Seven Things to do on a Student Budget By: Avery Kleier

Fourth Street Live!, located in downtown Louisville is perfect for a night out on the town. Make sure you keep an eye out for upcoming events by checking out the official Fourth Street Live! Events page as many of them are free (Photo by Avery Kleier).

After spending a fortune on tuition, textbooks, and mealplans, you might find yourself with little to no spare change for fun activities. Being a college student and living on a budget in Louisville doesn’t have to mean being stuck inside your dorm room. Luckily for you, Louisville offers plenty of ways to get out of that four-wall room and have fun without draining your bank account. There are plenty of free events around town, and activities offered at a discounted price. 

Here is how you get the most of the city on a budget:

1. Half- Price Tuesday at the Movies

Going to the movies is always a fun thing to do when you are bored. Although the movies can sometimes get expensive, Cinemark and AMC theaters do half-price tickets all day on Tuesdays, with prices starting at just $6. 

2. Visit the Louisville Walking Bridge

Get some steps in and take a stroll over The Big Four Bridge. The bridge spans over the Ohio River into Jeffersonville, Indiana. This is a great activity to get outside and enjoy the city for free. The bridge offers some amazing skyline views of the city, especially around sunset. 

3. Explore Local Museums for Free

Louisville offers some intriguing museums that are free to Bellarmine students. All you have to do is show your student ID at these local spots: 

• The Frazier History Museum located at 829 W Main St, Louisville (even offers a year subscription to the Frazier Blog and newsletter) 

• The Speed Art Museum located at 2035 S 3rd St, Louisville 

• The Muhammad Ali Center located at 144 N 6th St, Louisville

• The Kentucky Museum of Arts and Crafts located at 715 W Main St, Louisville

4. Join the Louisville Zoo Walking Club

While students regularly get a discounted ticket priced at $25, morning people can get in for free. The Louisville Zoo hosts a walking club from 8 to 9:15 a.m. for free. All you have to do is register at the entrance and get your free walking club membership. Plus, it’s just five minutes away from Bellarmine’s campus.

5. Catch a Friday Night Louisville Bats Game

Score tickets to the Louisville Bats game at the Slugger Field for as low as $6. The Louisville Bats offer a college student discount for every Friday game. Games include a special gametime Happy Hour and live music. 

6. Local Festivals and Events around Town

Louisville hosts community events and festivals almost every weekend, whether that be local farmers markets or vintage thrift pop-ups. Keep an eye out for student ticket rates and/or free entry at major events like these:  

• Kentucky Derby Festival 

  • When: Kentucky Derby Festival events run mid-April through early May; WorldFest takes over Labor Day Weekend.

  • Where: Downtown Louisville 

  • More Info: Visit Kentucky Derby Festival

• WorldFest

  • When: WorldFest takes place over Labor Day Weekend

  • Where: Waterfront Park Belvedere 

  • More Info: WorldFest

• Kentucky State Fair

  • When: Late August annually 

  • Where: Kentucky Exposition Center

  • More Info: Visit KY State Fair 

• Bourbon & Beyond, Louder Than Life

  • When: Mid- to-late September 

  • Where: Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Expo Center

  • More Info: Visit Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life to find student discount tickets 

• Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular 

  • When: October (Halloween Season)

  • Where: Kentucky Kingdom (Jack O’ Lantern Spectacular)

  • More Info: Visit Jack O' Lantern Spectacular 

• Lights Under Louisville

  • When: November- December (Holiday Season)

  • Where:  the Louisville Mega Cavern (Lights Under Louisville)

  • More Info: Visit Lights Under Louisville

• Free Events at Fourth Street Live! 

  • When: Year- round events, concerts, and parties

  • Where: 411 S 4th St, Louisville 

  • More Info: Check the official event calendar at 4th Street Live!: Louisville Events & Dining 

7. Bellarmine Home Sporting Events

It’s time to take advantage of your perks of being a Knight. All Bellarmine students get free admission to any home sporting event just by showing a valid student ID. 

No car? No problem!

Bellarmine offers free TARC bus passes. You can easily take public transit off campus anywhere in the metro area. If you are interested in picking up one of the passes, all you have to do is request a pass from Bellarmine’s Center for Community Engagement via email (communityengagement@bellarmine.edu). 

How to Find Local Events Year-Round:

To stay up to date with upcoming weekend pop-up events around town, check out community event calendars such as GoToLouisville, do502, and Bellarmine’s Engage.

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