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16 September 2015 Landscape and Irrigation www.landscapeirrigation.com Show Preview Louisville has been home to GIE+EXPO for many years, and the city's warm welcome and cool vibes never disap- point. A trip to our industry's largest an- nual event isn't complete without get- ting out and exploring the diverse city and enjoying its southern hospitality. Louisville was recently named a Top Guy's Getaway Weekend by Conde Nast Traveler and a Best American City for Fall Travel by Travel & Leisure Maga- zine. It is within a day's drive of more than 60 percent of the nation's popu- lation, and the airport is serviced by nearly every major and regional airline. Known for its nationally recognized culinary scene, the Greatest Two Min- utes in Sports — The Kentucky Derby — and, of course, bourbon, Louisville is chock-full of reasons to extend your GIE+EXPO stay into the weekend. Explore the world of whiskey in the birthplace of bourbon. Tour some of Louisville's increasingly popular distill- eries right in the heart of downtown, in- cluding the newly resurrected Peerless Distilling and the Evan Williams Bour- bon Experience — the first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Just a short drive from downtown is the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience, which recently opened on the site of the old Stitzel Weller Distillery. For more infor- mation, visit bourboncountry.com. If beer is more your thing, the city's breweries are definitely worth a look. The craft beer scene in Louisville is in- teresting and varied. One of the larger breweries, Against the Grain Brewery & Smokehouse, is Louisville's first brewer owned-and-operated brewery. Others include Falls City, which shares a building with Old 502 Winery, and Bluegrass Brewing Company, Ken- tucky's longest continually operating brewery. You'll find them all downtown. In addition to good drinks, Louisville is also known for good food. The city's culinary scene is the epitome of vari- ety, from bourbon-themed restaurants to internationally-inspired cuisines. If you're a Food Network fan, you may be familiar with Chef Ed Lee, who owns a couple of must-try places — 610 Mag- nolia and MilkWood. Any visitor to the city should try a hot brown, the iconic Louisville meal. It is served in several restaurants, but the original was cre- ated at J. Graham's Cafe in The Brown Hotel. From pizza to burgers, you'll also find many iterations of the hearty dish throughout town. For more informa- tion, visit culinarylouisville.com or hot brownhop.com. After trying some of the city's fabulous restaurants, you may want to take home a taste of the city. At Bourbon Barrel Foods you can pick up some bourbon-barrel smoked spices or bourbon-flavored sauces and syrups. For the sweet tooth, Muth's Candies offers up old-fashioned bourbon balls and modjeskas — a marshmallow gem covered in creamy caramel. Even more so than food and drink, Louisville is known for horse-racing at Churchill Downs. Live racing is not happening the week of GIE+EXPO, but the Kentucky Derby Museum celebrates the Derby all year long. At this 360-degree interactive attraction, there are displays of Derby hats and jockey silks, a plethora of photos of past derby winners and informative exhibits. A general tour of Churchill Downs is included with a museum admission purchase, and upgrades are available for a variety of other tours. In October there is a Horses & Haunts Walking Tour. Visit derbymuseum.org for more information. If your feet aren't too tired after walking the trade show floor, a walk across the Big Four Bridge provides beautiful views of the Ohio River, Wa- terfront Park and the city. The former railroad truss bridge is now a pedes- trian bridge that connects Louisville to Jeffersonville, Indiana. Fourth Street Live!, in the heart of downtown Louisville, will be the loca- tion of the GIE+EXPO concerts and is the premier dining and entertainment district. A few popular places to visit while in the area include Hard Rock Cafe, Gordon Biersch Brewery & Res- taurant, Sully's Saloon, The Sports and Social Club and The Fudgery. To learn more, visit 4thstlive.com. GIE+EXPO attendees can receive discounts at many destinations through the Louisville Convention & Visitors Bureau's "Show Us Your Badge" pro- gram. For information on the "Show Us Your Badge" program and visiting Louisville, check out gotolouisville. com. For GIE+EXPO information, visit gie-expo.com. Get a Taste of Louisville Hospitality