Smiley Pete

Smiley Pete Smiley Pete celebrates Lexington with local magazines, events and online content connecting the community

Hyper-local magazine publisher and event producer, Smiley Pete Publishing, publishes Chevy Chaser Magazine, Southsider Magazine, Business Lexington news journal and tadoo.com. Smiley Pete produces Crave food + music festival, Bluegrass BBQ fest, Lexington Burger Week, Lexington Pizza Week, Crave Taco Week, Lexington Bourbon Week and Lexington Boutique Week. Smiley Pete and Blue Grass Community Foundation produce the annual GoodGiving Challenge, which has raised $20 million for local non-profits.

Lexington’s growth game is changing. 🏙️ Vice Mayor Dan Wu and Councilmember Liz Sheehan break down updates to the city’s...
01/03/2026

Lexington’s growth game is changing. 🏙️ Vice Mayor Dan Wu and Councilmember Liz Sheehan break down updates to the city’s Preservation & Growth Management Plan — from infill development to housing strategies and what’s next for our urban service boundary. 🔍

Ever since Lexington became the first city in the country to create an urban service boundary in 1958, the topic has fueled debate.

📸✨ New Year. New Sound. New Story.From struggle to stages across the country — meet the voice behind the name iBeli3ve. ...
01/03/2026

📸✨ New Year. New Sound. New Story.
From struggle to stages across the country — meet the voice behind the name iBeli3ve. 🎤🔥

In our January Southsider cover feature, Timothy “iBeli3ve” Lamont opens up about pain, purpose, and the power of belief. This isn’t just music — it’s resilience in rhythm. 🎶💫

Having weathered his share of personal and professional ups and downs, this central Kentucky artist has found a way to pull light from the darkness

🎊 Our first issue of 2026 is here and it’s delicious. 🍽️We’re kicking off the year with Where to Eat Now, rounding up mo...
01/01/2026

🎊 Our first issue of 2026 is here and it’s delicious. 🍽️
We’re kicking off the year with Where to Eat Now, rounding up more than 20 Lexington restaurants that just opened, are coming soon, or deserve a spot on your must-try list.

Where to Eat Now: 20 New Lexington Eateries; Creative Types: Local Music Artist Timothy "iBeli3ve" Lamont; A Sound Salvation: MediaLex's Major Evolution; and Paws 4 The Cause: Finding Loving Homes for

🐾 Spotlight on a Local Non-Profit!From grassroots beginnings to helping hundreds of pets each year, Paws 4 the Cause is ...
12/29/2025

🐾 Spotlight on a Local Non-Profit!
From grassroots beginnings to helping hundreds of pets each year, Paws 4 the Cause is making big waves in animal rescue right here in Kentucky. 🐶🐱

👉 They’ve taken in thousands of animals, placed them in loving homes, and are expanding to include a low-cost vet clinic + community space!
💛 This is what community care looks like.

Fighting for Kentucky’s Animals, One Rescue at a Time

January 2026 Tadoo List is here!A curated list of all the best gigs, performances, art exhibits and other cultural haps ...
12/28/2025

January 2026 Tadoo List is here!

A curated list of all the best gigs, performances, art exhibits and other cultural haps - including New Year's Eve listings! - coming up in Lex this month!

A curated list of all the best gigs, performances, art exhibits and other cultural haps - including New Year's Eve listings! - coming up in Lex this month

✨ Nominations are OPEN! ✨Smiley Pete’s Best of Lex is back, and now’s your chance to shout out your favorites. Nominate ...
12/22/2025

✨ Nominations are OPEN! ✨
Smiley Pete’s Best of Lex is back, and now’s your chance to shout out your favorites. Nominate the people, places, and businesses you love to make sure they’re in the running for our Best of Lex April issue.
🗳️ Voting begins January 7 at noon.
🔗 Link to nominate!

Smiley Pete's Best of Lex

🎨 After nearly 40 years championing artists and curating unforgettable exhibitions, Frankie York is closing the chapter ...
12/22/2025

🎨 After nearly 40 years championing artists and curating unforgettable exhibitions, Frankie York is closing the chapter on New Editions Gallery. Dive into her journey — from art student to Lexington arts icon and what comes next. 👇
📖 Read more:

A spotlight on the career and final show for the New Editions Gallery owner as she prepares for retirement

Cold nights call for cozy rituals and this one comes with a tropical twist. Our Drink of the Month is warming mugs all w...
12/16/2025

Cold nights call for cozy rituals and this one comes with a tropical twist. Our Drink of the Month is warming mugs all winter long.

With forecasters calling for colder-than-average temps this winter, we are stockpiling ideas for winter beverages that will help us stay warm. Elevated with hints of coconut for a slight tropical nod, this hot cocoa is a great recipe to help fill you

It’s time!! Bluegrass Gives-formerly the GoodGiving Challenge-starts at 6am tomorrow! We’re proud to continue our partne...
12/02/2025

It’s time!! Bluegrass Gives-formerly the GoodGiving Challenge-starts at 6am tomorrow! We’re proud to continue our partnership with Blue Grass Community Foundation on this regional day of giving.

On Dec. 2 (Giving Tuesday), from 6 a.m.–midnight, the region will come together to support the hundreds of local organizations strengthening Central & Appalachian Kentucky. 💙 bggives.org start planning now!

Join me and give back!

Have you heard about Wildings Bookshop? 📚 Nestled inside Wilson's Grocery and Meat in Lexington’s Kenwick neighborhood,...
11/20/2025

Have you heard about Wildings Bookshop? 📚 Nestled inside Wilson's Grocery and Meat in Lexington’s Kenwick neighborhood, this cozy children’s bookshop is a dream come true for book lovers—especially little ones + their grownups. 🧡 Owner Jill Bastin curated over 1,600 titles, from board books to comics, all with a thoughtful and inclusive eye. Dive into their story and why this space matters to the community.

A new children’s bookstore tucked inside the Kenwick neighborhood market Wilson’s Grocery

Business Lexington is turning 20, and we’re celebrating with an all-new look! ✨For two decades, we’ve been dedicated to ...
11/14/2025

Business Lexington is turning 20, and we’re celebrating with an all-new look! ✨
For two decades, we’ve been dedicated to telling the region’s business stories — the visionaries, the risk-takers, the small businesses, and the big ideas.

Proudly published by Smiley Pete, and made for the community that inspires us every day.

📬 Subscribe via the link in the comments

A snapshot of the diversity, energy, and opportunity that define the region.

Our November issues are out! 🍂Packed with local stories and Thanksgiving inspiration including recipes from Ouita Michel...
11/10/2025

Our November issues are out! 🍂
Packed with local stories and Thanksgiving inspiration including recipes from Ouita Michel and a young Lexington chef who’s following in her footsteps.

It all began this summer at 250lexky “World’s First Hoecake Hoedown,” where 13-year-old Henry Bollinger wowed Ouita with his take on the classic Appalachian griddle cake. Last month, the two reunited in the kitchen of Holly Hill to cook up hoecakes side-by-side.

Add a little Appalachian flavor to your Thanksgiving table, find the full story and recipe in our November issue. 🥞

A collection of holiday recipes inspired by the central Kentucky culinary queen Ouita Michel

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Lexington, KY

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Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

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Smiley Pete Publishing began as a single community publication in 1997. College buddies Chris Eddie and Chuck Creacy started Chevy Chaser Magazine while working as pizza delivery drivers. They got to know Lexington’s neighborhoods and began hand-delivering magazines to local residents. Since then, Smiley Pete Publishing has become a growing family of print and online publications that specialize in locally focused content. All Smiley Pete publications, initiatives and events have a common goal: to serve the needs and interests of readers, and to continue to make Lexington a community of diverse people and organizations who strive for positive change and great quality of life.

In addition to Chevy Chaser and Southsider magazines and Business Lexington, Smiley Pete also produces Lexington Burger Week, Lexington Pizza Week and Crave Food + Music Festival.