Lent starts each Ash Wednesday, beginning the Christian season of prayer, fasting and gifts of money or service. This year, it starts March 5 and concludes the evening of Holy Thursday April 17.
Observant Catholics, Episcopalians, Methodists and other denominations forgo meat on Fridays as a small penance. Fish, however, is generally an accepted alternative.
Hence, the popularity of the Friday night fish fry, especially in the Louisville area.
Jerry Zoeller, now 86 years old, has been frying up fish for four decades at the St. Aloysius Parish in Pewee Valley. He serves fish with a healthy side of dad jokes.
When asked when he knows how the fish is fried just right, Zoeller responds, "By looking at it, if it quits swimming!"
And fish fries can garner their own fan bases. Richard and Cathy Benson arrived 20 minutes early to be the first in line to St. Aloysius' first fry. They're members of a different church, but they love the community feeling there.
"It's just a traditional thing, and it makes you feel — it's a home cooked kind of meal, and it's fun," Carol Benson said.
Fish fries are open to everyone, Catholic or not.
And there are a lot of them, so LPM News made the 2025 Fish Frynder, a guide to planning your fish fry festivities for Lent.
Use the filters below to find fish frys by the date, if it serves lunch or dinner, and if it has special activities like basketball tournaments or gambling.
We also have the 2025 Ramadan Map with free resources for those observing Ramadan.
