Best known for the Kentucky Derby and bourbon, Louisville is also home to one of the fastest-growing Cuban populations in the U.S., bringing an entirely new flavor to the city’s music, culinary, and arts scenes.

I walked into Sweet Havana, instantly transported to the Miami of my youth. The bakery-restaurant owner, Carmen Margarita Coro, told me how she had built her business into a central hub for Louisville’s Cuban community in just five years. Hearing stories of the Highview neighborhood’s colorful characters—like Officer Vlad, who created TikTok and Instagram accounts to help Spanish-speaking immigrants understand Kentucky laws.

NuLu Fest, NuLu Business Association's annual autumn block party returns for its 15th year on Saturday, September 27 from 11:00am to 8:00 p.m. along the 600 - 900 blocks of East Market Street.

NuLu's well-known street festival celebrates the continued growth and revitalization of Louisville’s East Market District, as well as the thriving businesses who have helped make NuLu a top Louisville destination and earn accolades such as one of the "Top 10 Best Arts District in USA" and "One of the Best Food Neighborhoods in USA”.

10 best arts districts in the US for a creative escape. Step into the vibrant hearts of these communities

Our editors and readers independently select what you see on USA TODAY 10BEST. When you buy through a link on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

What makes for an inspiring arts district? They might be revitalized and renewed urban spaces in once derelict neighborhoods, full of big-name museums with architecture as impressive as the art housed within, or they could have streets lined with small galleries and studios interspersed with trendy cafes. 

You don’t need the internet to tell you that there’s good eating in San Francisco’s Chinatown, Miami’s Little Havana, New Orleans’s French Quarter, or Charleston’s everywhere. These neighborhoods are the stuff of legend—their reputations precede them. But what about lesser-known global food havens in places like St. Louis, Missouri; Boise, Idaho; and Dearborn, Michigan? What does their multicultural existence say about what it means to be American?

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — NuLu is one of Louisville’s fastest-growing and most popular neighborhoods. It’s known for its galleries, breweries, restaurants, festivals, and now, diversity.

WLKY sat down with the President of the NuLu Business Association, Rick Murphy, to talk about the history of what was formerly the East Market District and where it goes from here.