ANNUAL GATHERING

​​​Louisville - September 27-October 1, 2022

---

Registration is now closed for our September 2022 “Gathering” as are Excursions.  For those of you who have already registered- get ready to explore the city, sample delicious food, and take advantage of the discounted group rates on the many excursions available.

Hotel Reservations: Guest rooms were available at the Galt House Hotel with a special rate for UW NEXT members. Our hospitality Suite at the Galt House will be the gathering point for networking with friends old and new over drinks, and for making dinner plans and previewing the following day’s activities. Hotel reservations can be made by clicking on the Hotel Reservation button below or you can call 800-843-4258 and reference group code 092522WAY. ​

event registration

hotel reservations

---

---

---

EXCURSION TICKETS NO LONGER AVAILABLE

Click on the + to the right to expand the table below to browse excursions.  ​

Wednesday

Private Trolley Tour - *SOLD OUT*- Wednesday, 10 am- $20. Your introduction to Louisville on Wednesday morning will be the Trolley City Fun Tour, a 90-minute, fully narrated trolley tour by a knowledgeable and friendly Louisville native. See more than 30 attractions, including the nation's largest collection of Victorian style homes in Old Louisville, America’s Largest Victorian Neighborhood, downtown and the waterfront, and Churchill Downs, home of the Kentucky Derby ! Other Louisville sights include the trendy NULU district with shops and restaurants, Waterfront Park, Whiskey Row, Big 4 Bridge, Old Forester Bourbon Distillery, Museum Row (including the Muhammed Ali Center), Louisville Slugger Museum, KFC Yum! Center Downtown Arena, and more. The trolleys will pick us up at the Galt House Hotel. 

Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory Tour - Wednesday, 1:00 pm- $15. Batter up! It takes a special place to craft the #1 Bat in Major League Baseball. At the Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory, experience history in the making as you stroll through the actual factory where world-famous Louisville Slugger bats are created. Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory celebrates the extraordinary role Louisville Slugger baseball bats have played in the sport's past, present, and future.  From the forest to the field, you'll follow the timber that's turned into hard hitting history.  Along with their fascinating bat factory tour, they have galleries filled with remarkable memorabilia and entertaining interactive exhibits. They hear it from their guests all the time, “You don’t have to be a big baseball fan to enjoy Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory.” There’s something fun here for everyone.
​ 
Evan Williams Bourbon Distillery Tours- *SOLD OUT* Wednesday 3:00, 3:30 & 4:00 pm- $20. Bourbonism – it’s a Louisville thing!  No visit would be complete without a tour and tasting of our signature beverage.  Following the visit to the Louisville Slugger bat factory and baseball museum there will be local bourbon distillery tours and tastings at the Evan Williams site.  Since these groups are typically limited to 12 to 15 people, we have scheduled three groups.  The times are 3:00 pm, 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm.  The Evan Williams site is a block from the hotel and is on the way back to the hotel from the Louisville Slugger tour.  The distillery tour takes approximately one hour, including the tasting.  ​

THURSDAY

The Roots 101 African-American Museum- Thursday, 10:30 am- $14 Roots 101: African American History Museum - Founded by Lamont Collins in 2019, the Roots 101 African-American History Museum is a place for visitors to see themselves in history, to explore the African-American story entirety, and to curate a greater understanding of the achievements, cultural contributions, and the experiences of African-Americans. The museum gets its name from the idea that the first-class taken on any subject in higher education is a 101, and applies that idea to the exhibits to create an immersive beginning to learning African-American history. The museum has been named one of Architectural Digest’s 2020 list of the top 20 museums worldwide, one of USA Today’s Top 10 Best New attractions of 2021, and was a recipient of 2021 Ford Foundation Grant. Its new location at 124 N. 1st St. had it's grand opening in June of 2021, and the museum continues to make patrons better ancestors through exhibits that raise awareness of the African-American experience from slavery to freedom.

​Muhammad Ali Center Tour - Thursday, 1:30- $15. A visit to the Ali Center is not just an experience, but a journey into the heart of a champion. The Center’s three levels of award-winning exhibits and galleries invite visitors to explore Muhammad Ali’s legendary life, as well as to reflect upon one’s own individual values, inner strength, character, and what makes you the greatest person you can be. The Muhammad Ali Center is a non-profit museum and cultural center dedicated to boxer Muhammad Ali in Louisville, Kentucky. Ali, a native of Louisville, and his wife Lonnie Ali founded the museum in 2005.  The cultural center features exhibitions regarding Ali's six core principles of confidence, conviction, dedication, giving, respect, and spirituality. Throughout his life, Muhammad Ali strived to be guided by these core principles in his quest to inspire people around the world, dedicating himself to helping others, being the best athlete he could be and by standing up for what he believed in. 

KMAC Museum- Thursday, 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. $15. KMAC: A Contemporary Art Museum is conveniently located in the downtown Louisville Museum District. KMAC connects people to art and creative practice. At KMAC, the group will join the museum's curators for a tour of the 2022 KMAC Triennial, followed by a creative activity. After an inaugural edition in 2019, the second installment of the KMAC Triennial will further establish the unique artistic character of this region with a presentation of artists from the Commonwealth of Kentucky and its growing diaspora. This year's edition will feature  artists who work across multiple creative disciplines including painting, sculpture, textile, photography, printmaking, and multimedia installation. Since the closing of the last Triennial on December 1, 2019, the country has been in collective states of revolution, reflection, and rehabilitation. The Kentucky state motto of United We Stand, Divided We Fall will be drawn into focus as the artworks connect concerns relevant to our geographic region with issues that define the larger national narrative, revealing how a divisive place can also be a site of unity and mutual respect. Engage with the curator Joey Yates for a tour of the 2022 KMAC Triennial: Divided We Fall.  The exhibition connects concerns relevant to our geographic region with issues that define the larger national narrative, revealing how our landscape can be a site of conflict and resistance, as well as a place of unity and mutual respect. Featuring work by artists Tammy Burke, Jon Cherry, Ceirra Evans, J. Daniel Graham, Ed Hamilton,  Bruce Linn, Ebony G. Patterson, José Manuel Nápoles Puerto, Hannah Smith, Norman Spencer, Vadis Turner.

Our creative activity, led by Director of Education, Joanna Miller, will reflect and respond to the exhibition with a hands-on art making project. During this time, you can create a mini art book. This project is suited for people of all ages and skill levels and allows for a time of personal reflection or for socializing while it is completed.  We’ll end our visit with time to shop in KMAC’s fabulous store featuring handcrafted treasures. 

FRIDAY

*SOLD OUT*
OFF TO THE RACES- At Historic Churchill Downs
On your mark  -  Get set  -  And we're off to the races! DEADLINE TO SIGN UP- 7/25!

The Daily Double- Thursday 10 am- $50. Experience the exciting and colorful spectacle of Thoroughbred racing at legendary Churchill Downs. Stroll through its historic grounds and enjoy the ambiance of one of the most hallowed shrines in American Sports.  Begin your day at the Kentucky Derby Museum to learn about the history of Thoroughbred racing, Churchill Downs, and the Kentucky Derby. The Kentucky Derby Museum is one of the premiere attractions in the Louisville region, celebrating the tradition, history, hospitality and pride of the world-renowned event that is the Kentucky Derby. Each year, the Museum welcomes over 230,000 visitors. Visitors can enjoy two floors of family-friendly interactive exhibits, and get their heart racing and emotions soaring watching the Museum’s signature 18-minute movie, “The Greatest Race” on a 360°, 4K high resolution screen.  After your museum visit, guests will be escorted to their seats at Churchill Downs Racetrack for a thrilling afternoon of live racing. The Daily Double includes General Admission to the Kentucky Derby Museum, seating on Millionaires Row at Churchill Downs Racetrack, fabulous Chef's Buffet, and a Race Day Program.  

Purchase excursions

---

Click HERE to email us so we can keep you in the loop as more information becomes available. We hope you will join us!
​NOTE: We encourage participants to be fully vaccinated prior to arrival. Some venues may still require masks to participate in certain excursions.

CANCELLATION CLAUSE: ​We appreciate that you may need to cancel due to extenuating circumstances. Whenever possible, we will attempt to refund excursion fees when tickets are not purchased as part of a group order.