Lexington Comic Con, Sweet 16 and more: Don’t miss these Lexington events in March
Have an upcoming event to possibly highlight? Please send details a month in advance to cleach@herald-leader.com. Or list your event at kentucky.com/events.
Springtime is nearly here, and Lexington is packed with events in March.
Here’s a summary of events you definitely don’t want to miss this month in Central Kentucky, including live performances, sporting events, outdoor festivals and much more.
Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition
Talented singers from across the U.S will compete in the Alltech Vocal Scholarship Competition March 2 at the University of Kentucky Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose Street. Vocalists will compete for more than $700,000 in scholarships and prizes and the chance to attend the University of Kentucky as part of the UK Opera Theatre program.
The competition will begin at 2 p.m., and doors open 30 minutes before. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted through the Pearse Lyons ACE Foundation.
Jim Gaffigan comedy show
Seven-time Grammy-nominated comedian Jim Gaffigan will perform March 2 at Rupp Arena. The show will start at 7 p.m., and tickets are still on sale for as low as $26.75.
Gaffigan is popular for his unique brand of observational humor. He is also a two-time New York Times best-selling author, three-time Emmy-winning top touring performer and multi-platinum-selling recording artist.
The show is a stop on Gaffigan’s Everything is Wonderful! tour.
Crave Taco Week
This weeklong, Lexington-wide event featuring tasty, discounted tacos will return March 3-9. More than 19 restaurants in Lexington will participate in this year’s Crave Taco Week. A trio of tacos costs $7.50.
People are encouraged to download the Taco Week app on their phone. If you check in to five or more restaurants, you’ll be eligible to win a catering Party Pack from Condado Tacos.
Lexington Comic & Toy Convention
The annual Lexington Comic Con will return to the Central Bank Center March 6-9. The four-day event will feature a costume contest, state board game championships, meet and greet opportunities with celebrities and a VIP party with DJ Marvel, The Toxhards and Six Bomb Boards.
A variety of tickets, from single-day admission to multi-day passes, are on sale. A four-day VIP ticket costs $124.99, while single-day tickets range from $19.99-54.99.
Kentucky Crafted Market
The Kentucky Arts Council will host the Kentucky Crafted Market March 8 and 9 at Alltech Arena Kentucky Horse Park. The festival will feature visual and craft artists from more than 100 artists, live music, local food vendors, publishers and art activities for the kids.
Admission is free, but parking costs $10.
“The Kentucky Crafted Market is the premier event of the Kentucky Arts Council’s calendar,” Chris Cathers, executive director of the Kentucky Arts Council, said in a press release. “It’s an opportunity for our Crafted artists to showcase and sell their work and for the public to experience the distinct styles and rich offerings of local artisans.”
Professional Bull Riders — Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
The PBR’s Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour will stop at Rupp Arena March 7-8. Single-day tickets are on sale for as low as $18.50, while a pass for both days is on sale for as low as $64.80.
The Velocity Tour is the sport’s fastest-growing tour, featuring a mix of rising stars and experienced riders. This will be the eighth straight year the Velocity Tour has stopped in Central Kentucky. The tour last visited Lexington in January 2024.
The Power of Singing: Poetry and Music
The Lexington Chamber Chorale will host an “extraordinary evening where music and poetry unite” March 9 at Second Presbyterian Church, 460 E. Main Street. The show will feature Kentucky Poet Laureate George Ella Lyon and 2022 Emmy Award-winning hip-hop artist Devine Carama as a special guest.
General admission tickets are $25, while children 12 and under get in free. Tickets will be available at the door or online at the Lexington Chamber Chorale’s website.
Postseason basketball
Rupp Arena will be home to three straight weeks of postseason basketball starting March 12 with the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Girls’ High School Basketball Sweet 16.
Then, on March 20 and 22, Rupp Arena will welcome college basketball fans from around the country for first- and second-round games of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament.
High school hoops will take over the court again the following week with the 107th UK Healthcare Boys’ High School Basketball Sweet 16 from March 26-29.
Tickets for the boys and girls’ Sweet 16 championships are on sale at KHSAA.org/tickets. Tickets for March Madness are on sale at ticketmaster.com. Ticket prices for either of the first-round sessions, which include two games, are as low as $50.
Lexington St. Patrick’s Parade and Irish Festival
Irish festivities will begin at 10:45 a.m. March 15 at Henry A. Tandy Centennial Plaza, 251 W. Main Street, with the “Blessing of the Keg.” The festival will also include youth activities, food vendors, Irish entertainment with dancers, pipers, musicians and the parade at 1 p.m. The festival is free to attend.
Two days later, there will be a concert featuring Scythian, a high-energy band of Celtic, Eastern European and Appalachian traditions. The show will take place at the Mitchell Fine Arts Center on Transylvania University’s campus. General admission tickets are $15.
Kentucky’s Premiere Traditional Music & Arts Festival
Fans of music, poetry, dance, workshops and traditional arts will be interested in Kentucky’s Premiere Traditional Music & Arts Festival, happening March 15 at the UK Singletary Center for the Arts, 405 Rose Street.
Artists expected to perform are Grammy-nominated Amythyst Kiah, Alabama Poet Laureate Ashley M. Jones, 2019 United States Artists Fellow Rebecca Gayle Howell, 2024 MacArthur Fellow Loka Ashwood and many more.
General admission tickets are $47.36.
Mean Girls
The Lexington Opera House will host five showings of the Broadway musical hit Mean Girls March 21-23. The shows will take place Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening and Sunday afternoon and evening.
Tickets are on sale for as low as $93.
Ballet Spectrum
The Kentucky Ballet Theatre will feature Ballet Spectrum at the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center, 141 E Main Street, at 2 p.m. on March 22 and 23. The shows will feature energy and pizazz in a variety of ballet styles and pieces.
Tickets can be purchased on the theater’s website. Tickets are between $18-30.
Kentucky Ballet Theatre is a regional professional ballet company operating in Lexington.
R.E.S.P.E.C.T.
Theater lovers can attend a Thursday night showing of R.E.S.P.E.C.T., a celebration of the music of Aretha Franklin, at the Lexington Opera House on March 27. The show is a tribute to Franklin, a legendary and famous soul artist.
Tickets are on sale for as low as $43.
Wizards of Oz on Ice
The popular movie Wizards of Oz will hit the ice at the Lexington Opera House on March 29. The show will feature a fresh spin on the classic film for an audience of all ages.
The opera house’s stage will be covered in a synthetic ice surface from Ice Creative Entertainment.
Tickets are on sale for as low as $39.50.
Kentucky Vintage Festival
Traditionalists will want to check out the Kentucky Vintage Festival, happening at Greyline Station, 101 W. Loudon Avenue, on March 30. The event will feature more than 60 vintage clothing vendors from ‘60’s-Y2K, jewelry & accessories, vinyl records, handmade goods and more.
Entry into the festival is $5, while children 12 and under get in free. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online at humanitix.com.
This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
