Jack Harlow spent Friday afternoon at Cherokee Park, celebrating the release of his newest sneaker with a free hangout at Hogan's Fountain before playing two hometown concerts this weekend. The gathering ran from 3 to 7 p.m. and gave fans a chance to hear music, enter giveaways, eat and relax on blankets across the grass ahead of shows Saturday and Monday at Old Forester's Paristown Hall.
The new shoe, called the Olmsted, is a redesign of a 1982 New Balance tennis silhouette and will officially go on sale September 4 for $130, according to WAVE News. The name is a nod to Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect who created New York City's Central Park and was commissioned by Louisville in 1891 to design the city's own network of public parks, per WAVE's reporting. The station notes Harlow's concerts, part of what's being called the Monica Tour, start at 7:30 p.m. and that tickets were still available as of the announcement.
Why Cherokee Park, Why This Shoe
The choice of Hogan's Fountain as the launch site carries its own layered history. Louisville is home to one of only four completed Olmsted-designed park systems in the world, a distinction that gives the Olmsted's name extra local weight, according to HistoricLouisville.com. The fountain itself features a 1903 bronze statue of Pan by Louisville sculptor Enid Yandell, originally commissioned as a drinking basin for horses and dogs, per the Olmsted Parks Conservancy's account of the site's history.
The gathering spot has changed shape in recent years. Cherokee Park's Hogan's Fountain Pavilion, a 56-foot mid-century modern shelter often called the Witch's Hat, was designated a Local Landmark in 2012 but was demolished by Louisville Metro Government in July 2023 after falling into severe decay, according to WHAS11's coverage at the time. Harlow's pop-up unfolded at Hogan's Fountain, in a park that has anchored much of his public life in the city.
A Long-Running Relationship With New Balance and the Parks
The Olmsted marks Harlow's second signature shoe with New Balance since he signed on as a brand ambassador in 2022. His first collaboration, the 1906R Rose Runner released in October 2024, featured pink leather, embroidered floral canvas and velvet accents, according to Sneaker Bar Detroit. That earlier design suggests the Olmsted's park-inspired concept fits into a broader multi-year footwear partnership rather than a one-off release.
Harlow's connection to Cherokee Park's landscape predates any sneaker deal. In late 2021, he partnered with the Olmsted Parks Conservancy to raffle off concert tickets and raise funds for restoration work, per the conservancy's own records. That fundraiser reflects a financial and promotional commitment to the park system that stretches back years before this month's shoe launch.
Two Nights at Paristown Hall Cap a Pattern of Hometown Shows
Harlow's Saturday and Monday concerts land at Old Forester's Paristown Hall, a $12 million, 2,000-capacity standing-room venue operated by Kentucky Performing Arts that opened in July 2019 and now anchors a $30 million arts district redevelopment in Paristown Pointe. The intimate booking puts Harlow onstage in Louisville for two shows this weekend.
The Monica Tour dates trace back to Harlow's fourth studio album, Monica, released March 13, 2026, according to HotNewHipHop. It was a new album, and Hoodline previously reported on the tour's routing when Harlow announced a downtown San Diego stop as part of the broader North American run supporting the record.
Harlow's footprint in Louisville's public spaces extends beyond concerts and sneakers. He launched and co-headlined the inaugural Gazebo Festival in May 2024, a two-day event across 85 acres of Waterfront Park featuring 26 acts including co-headliner SZA, according to GoToLouisville.com. He also established the Jack Harlow Foundation in May 2023 to direct philanthropic support toward local nonprofits focused on education, housing equity and community empowerment, per WRNS.
