit your community, and also keeping those items out of the landfill as well, because that's also important.

One of our displays at Gardens of Glimmer, we we repurpose different household materials into holiday decor, and it's really lovely to see all of the very creative ways that you can turn an aluminum can into an ornament for your tree, or a cardboard box that was delivered, and you can cut it out and turn it into a lantern.

You know, there are some really unique and special ways that you can repurpose and really bring that level of sustainability into your own lifestyle.

>> You can always watch and share this episode anytime.

It's streaming online at ket.org Johnny Nash InsideLouisville, and be sure to follow us on social media.

You can hear some more of those inside tips.

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We are at KET in LOU.

Thanks for spending a little time getting to know Louisville.

I hope we'll see you here next time.

Until then, make it a great week!