(TRR) – The World’s Largest Bourbon Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, will make its anticipated return to Louisville, KY Friday, September 20, Saturday, September 21, and Sunday, September 22, expanding to three days full of incredible music, unique culinary events, and unmatched experiences from the region’s best distilleries at the new Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center.
In addition to an unforgettable lineup of bourbon and chefs, music performers include a unique mix of rock, roots, bluegrass and folk acts headlined by Foo Fighters, Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters (returning after originally being scheduled to appear in 2018) and the Zac Brown Band. Additional acts include John Fogerty, Daryl Hall & John Oates, ZZ Top (celebrating their 50th anniversary in 2019), Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Trey Anastasio Band, Leon Bridges, The Flaming Lips, Alison Krauss, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeroes, +LIVE+, Grace Potter, Little Steven & The Disciples Of Soul, and Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, among many others. In total, more than 45 artists will play on three stages, including the side-by-side Oak and Barrel main stages and a bluegrass stage that will be curated by the genre’s leading authority, The Bluegrass Situation.
Held during Bourbon Heritage Month, Bourbon & Beyond also celebrates the craftsmanship behind award-winning spirits, master distillers and world-class chefs. Bourbon author, Amazon Prime host (Bourbon Up) and expert Fred Minnick has curated one-of-a-kind tastings and seminars celebrating Louisville’s world-renowned distilleries, while culinary curators Edward Lee (The Mind of A Chef) and Anthony Lamas (Seviche) will team up to arrange special food experiences that will be announced soon.
“If you could capture America in a bottle, it would be a bottle of bourbon. It’s a uniquely American creation, like jazz and baseball, and its beating heart is in Louisville,” says Bourbon & Beyond producer Danny Wimmer. “This connection to the past has transformed Louisville into a city of the future. One of the most vibrant and diverse food scenes in the country has grown around bourbon’s resurgence, and we tried to mirror that spirit with the great music lineup that we put together. I can’t wait for people to visit this city in September and experience something that goes far beyond their preconception of what Louisville is.”
Bourbon & Beyond exclusive VIP packages, General Admission tickets, camping and hotel packages, as well as special event tickets, go on sale Friday, March 15 at 12:00 PM EDT. Visitwww.BourbonandBeyond.com for more details.
Produced by premier independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents, the third annual Bourbon & Beyond festival will be held at a new location, the Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center. All of DWP’s Louisville festivals will take place at the new venue, including the first-ever Hometown Rising Country Music & Bourbon Festival (Sept. 14-15) and Louder Than Life (Sept. 27-29). Fans interested in attending all three weekends can purchase a special Trifesta Pass, which allows General Admission weekend access for the discounted rate of only $229.00 plus fees. Visit https://trifestapass.com for more information.
The current music lineup for Bourbon & Beyond is as follows (subject to change):
Friday, September 20: Foo Fighters, John Fogerty, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, The Flaming Lips, +LIVE+, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, Lukas Nelson & Promise Of The Real, Greensky Bluegrass, Blackberry Smoke, [artist TBA], Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Pearl, Mipso, Amythyst Kiah
Saturday, September 21: Robert Plant And The Sensational Space Shifters, Daryl Hall & John Oates, Trey Anastasio Band, Alison Krauss, Grace Potter, Squeeze, Jenny Lewis, Del McCoury Band, Samantha Fish, The White Buffalo, Maggie Rose, Patrick Droney, The Travelin’ McCourys, Cedric Burnside, Ben Sollee
Sunday, September 22: Zac Brown Band, ZZ Top, Leon Bridges, Edward Sharpe And The Magnetic Zeros, Kurt Vile And The Violators, Margo Price, Little Steven And The Disciples Of Soul, Edie Brickell & New Bohemians, White Reaper, Whiskey Myers, Southern Avenue, Caroline Jones, Dustbowl Revival, The Lil Smokies, Front Country
The initial list of participating chefs at Bourbon & Beyond includes:
- Edward Lee (The Mind of A Chef, 610 Magnolia, MilkWood, Whiskey Dry)
- Graham Elliot (Family Food Fight, Top Chef)
- The Voltaggio Brothers (Michael – Ink, Top Chef & Bryan – VOLT)
- Tiffani Thiessen (“Dinner At Tiffani’s”)
- Jamie Bissonnette (Coppa, Toro, Little Donkey)
- Amanda Freitag (The Chef Next Door: A Pro Chef’s Recipes for Fun, Fearless Home Cooking, Chopped)
- Anthony Lamas (Chef/Owner at Seviche)
- Brooke Williamson (Top Chef, Knife Fight, House of Food)
- Jose Salazar (Salazar, Mita’s, Goose and Elder)
- Ouita Michel (Holly Hill Inn)
- Adam Sobel (Cal Mare)
- Jonathan Searle (Lockbox)
- Matt Abdoo (Pig Beach)
- Rusty Hamlin (Papi’s Taqueria, Zac Brown’s Social Club, Atkins Park Restaurant)
- Sara Bradley (Freight House)
- Kelsey Barnard Clark (KBC)
- Justin Sutherland (Iron Chef America, Handsome Hog, Pearl and the Thief)
The festival’s centerpiece, Kroger’s Big Bourbon Bar presented by Louisville Courier Journal, will feature more than two dozen hand-selected bourbons from top distilleries, and a unique opportunity to enjoy bourbons and exclusive one-time specialty cocktails from 1792, Angel’s Envy, Barrell Bourbon, Bloody Butcher’s Creed, Buffalo Trace, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Kentucky Peerless,Michter’s, Old Forester, StoneHammer, Wild Turkey and more to be announced.
As part of this innovative partnership and Kroger’s commitment to Zero Hunger | Zero Waste, 25 cents will be donated directly to Dare to Care Food Bank (www.daretocare.org) from every ticket sold. Dare to Care Food Bank works to ensure that no one in our community lacks enough food to live an active, healthy lifestyle, and Kroger’s Zero Hunger | Zero Waste initiative is their bold plan to end hunger in our communities and eliminate waste in their company by 2025.
Fred Minnick’s Mini Bar presented by the Bourbon Women Association will showcase craft selections from Wilderness Trail, MB Roland and Bluegrass Distillery. Acclaimed Louisville whiskey bar TheSilver Dollar will operate The Hunter’s Club, where attendees can find vintage bourbons dating as far back as the 1930s, as well as contemporary collectibles.
The initial list of participating bourbon brands at Bourbon & Beyond includes 1792, Angel’s Envy, Bardstown Bourbon, Barrell Bourbon, Blanton’s, Bloody Butcher’s Creed, Bluegrass Distillery, Boone County Distilling, Buffalo Trace, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Four Roses, Jim Beam, Kentucky Peerless, Knob Creek, Larceny, Maker’s Mark, MB Roland, Michter’s, Old Forester, Wild Turkey, Wilderness Trail, W.L. Weller and Woodford Reserve.
Whiskey sponsors also include Jack Daniel’s, High West Distillery, Uncle Nearest and Southern Comfort.
Additional Bourbon, Food & Beverage Experiences available onsite include:
- Mash Stage bourbon and food demos
- Jack Daniel’s No. 7 Sports Bar, where guests can enjoy NFL and college football games
- Tiki Barrel Bar presented by Jim Beam
- Maker’s Wanted Bar presented by Maker’s Mark
- Knob Creek Bar
- Boone County Distilling Back Porch
- The Char House presented by Brown-Forman
- Jailhouse BBQ Presented by Larceny Bourbon
- Buffalo Club presented by Buffalo Trace
- Mardi Gras Bar presented by Southern Comfort
- High West Whiskey Train
- The Speakeasy
- Angry Orchard Tree Bar
- Lagunitas Craft Beer Bar
- Take Me Home
- The Music Experience
In addition, attendees can enjoy a variety of local and regional food and beverage offerings provided by DWP’s affiliate concessionaire, Southern Hospitality Concessions LLC. Festival attendees will be able to experience a taste of Louisville with selections from the following local and regional restaurants: Boss Hog BBQ, Couvillion, Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse & Raw Bar, Ehrler’s Ice Cream, Eli’s BBQ,Heine Brothers Coffee, Hull And Highwater, Joella’s Hot Chicken, Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen, Sarino, Seviche, and more.
Look for more food experience details to be announced soon.
Ticket prices for Bourbon & Beyond will be as follows:
- 3-Day Weekend General Admission: starting at $169.50 + fees
- 3-Day Mint Experience VIP: starting at $579.50 + fees
- 3-Day Beyond VIP: $1,599.50 + fees
- Single Day General Admission: starting at $89.50 + fees
- Single Day VIP: starting at $249.50 + fees
Mint Experience VIP tickets include access to The Mint Garden—an exclusive hang area with dedicated bars, comfortable furniture, and live audio/video streams of the Barrel and Oak Stages, plus front-of-stage viewing of the Barrel and Oak Stages—as well as a dedicated merchandise stand, premium, dedicated food offerings, air-conditioned, flushable restrooms, dedicated entrance lanes into the festival and a commemorative laminate and wristband.
Beyond VIP tickets include access to all Mint Experience VIP amenities PLUS a shaded viewing deck, air-conditioned lounge/tent with live audio/video streams of the Barrel and Oak Stages, all-inclusive premium drinks at 2 private bars within the hang area, complimentary hors d’oeuvres during set lunch and dinner hours, dedicated air-conditioned, flushable bathrooms, massage station, complimentary lockers with cell-phone chargers, complimentary Wi-Fi access, Beyond VIP Concierge staff and a commemorative Beyond VIP laminate and wristband.
Bourbon & Beyond sponsors include Kentucky Department of Tourism, Louisville Tourism, Kroger, Lagunitas, Red Bull, Zyn, Fxck Cancer, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Angry Orchard, Bourbon Women Association, Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA), Glencairn Crystal, and Eagle Nest Outfitters.
The Highland Festival Grounds At KY Expo Center are located at 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville, Kentucky. Festival doors open at 11:00 AM daily.
Bourbon & Beyond is produced by Los Angeles-based Danny Wimmer Presents, one of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in America. DWP events include Aftershock Festival, Bourbon & Beyond, Chicago Open Air, Epicenter Festival, Hometown Rising, Louder Than Life, Sonic Temple Art + Music Festival, and Welcome To Rockville.