New Lexington bar and music venue, The Burl, has a packed schedule and is on track to rise in the Lexington music scene.

The bar, owned by Jomo Thompson and Cannon Armstrong, is located off UK’s campus on Thompson Road across from the also developing Pepper District. According to Thompson, the bar hopes to represent Lexington and the art district in which it is located. 

“We’re looking to involve the campus community more down here with students coming back to town looking for places to go and things to do,” said Thompson. “We think this is a great spot for them to explore a new area of town rather than just what campus has to offer.”

To draw the college crowd in, The Burl is beginning to organize themed nights during the week. Monday is “Vinyl Night” and Wednesday is “Dance Night” featuring DJ’s and electronic dance music.  

The art district has a lot of options when it comes to entertainment, including Middle Fork, the Break Room, Crank & Boom and the Barrel House. 

“It feels like this area of town will become a destination,” said Thompson. 

The bar has partnered with PRHBTN, who will paint a mural on one of The Burl’s massive outdoor walls during their street art fair Oct. 8-15. The wall will serve as a rotating mural, getting painted over every year.

More renovations are yet to come. The storage units in the bar’s parking lot will be filled with pool tables, arcade games and more to accompany the various food trucks that already set up shop in the lot during the evenings.

This weekend’s lineup at The Burl includes local soulful rocker Debraun Thomas for a free show. Fellow Kentuckian Bryan Minks and the Kentucky Sons will perform with special guests on Friday in a record release show. A $10 cover applies upon entry, but fans receive a copy of Mink’s new LP “Last Will and Testament.”

Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown performs with Johnny Conqueroo on Saturday. Tyler Bryant has made waves in the rock ‘n roll music scene recently, touring extensively as an opening act for 80s rock gods AC/DC. Tickets for the show are $12 online or $15 at the door. The weekend wraps up with a Sunday show by The Sheepdogs featuring Quaker City Night Hawks for $15. All shows this weekend begin at 9 p.m.

While each show at the Burl this weekend is for adults 21 and over, future shows from Ford Theatre Reunion and Emarosa are 18 and over shows, with another gig from Americana artist Amanda Shires being an all-ages show.

“We want our music here to be accessible to everyone,” said Thompson. “The younger kids are often the ones that seek out those new and upcoming bands.”

The Burl is currently open seven days a week from 4pm to 2:30 a.m. 

For more information visit theburlky.com.