Ky. Bourbon Festival turns 35: From a small dinner to a world stage
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By RUSS BROWN • 2025 photos courtesy Zach • Sinclair / Grizzly Media
Chances are that all bourbon enthusiasts in Kentucky are familiar with Bardstown's popular Kentucky Bourbon Festival during National Bourbon Heritage Month for four days in September when the small city 40 miles southeast of Louisville becomes the bourbon center of the world.
However, probably a much smaller number know about the modest beginning of the festival, which celebrated its 35th anniversary Sept. 10-13 with its fourth consecutive sellout. Nobody could have predicted the steady growth the festival has enjoyed since its founding in 1991 when about 250 people got together for a dinner and bourbon tasting.
Early organizers -- including then director of the Bardstown Convention and Visitors Bureau Martha Burchfield, and Master Distiller Parker Beam -- envisioned more than a consumer fair, and that vision has certainly come to pass.
Now the event draws about 6,000 ticketed guests from more than a dozen countries for activities that include tastings, cooking demonstrations, competitions, workshops, historic tours, educational panel discussions, expanded food offerings, and more than 40 vendors in the Bourbon Marketplace.
Topics of the panel discussions this time included "What Created the Bourbon Bubble and Could it Still Burst?"; "Is Older Whiskey Always Better?"; "A Day in the Life of a Master Taster: It's as Fun as You Think"; "A Celebration of Women in Bourbon"; "Upgrading Your Ideal Bourbon World"; and "Mythbusting: Dispelling Bourbon Lore";" among others.
The festival is home to the World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay, where teams compete rolling 500-pound barrels, a highlight of the weekend. Another much-anticipated event is the Master Distillers' Auction in the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History in Spalding Hall. Built in 1826 and listed on the National Historic Registry, it contains one of the finest collections of bourbon, whiskey and whiskey artifacts in the world.
Bardstown's self-proclaimed title as "Bourbon Capital of the World" is a phrase that is trademarked. Bardstown was also designated as the 'Bourbon Capital' by Kentucky House Bill 221 (1900). The area has been the site of bourbon distilleries since 1776. More than 60 distilleries -- with over 200 brands and expressions -- took part in this year's festival, pouring samples and offering opportunities to engage with the most sought-after brands and attend sessions with industry leaders and personalities
Randy Prasse, president and COO of the festival, commends numerous people and businesses for the festival's growth and success -- particularly since it became a ticketed event five years ago -- saying it is "thanks to the dedication of all the staff, board, distilleries, sponsors, and volunteers who have worked diligently to create what is now widely considered the preeminent whiskey event in the world."
As you might expect since the festival draws massive out-of-state crowds, it generates a sizable portion of Nelson County's economic impact of $90.9 million per year. Many of the attendees are from outside the state, pumping millions into lodging, retail and restaurants.
The festival's timing during the second week of September is intentional because it coincides with peak Kentucky corn harvest when grain moisture content averages 15.5%, ideal for milling and fermentation. It also avoids Kentucky Derby season and summer heat and humidity that can compromise barrel aging consistency during on-site tours.
The Festival highlights one distillery each year as its featured partner. This year the spotlight was on New Riff, based in Newport, Ky. near Cincinnati, an award-winning distillery that describes its location as the gateway to bourbon country.
"The Kentucky Bourbon Festival is one of our cornerstone events each year," New Riff President Mollie Lewis told WhiskeyPulse.com. "We love having that face-to-face time to meet fans of the distillery, and make new ones, in a setting unlike any other. We can't wait to celebrate KFB's milestone anniversary with everyone."
Admission tickets, along with VIP tickets and those for certain premium events go on sale in mid-April each year and sell out quickly. Before 2021, the festival was open to anyone, but it is now a 21-plus event. The date for the 2027 festival is Sept. 9-12. For more information go to Kentuckybourbonfestival.com/festival.info/
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