COVINGTON, Ky. – Whether New Year’s Eve found you resolving to get in better shape, read more books, be more creative, let go of stress, discover cool art, learn a new skill, or just get out there and expose yourself to more fun, you can get started on any and all of it in The Cov this weekend.
Of course firm resolutions aren’t for everybody, so if you resolved to not commit yourself to a single goal but rather explore what stirs your soul, The Cov has a place for you too.
Got new goals for the New Year?
- How about you put them all on a “resolution-tree?” Never heard of it? Neither had we, but it sounds pretty dang cool. New Year Resoltree happens Friday at the Kenton County Public Library where you’ll create a decorative space (aka tree) to hang up your completed goals and celebrate your big and small victories throughout the year.
- Meanwhile, if you’re into self-exploration and exposing yourself to a range of possibilities, your journey begins in Latonia. The Purdy on Purpose – Vision Board Kick Off at The Roost Latonia on Friday is not just about looking pretty, it’s also about seeking out and discovering beauty in simplicity and authenticity.
We’re not talking about a one-time, fizzle-out-by-March resolution you might have made while under peer pressure in a champagne stupor. Nope. Like the name says, this is a bona fide “kick off” of an entire series of workshops that are purposely designed to delve into things you’ve maybe always wanted to try or experience, like maybe learn how to paint a barn square or learn a new language. Plan on a series of year-long pursuits where you’ll stand side-by-side with others seeking inspiration and something new.
Some offerings will have a cost, some will not, but there will always be a craft drink involved. Friday’s event will have you utilizing nostalgic Lite Brites and sipping Purdy Punch Mocktails (which is especially good if you’re into a “dry” January).
- And then there’s the Intention Board Party on Saturday at Ninth Street Missionary Baptist. It’s for women 10 and up who are looking to pull together inspiration from magazines, stickers, and more to create their own aspirational intention/vision boards. Snacks provided.
If you’re committed to reading 52 (or choose your digit) books this year, then this is a perfect weekend to take yourself to Covington’s fabulous book shops -- Roebling Books & Coffee and Conveyor Belt Books. Or just stroll the shelves at the Kenton County Public Library for your 2024 selections.
Roebling’s first home was right here in The Cov, where store owner Richard Hunt and his team helped nurture the love of a good story so much that now there are two additional Roebling Books locations in neighboring river cities that are literally spreading the good word. (Those locations ae nice, but we’re home to the original. RoPoBoCo Classic?) Meanwhile, CityBeat magazine voted Conveyor Belt Books the “Best Indie Bookstore for Obscure Finds,” with shelves “full of eclectic and curated finds that feel hand-selected with care.”
The Kenton County Public Library turns the big 5-0 this year – this very month actually. On Jan. 21, 1974, the main library at 502 Scott St. opened its doors to the public. Library officials will start the celebration Saturday with 70s and Covington’s 50th Anniversary Bookmarks. LINK NOT WORKING??? Make one free bookmark in their Makerspace, using a variety of ’70s designs featuring images from the libraries “Faces and Places” archives. Afterwards, scour the shelves to check out your stack of 2024 reading material.
If you told yourself you’d be a calmer, more Zen-like you in 2023, Slow Flow Sundays at First Financial Bank is a good place to begin your bliss. New and seasoned yogis alike are warmly welcomed into this rejuvenating and serene experience that will surely set the tone for a peaceful week moving forward. A particularly calming perk of Slow Flow Sundays is hassle-free parking with free parking in the First Financial parking lot.
KungFood Chu’s AmerAsia has an incredible mural on the side of its building, and the movie posters inside are pretty colorful too.
So it makes sense that the renowned Asian fusion restaurant on Madison Avenue will host the Drink Wine and Cozy Paint event on Friday evening.
So if you vowed in 2024 to do something about that bad case of Van Gogh envy but you don’t have an iota of artistic skill … it doesn’t matter. Lusso Studios absolutely promises that you can be taught. “… at the end of the day,” he says, “this isn’t about painting, it’s about seeing the world in a whole new way.”
If developing a deeper appreciation for art is on your priority list for the new year, you’ll find plenty to appreciate throughout Covington’s neighborhoods and business districts.
meetNKY offers a Covington Central Business District Tour Guide, but there’s been a plethora of new art emerge throughout The Cov (in large part thanks to the City’s Quality of Place Grants). These days, public art reaches far beyond downtown to the sides of buildings and sidewalks from MainStrasse Village to Latonia. You’ll find sweeping, detailed murals – most created by local artists – as well as art in all range of forms, such as benches, statues, mosaics, and sculptures. (We’ve gotta get all this art on a map).
Another resource is on the Public Art webpage on our own website.
And don’t limit your gaze to street level. Shift your perspective upward, because you wouldn’t want to miss that big ol’ friendly alien staring down at you from the Midtown Parking Garage at 5th and Scott streets.
Tonight: The Chuck Brisbin Trio at Smoke Justis … The Missy Werner Band at Molly Malone’s Irish Pub & Restaurant.
Friday: Estrada Do Sol at Metropolitan Club … Leroy Ellington at Smoke Justis.
Saturday: The Yadas at Strasse Haus … Linus Tate at Smoke Justis.
Tonight: Exhibition X at The Carnegie … Cuentame un cuento!/Spanish Storytime at Kenton County Public Library.
Friday: Zodiac Button Making: Capricorn at Kenton County Public Library … Holly Jolly Days at Behringer-Crawford Museum … Exhibition X at The Carnegie … Feud Fridays at Frosthaus.
Saturday: Covington Farmers Market at Braxton Brewing Co. … Family Storytime at Kenton County Public Library … Holly Jolly Days at Behringer-Crawford Museum … Exhibition X at The Carnegie.
Sunday: Holly Jolly Days at Behringer-Crawford Museum … Exhibition X at The Carnegie.
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