(This article first appeared in the April print edition of the Hendersonian.)
No doubt at some point in your life, very likely for a high school or college literature class assignment, you met the mysterious Jay Gatsby.
This year, April 10 to be precise, marks the centennial anniversary of author F. Scott Fitzgerald’s literary classic “The Great Gatsby.”
Published in 1925 and set in the summer of 1922 on Long Island, the novel is narrated by the character Nick Carraway who gets entangled in the relationship of his cousin Daisy Buchanan and Gatsby, a self-made millionaire who is obsessed with Daisy, his former girlfriend who is now married to another man.
The novel, which is considered a classic and has appeared on many “best” lists, explores themes of love, social class and the American Dream.
But though the setting for the story is Long Island, it was another place altogether that provided much of the fodder and atmosphere for Fitzgerald’s story.
That was Louisville, Kentucky, and the historic Seelbach Hotel in particular.
This spring, Derby City is offering many activities with a nod to The Gatsby Era and Fitzgerald’s work.
According to The Seelbach’s website, in the early part of the 20th century the grand French Renaissance-style hotel (built in 1905) was in the center of bourbon culture. Notorious visitors include Lucky Luciano, Al Capone and Dutch Schultz, known as the “Beer Baron of the Bronx.”
Gangster Capone, who loved to play poker, even sent a large mirror from Chicago that still remains in the hotel’s famous Oakroom so he could watch his back while enjoying a game of cards. His favorite room had two hidden doors leading to secret passageways that aided and abetted a quick getaway.
Writer Fitzgerald also regularly enjoyed bourbon and cigars at The Seelbach while he was in Army training at nearby Camp Taylor. It was during that time that he met another frequent visitor, Cincinnati mobster George Remus, who is widely considered to be the inspiration for Jay Gatsby. The writer chose the hotel’s Grand Ballroom as the backdrop for Daisy and Tom Buchanan’s lavish wedding reception.
Here are some of the Gatsby-themed activities taking place this spring, according to the Louisville Tourism (all times are ET).
Events
•April 10: Gatsby’s Secret Stash: A Bourbon Tasting Event, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, 528 W. Main St., 6:30 p.m.
Step back in time to a 1920s-style speakeasy. Once inside, an F. Scott Fitzgerald expert will take you on a journey through the author’s life and discuss the city’s rich whiskey-making heritage.
•April 13: World Ballet Company: The Great Gatsby, Louisville Palace Theatre, 625 S. 4th St., 6 p.m.
The glitz, glamor, and tragic romance of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless novel is portrayed by a multinational cast of 40 professional ballet dancers.
•April 18: After Hours at the Speed, Speed Art Museum, 2035 S. 3rd St., 5 p.m.
An evening of art, music and literature, including a reading and book signing by Kentucky Poet Laureate Crystal Wilkinson.
•April 26: Opening Night–The Great Gatsby, A Louisville Legacy, Churchill Downs Racetrack, 700 Central Ave. Gates opens at 4 p.m.
151st Derby and Kentucky Oaks post-position draws at a Great Gatsby-inspired event. 1920s attire encouraged for a fashion contest.
•May 17: The Great Gatsby (2013 film directed by Baz Luhrmann, starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton and Tobey Maguire ), Speed Art Museum, Cinema, 2035 S. 3rd St. Doors open at 11 a.m. Doors open 11AM, 12PM – 2:30PM Screening
•May 30: Speakeasy on the Belle, Belle of Louisville Riverboats, 401 W. River Rd., 7 p.m.
Live jazz and swing music on this prohibition-themed cruise. Two-hour cruise includes a cocktail class, a costume contest, dance lessons and more.
•June 18: Gatsby at the Gardens, Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Ave., 6 p.m. Great Gatsby garden party at Waterfront Botanical Gardens.
Tours
•Seelbach Hotel Historic Tour, Weekly, Thursday-Saturday, , 500 S. Fourth St., 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.
Take in the 120-year history on a free walking tour of the historic Seelbach Hotel. From Presidents to mobsters to a wedding in The Great Gatsby, this hour-long tour will take you back to the roaring 20s, showcasing the hotel’s unique history and architectural beauty. The tour starts in the hotel lobby. No reservations required.
•Phantoms of the Prohibition: Ghosts, Cocktails, Bites Walking Food Tour, Weekly, Tuesday-Friday, , Louisville Food Tours, 5 p.m.
Join Louisville Food Tours to explore the hidden stories of Louisville’s haunted past on Whiskey Row. Info: louisvillefoodtours.com/tours/phantoms-of-the-prohibition-tour/
• Old Louisville in the Time of F. Scott-Fitzgerald, May 8, (6 p.m.), June 14, (10 a.m.), Louisville Free Public Library, Tour departs from 1340 S. Fourth St.
A stroll through Old Louisville to see the grand architecture that was prominent during F. Scott-Fitzgerald’s time in the city. To register for the free tour, please contact kaira.tucker@lfpl.org
or (502) 574-1649.
Exhibits
•See & Be Seen: 150 Years of Derby Fashion, Kentucky Derby Museum, 704 Central Ave.
This Kentucky Derby Museum exhibit houses historic ensembles that give a glimpse into the past and what horse racing fans may have worn to the historic racetrack in the 1920s.
•Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris, 1900 – 1939, through June 22, Speed Art Museum, 2035 S. Third St. March 29 – June 22.
More than 65 artworks tell the stories of American women who left the constraints of early 20th-century America to pursue artistic and professional ambitions in Paris. In 1924 while writing Gatsby, Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda, spent time in Paris, which was an epicenter of modernism due to its thriving literary and artistic scene.
To find more information on all things The Great Gatsby in Louisville, visit www.gotolouisville.com/Gatsby.
