Idle Hour
Updated September 2026
Idle Hour at a Glance
- Trash and recycling day
- Tuesday. Look up your address on the trash pickup map.
- Council district
- District 5, represented by Liz Sheehan. Find your exact district by address.
- Zip code
- 40502
About Idle Hour
Idle Hour is a post-World War II neighborhood about 3 miles southeast of downtown along Richmond Road. The neighborhood was developed in the 1950s and early 1960s by William Blackerby, owner of Realty Mortgage Company, who bought the land in 1948. Blackerby gave the streets a memorable naming convention: he named them after members of his own family with the "Saint" prefix attached, so the neighborhood is laid out with street names like St. Phillip, St. Ann, St. Margaret, and St. William. The neighborhood is bounded by the Idle Hour Country Club to the north, CSX railroad tracks to the east, New Circle Road to the south, and Richmond Road to the west, covering roughly a third of a square mile. Idle Hour was a mixed-use neighborhood ahead of its time, with homes positioned alongside retail and restaurants. The Idle Hour Shopping Center on Richmond Road has long been the commercial anchor. The Idle Hour Country Club, a private 18-hole golf course on the north edge of the neighborhood, has operated since 1946. Side note: the country club is named after Colonel Edward R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm, a famous thoroughbred breeding farm Bradley founded in 1906 on Old Frankfort Pike (across town). The Stock Farm and the neighborhood share a name but are different things.
What's Nearby
The Idle Hour Shopping Center at 2051 Richmond Road sits right at the edge of the neighborhood and has been an anchor for decades. It's home to O'Neill's Irish Pub, which I've written about in my best fish and chips guide. The pub does a solid Irish menu, live music several nights a week, and is a popular UK game-watching spot. The neighborhood also has its own 23-acre Idle Hour Park, and the Lexington Senior Center (opened 2016) sits within the neighborhood, offering programs for residents over 60. Idle Hour is on Richmond Road, which provides a straight shot to downtown about 3 miles north. It's also bounded by New Circle Road, which serves as a city beltway with quick access to Baptist Health, UK HealthCare, and Blue Grass Airport (about 13 miles west).
Annual Events
Idle Hour doesn't host a festival of its own. These are the ones within a few minutes' drive, closest first.
Big Band & Jazz at Ecton Park
Tuesdays 7 to 8:30 pm, July through mid-August (2026: Jul 7 through Aug 11)
Ecton Park, 956 Turkey Foot Rd, about five minutes away
One of Lexington's longest-running concert series: regional big bands and jazz combos on the lawn. Free; bring a chair.
Event detailsFriday Flicks at Jacobson Park
Three Fridays in June plus one in August, activities at 7, movie at dark (2026: Jun 5, 12, 26, Aug 7)
Jacobson Park, 4001 Athens-Boonesboro Rd, about seven minutes out Richmond Rd
Free outdoor family movies with pre-show activities.
Event detailsAshland's fall and winter events
Living History (last Saturday of September), Parktoberfest (first Saturday of October), Illumination (first Saturday of December)
Ashland, The Henry Clay Estate, 120 Sycamore Rd, about five minutes up Richmond Rd
A reenactment day, an Oktoberfest on the lawn, and a candlelit tree lighting at the Henry Clay Estate.
See the Ashland Park guideThe late-summer festival run to the west
Woodland Art Fair (third weekend of August), Chevy Chase Street Fair (late August), Christ the King Oktoberfest (third weekend of September)
Woodland Park, Euclid Ave, and Colony Blvd, six to eight minutes via Fontaine Rd
Three of the city's biggest neighborhood festivals in five weeks, all a short drive.
See the Chevy Chase guideYappy Hour at Jacobson Park
One evening a year, usually late May (2026: May 27)
Jacobson Park dog park, 4001 Athens-Boonesboro Rd
The city's rotating dog-park social with food trucks and live music lands at Jacobson once a year. Free.
Event details
Dates are the most recent published as of September 2026; check the organizer before you go.
Highlights
- Post-WWII mixed-use neighborhood (1950s-60s)
- "Saint" street naming convention (St. Phillip, St. Ann, etc.)
- Idle Hour Country Club access
- Idle Hour Shopping Center
- Walking distance to Idle Hour Park and Lexington Senior Center
Amenities
Cost of Living
Idle Hour homes are primarily mid-century ranches and compact single-family houses with some small apartment buildings mixed in. As of 2026, single-family homes typically run $200,000 to $400,000 depending on size, condition, and proximity to the country club. Homes backing up to the golf course tend to fetch a premium. Rentals are available in the small apartment buildings scattered throughout the neighborhood. For context, Idle Hour sits in a similar mid-range price band to Masterson Station on the other side of Lexington, and well below the Ashland Park and Chevy Chase historic districts to the north.
Schools
Most Idle Hour addresses are zoned for Breckinridge Elementary School, Morton Middle School, and Henry Clay High School. School zoning can vary block by block, so look up your exact schools with the FCPS SchoolSite Locator.
Idle Hour FAQ
Why are the streets in Idle Hour named after saints?
The developer, William Blackerby, named them after members of his own family with the word Saint attached. That is how the neighborhood ended up laid out with St. Phillip, St. Ann, St. Margaret and St. William.
Where is Idle Hour?
About 3 miles southeast of downtown Lexington along Richmond Road, bounded by the Idle Hour Country Club to the north, CSX railroad tracks to the east, New Circle Road to the south and Richmond Road to the west. It covers roughly a third of a square mile.
What zip code is Idle Hour in Lexington, KY?
40502.
Is the Idle Hour Country Club open to the public?
No, it is a private 18-hole golf course on the north edge of the neighborhood and has operated since 1946. It takes its name from Colonel Edward R. Bradley's Idle Hour Stock Farm, a thoroughbred operation he founded in 1906 on Old Frankfort Pike, which is across town and a different place.
What is in the Idle Hour Shopping Center?
The center at 2051 Richmond Road has anchored the neighborhood for decades, and O'Neill's Irish Pub is its best known tenant. The neighborhood also has its own 23-acre Idle Hour Park and the Lexington Senior Center, which opened in 2016.
Which schools serve Idle Hour?
Most addresses are zoned for Breckinridge Elementary School, Morton Middle School and Henry Clay High School. Zoning can vary block by block, so check an exact address with the FCPS SchoolSite Locator.