Friday, November 13, 2026, is a regular JCPS school day, so the free programs that matter most start after the bell: sensory play at the Portland library at 3 p.m. and a LEGO club across the river at 3:30. The big Friday night pick isn't free but is cheaper than most holiday outings: Festival Family Night at the Festival of Trees and Lights, with Santa, a ride on train and free fireworks with hot chocolate. If you have a preschooler at home during the day, three libraries have free morning play sessions.
JCPS Insider checked every listing below on November 4, 2026, on the organizer's own page: the Louisville Free Public Library, the Floyd County Library in New Albany, the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation and Lights Under Louisville. Times are Eastern. Plans change, so check the link before you leave.
What's free for preschoolers Friday morning?
Playtime Cafe, Northeast Regional Library. From 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., the Northeast branch, 15 Bellevoir Circle, runs a relaxed drop in for ages 0 to 5. The LFPL listing says little ones play and explore "while adults enjoy coffee, tea and conversation." No registration is listed. Call 502 394 0379.
Imagination Station: Dinosaurs, Newburg Library. From 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Newburg branch, 4800 Exeter Avenue, children 2 to 6 get dinosaur themed activities built around imagination, language and motor skills. The LFPL listing says the program is funded by PNC Grow Up Great. Call 502 479 6160.
Open Play Friday: Paleontology Adventure, New Albany. Across the Ohio, the Floyd County Library's Cultural Arts Center, 201 East Spring Street in New Albany, holds an hour and a half of pretend fossil digging for preschoolers from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Children play paleontologist, dig up pretend fossils, examine what they find and share their discoveries. The library's event page says registration is required, so sign up before you go. Call 812 944 7336.
What's free after school Friday?
Sensory Stations, Portland Library. From 3 to 4 p.m. at the Portland branch auditorium, 3305 Northwestern Parkway, kids can try a set of sensory activities. The LFPL listing tags the program for preschool and school age children and says it's built for children with their adults, who should "be engaged with your child." No registration is listed. Call 502 574 1744.
LEGO Club, Galena Library. From 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., the Floyd County Library's Galena branch, 6954 Highway 150 in Floyds Knobs, Indiana, sets out its LEGO bricks and engineering materials for builders. The Galena LEGO Club page tags it for kindergarten through seventh grade, says "Kids of all ages can play and build," and requires registration. Call 812 949 3060.
What happens at Festival Family Night?
The 37th annual Festival of Trees and Lights fills the indoor corridor at Louisville Slugger Field, 401 East Main Street, with decorated trees, wreaths and Hanukkah displays sold to raise money for Norton Children's Hospital. In 36 years, the festival has raised more than $10 million for Norton Children's through the Foundation, according to its FAQ. The Norton Children's festival page lists the dates as November 13 to 15, 2026.
The organizer's ticket and event page gives Friday hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., followed by Festival Family Night from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Regular admission is $15 for adults, $12 for children 12 and under and $10 for seniors 65 and up. Children 2 and under get in free. For a family of two adults and two school age kids, that's $54, and almost everything inside is already paid for. Buy ahead if you can. As of November 4, the FAQ said advance tickets bought online were 25% off with the promo code SAVE25, which brings that same family to $40.50. Make sure the code still works at checkout. To buy general admission online, create an account at FestivalOfTreesAndLights.org first.
The festival's FAQ page says admission covers unlimited train rides, the outdoor Elf Town with a snowball toss and an inflatable slide, and a visit with Santa plus a take home photo. Holiday crafts, including ornament decorating, a dreidel game and temporary tattoos, are free for children 12 and under.
On Friday night, the FAQ says a fireworks show with cider and hot chocolate is free for guests. Guests who arrive before 6 p.m. are welcome to stay into Family Night. Indoor activities close at 8:30 p.m., and lines for Santa photos and train rides may close as early as 8 p.m. so everyone in line finishes before the fireworks. Wear your holiday pajamas; the festival asks for them.
Parking is free in the main Louisville Slugger Field lot at Main and Jackson streets. The only way in is through the Jackson Street doors; you can't enter from Main or Preston streets. Most of the event is indoors, but restrooms and Elf Town sit outside along the covered stadium concourse, so bring coats. For smaller crowds, plan Friday during the day. Families who need accommodations for a child with special needs can email foundations@nortonhealthcare.org during business hours November 9 to 13.
If a child falls in love with a decorated tree, know how the sale works before you bid. The FAQ says every tree, wreath and decorated item is sold in a silent auction that ends at 5 p.m. Sunday, November 15, unless someone pays the Buy It Now price first. Bidding doesn't guarantee you'll take it home.
Questions go to the Norton Children's Hospital Foundation at 502 629 5437.
Is Lights Under Louisville open Friday?
Yes. Friday, November 13, is opening night. The Lights Under Louisville site lists opening day hours of 6 to 10 p.m., with daily hours of 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. after that, through January 2, 2027. The drive takes your car through the Louisville Mega Cavern, 1841 Taylor Avenue, past what the site calls more than 7 million points of light.
A standard vehicle pass starts at $42.99 per car, and the open top Christmas Express tram is $22.99 per person. Every ticket must be bought in advance. For a family of four, the tram would run $91.96, so one car with a vehicle pass is the cheaper ride. The Christmas Express runs only from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., so it isn't a Friday night option anyway. A priority pass that skips the line starts at $89.99 and has to be bought by 2 p.m. on the day you go. Questions go to 877 614 6342.
How should you plan the evening?
If you're doing both on Friday, do the festival first. Family Night runs 6 to 9 p.m. with fireworks at the end, and Lights Under Louisville stays open until 10 p.m. Leave time for the drive from Slugger Field to Taylor Avenue, and buy the cavern tickets before you leave home, since you can't buy them at the gate.
For Saturday and Sunday plans, including NuLu Jingle Fest and the free East Louisville Children's Festival, see our weekend roundup. Our Kids Eat Free list covers dinner between stops.