Kentucky
It’s Bourbon Heritage Month! 15 events and ways to celebrate in Kentucky
Bourbon is the spirit of Kentucky so why not celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month by learning a bit more about its history within the Bluegrass state? Not surprisingly, bourbon is big business. If you’re looking to explore Kentucky’s bourbon industry, here is a list of bourbon events in September during Bourbon Heritage Month.
Know one we missed? Send a note to greed@gannett.com.
WHAT: Kick-off Bourbon Heritage Month at Michter’s Speakeasy. At this Prohibition-Era party, enjoy cocktails by Michter’s Distillery, live jazz with Louisville’s Derby City Dandies, and hors d’oeuvres by RK Bluegrass. Dance the Charleston like Daisy Buchanan and tempt Lady Luck with competitions to win prizes.
WHERE: Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St.
WHEN: Sept. 5, 7- 9:30 p.m.
COST: $45, $40 Frazier members includes one complimentary cocktail
MORE INFORMATION: 1920s-themed or cocktail attire is encouraged. fraziermuseum.org.
WHAT: Performers include Jeremy Camp (Sept. 6), Jumping Jack Flash (A Rolling Stones Tribute, Sept. 13), Roots and Boots (Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye, Aaron Tippin, Sept. 28), Elle King (Oct. 4) and Buckcherry (Oct. 12).
WHERE: The Amp, 225 Dee Head Road, Gethsemane, Kentucky
WHEN: Sept. 6, 13, 28 7 p.m.
COST: Ticket prices vary.
MORE INFORMATION: Parking is $20, cash only. logstilldistillery.com/theamp.
WHAT: This annual Bourbon Heritage Month event brings together world-class design, hospitality, and the “sport of kings.” Professional polo players from across the country will compete in one of America’s most opulent Polo Cups while spectators sip fine Bourbon. Presented by Woodford Reserve.
WHERE: Oxmoor Farm, 720 Oxmoor Ave.
WHEN: Sept. 7, 2 p.m.
COST: Tickets start at $185 for Champagne Garden, upgrade available. Fieldside parking is sold out.
MORE INFORMATION: makerspoloclub.com.
WHAT: Enjoy live music as you take in the sights and sounds of the river while sipping on Castle & Key bourbon. A Castle & Key Brand Ambassador will be on board to provide a tasting and lead a discussion on one of Kentucky’s most iconic distilleries. Performers, Whiskey Bent Valley Boys (Sept. 11), Song Sparrows (Sept. 18), Hickory Vaught & Friends (Sept. 25).
WHERE: Mary M. Miller, 401 W. River Road
WHEN: Sept. 11, 18 and 25, 7 p.m.
COST: $14.99 to $24.99
MORE INFORMATION: belleoflouisville.org.
WHAT: The Art of Bourbon combines Kentucky’s official art museum with Kentucky’s most remarkable product, bourbon, to produce the region’s premier bourbon and whiskey auction party. Bid on rare and hard-to-find bourbon varieties. Proceeds benefit the Speed Art Museum. Join online or in person to bid on some once-in-a-lifetime offerings. In-person includes cocktails, dinner, and auctions.
Auction highlights:
- Michter’s 25-Year-Old. Michter’s Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon 25 years old. This rare 25-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from the highest quality American corn and aged in fire-charred, new American white oak barrels.
- Pappy Van Winkle Vertical signed by Julian Van Winkle. A 6-bottle complete vertical of all of the Van Winkle bottles, each signed by Julian Van Winkle III exclusively for Art of Bourbon.
- Bardstown Bourbon Origin Series Single Barrel Bourbon. Embark on a journey at Bardstown Bourbon Company and experience your very own single-barrel selection. Taste, sip and select your Origin Series Bourbon Single Barrel 6-year-old, 100% estate-distilled, 60% corn/36% rye/4% malted barley mash bill.
WHERE: Speed Art Museum,2035 South Third St.
WHEN: Sept. 12, 6-9:30 p.m.; auction begins at 7 p.m.
COST: $350 per person to participate in person; free to join online (should you win an item; your credit card will be immediately charged).
MORE INFORMATION: To participate in The Art of Bourbon, you must create a proxibid account and register before the event. 502-634-2704; artofbourbon.org.
WHAT: Celebrate America’s Native Spirit (bourbon) and Bourbon Heritage Month at the Bourbon Capital of the World, the city of Bardstown. Bardstown has hosted the Kentucky Bourbon Festival every September since 1991. The festival features more than 60 distilleries offering sample pours and bottle sales, 200 brands and expressions, 55 experts and master distillers, 31 events and panels, music, food trucks, and more.
WHERE: 114 N. Fifth St., Bardstown, Kentucky
WHEN: Sept. 13-15
COST: Sold out.
MORE INFORMATION: kybourbonfestival.com.
WHAT: Bourbon and Boxing brings together the elegance of a black-tie affair with the excitement of live boxing matches and bourbon. Enjoy premium bourbon tastings from renowned distilleries.
WHERE: Caesars Southern Indiana, 11999 Casino Center Drive Southeast, Elizabeth, Indiana
WHEN: Sept. 13. Doors open at 7 p.m. with a reception, mingling in the casino; boxing at 8 p.m.
COST: Tickets start at $75
MORE INFORMATION: bourbonandboxingllc.com/
More: Black-tie Bourbon and Boxing event is heading to Louisville. Here’s how to get tickets
WHAT: Enjoy a three-course meal paired with Horse Soldier Bourbon, led by Regional Brand Specialist Kody Langeland. Menu: Burrata, wedge salad, and shrimp and grits.
WHERE: 2255 Frankfort Ave.
WHEN: Sept. 18, 6:30-9 p.m.
COST: $74 per person, plus tax and gratuity includes dinner, welcome cocktail, and tastings of three Horse Soldier products.
MORE INFORMATION: Limited seating is available. Dietary and allergy restrictions will be accommodated. Reservations are requested. bourbonsbistro.com.
WHAT: Celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month at the world’s largest music, food, and bourbon festival.
Headliners:
- Thursday: Sting, Matchbox Twenty, Beck, Maren Morris, Koe Wetzel, BRELAND, Ole 60, The Record Company, The Sam Bush Band, Sister Sadie.
- Friday: Dave Matthews Band, Black Pumas, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Head and The Heart, Chris Isaak, Mat Kearney, The Red Clay Strays, Wyatt Flores, The Jerry Douglas Band, New Dangerfield.
- Saturday: Zach Bryan, Whiskey Myers, Cody Jinks, Teddy Swims, Young the Giant, Allen Stone, Wild Rivers, Meg Myers, Tony Trishka’s Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs, Big Richard.
- Sunday: Tyler Childers, The National, My Morning Jacket, The War on Drugs, Milky Chance, Dinosaur JR, X Ambassadors, Lucius, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Local Honeys.
Bourbon:
- The Bourbon Experince: Hosted Amanda Freitag and Chris Blandford.
- The Hunter’s Club. Sip and savor rare, vintage, and experimental expressions.
- The Kroger Big Bourbon Bar. Bourbon from more than 18 distilleries.
WHERE: Highlands Festival Grounds, Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane
WHEN: Sept. 19-21
COST: Tickets start at $150 per day
MORE INFORMATION: bourbonandbeyond.com
More: Bourbon & Beyond releases its 2024 lineup: Who’s performing at the bourbon music festival?
WHAT: Known as the world’s most award-winning distillery, Buffalo Trace has been producing top-tier bourbon for over 200 years. Guests will savor a curated selection of Buffalo Trace’s finest offerings, each paired with a specially crafted menu to enhance this iconic spirit’s complex flavors.
Menu:
- First course: Steak tartar crostini; second course: grilled radicchio salad; third course: grilled swordfish and farro salad; fourth course: crispy braised veal cheek, whipped sweet potato, charred shaved brussel sprouts, maple chipotle demi-glace; fifth course: pistachio affogato sundae with an espresso shot on the side
WHERE: Swizzle, Galt House,140 N Fourth St.
WHEN: Sept. 19, 7-9 p.m.
COST: $125
MORE INFORMATION: swizzle25.com/events
WHAT: Celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month from the Bourbon City’s historic steamboat, the Belle of Louisville. This bourbon-infused event features tastings, and live music as you cruise down the river.
WHERE: Belle of Louisville, 131 W. River Road
WHEN: Sept. 27, 7 p.m.
COST: $49.99
MORE INFORMATION: belleoflouisville.org.
WHAT: Explore the hidden stories of Louisville’s haunted past as you eat and drink your way down Whiskey Row. Meet the resident ghosts of Louisville’s historic downtown, trace the footsteps of bourbon magnates and mobsters, see Al Capone’s secret getaway, discover hidden speakeasies, and learn the shocking truth about Prohibition. This tour includes four stops for libations, as well as an assortment of small bites.
WHERE: Meet at 1st and Washington St.
WHEN: Tuesdays-Thursdays, 5 p.m.; Fridays, 5 and 5:30 p.m. through Dec. 27.
COST: $149
MORE INFORMATION: For ages 21 and older. Wheelchair friendly with advance notice. Tickets must be booked online in advance. 1.5 miles of walking. louisvillefoodtours.com/tours/phantoms-of-the-prohibition-tour.
More: Here are 5 food and bourbon walking tours you can take in Louisville
WHAT: The museum offers a variety of Kentucky Bourbon tastings, tours, exhibitions, and products when exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Events include Kentucky Hug Bourbon Experience, Flight Club; Ready, Set, Go! Bourbon Experience; Craft Your Own Cocktail Experience and private tastings and tours.
- Kentucky Hug Bourbon Experience. Learn about the history of the bourbon and enjoy a flight of Kentucky bourbons. $24.
- Flight Club: Participants will be given a blind flight of three different bourbons that will challenge their senses and teach them a thing or two about Bourbon. $24.
- Ready, Set, Go! Bourbon Experience: Intended for Kentucky Bourbon Trail visitors and bourbon buffs. With this experience, participants get a multi-brand bourbon tasting, first and second-day admission to the museum, and much more. $34.
- Craft Your Own Cocktail Experience: Learn how to make an iconic cocktail from the Certified Bourbon Stewards. Presented by Old Forester. $24.
- Private tasting and tours: Offering several customizable guided tours and bourbon tastings led by one of Frazier’s certified Bourbon Stewards.
- Whiskey Row Walking Tours. Starting at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center inside the Frazier History Museum. This tour offers tastings at local distilleries with everything you need to learn about the history, distilling, and craftsmanship behind our world-famous Bourbon Whiskey. $89.
WHERE: Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St.
WHEN: Seven days a week at designated times that you can opt to book online or enjoy as a walk-in
MORE INFORMATION: The Museum Store sells bourbon and a wide variety of Bourbon-related merchandise. fraziermuseum.org.
WHAT: Sip, savor, and seek thrills with the museum’s unique selection of bourbon experiences. Learn about the rich history of Thoroughbred racing while indulging in Kentucky’s finest spirits.
- Bourbon & Bridles Experience. Start with a tour of Churchill Downs to learn why horse racing and Bourbon are a perfect pair. Then wrap up with a tasting of well-known bourbons. Tuesdays and Fridays, 2 p.m. Tickets start at $80.
- Hermitage Farm and Derby Museum Tour. This is an all-day experience that takes participants from the Museum to the Farm and will leave you with a new-found love and appreciation for all things horse racing and bourbon. Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. Tickets starts at $80.
- Derby Cafe and Bourbon Bar on the Urban Bourbon Trail. The Urban Bourbon Trail includes more than 40 bars and restaurants around Derby City. One of these stops is the Derby Cafe Express at the Museum. The cafe has 170 bourbons, special bourbon flights and specialty cocktails. Stop by for a cocktail.
WHERE: Kentucky Derby Museum, 704 Central Ave.
WHEN: Various times
MORE INFORMATION: 502-637-1111; derbymuseum.org.
WHAT: Enjoy live music, bourbon specials, and delicious barbecue every Wednesday evening at Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse. Features bottle at breakeven price (limited tasting per guest).
WHERE: Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse, 434 South 4th St.
WHEN: Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. now through Oct. 25.
MORE INFORMATION: $5 off flights and free side with the purchase of a half-pound of meat. 4thstlive.com/eat-and-drink/guy-fieris-smokehouse.
Reach features news clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journal.com.
More: Looking for great Kentucky bourbon? 6 trendy bourbon bars to try in Louisville
Kentucky faces Tennessee for a third time this season in Indianapolis on Friday night, in a Sweet 16 game that could be the biggest game in the history of a long and storied series.
The Wildcats defeated Tennessee 78-73 in Knoxville back in late January and then took down the Vols 75-64 in Rupp Arena the next month.
Here are some of the themes from those wins.
– Kentucky shot exactly 50% in both wins. They were 25/50 FG and 26/52 respectively in those wins. Kentucky didn’t attempt a huge number of shots.
– Ansley Almonor was a big factor in both games. He was 4/7 FG with 12 points in Knoxville and 4/5 with 13 points in the Lexington win.
– Oweh was okay both times. He was 4/11 from the field and averaged 13.5 points. Basically, Kentucky got as much offense from Almonor as from Oweh, and the former was more efficient.
– Trent Noah chipped in both games. He had five points in the first game and 11 points as the top bench scorer in the second game. He only missed one field goal in those two games combined.
– Tennessee didn’t turn it over much. The Vols turned it over nine times in one game and five times another. Lamont Butler wasn’t available for the game in Knoxville, when UT only turned it over five times.
– The Vols dominated second chance points and won the boards overall. Tennessee beat Kentucky in second chance points 35-11. They were +3 and +7 respectively on the boards in those two games.
– UT senior guard Jordan Gainey and didn’t shoot well. He’s only a 39.8% field goal shooter but was 4/12 and 2/9 from the floor in those two games. He took a lot of shots and wasn’t on. Chaz Lanier also didn’t shoot well (5/14 FG and 3/13 FG).
– Tennessee shot poorly from three-point range. The Vols were 11/45 from three-point range in the Knoxville game. That was a huge number of three-point shots and the Vols were only 24%. They didn’t shoot nearly as many in Lexington but were only 3/18.
– Kentucky led by 35 minutes in both games. The Wildcats set a tone early and didn’t relent. They have stayed in control through two games in the NCAA Tournament as well.
– UT finished both games cold, but credit Kentucky’s defense. UT only hit one of its last dozen field goal attempts in that 78-73 UK win in Knoxville and they missed their last four field goals in the Lexington loss.
Facts About the Kentucky General Assembly
Discover key facts about the Kentucky General Assembly, including its history, structure, and state government functions.
The 2025 Kentucky legislative session is its final stretch — with more than 100 bills sent to Gov. Andy Beshear for approval.
The session entered a veto period on March 15, during which Beshear can sign bills into law, veto them or let them become law without his signature.
Wednesday marks the last day for Beshear to make his decisions. Lawmakers will return to the Capitol on Thursday and Friday for the final two days of the session.
The General Assembly is dominated by Republicans, and state legislators will likely override Beshear’s vetoes — putting their bills into law with or without an OK from the Democratic governor.
Here’s are the bills Beshear has vetoed so far.
House Bill 495: Overturning conversion therapy ban
In a social media post late Saturday, Beshear said he vetoed a measure that would nullify an executive order on conversion therapy that he issued last year.
“Conversion therapy is torture, and that’s why I signed an executive order banning it in Kentucky,” Beshear said in the post on X, formerly Twitter. “Legislators seek to overturn those protections with HB 495, which I vetoed at the Fairness Dinner.”
House Bill 495 was amended just before it received final approval to also prohibit transgender Kentuckians from receiving gender-affirming care through Medicaid.
The bill passed both chambers with widespread support from Republicans and strong opposition from Democrats.
According to HB 495, sponsored by Republican Rep. David Hale, Medicaid funds can not be expended on:
- “Cross-sex hormones in amounts greater than would normally be produced endogenously in a healthy person of the same age and sex.”
- “Gender reassignment surgery to alter or remove physical or anatomical characteristics or features that are typical for and characteristics of a person’s biological sex.”
House Bill 4: DEI ban at colleges and universities
Last week, Beshear vetoed a measure that bans diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives at Kentucky public colleges and universities.
He said in a social media post that the bill “isn’t about love” but instead “is about hate.”
HB 4, sponsored by Republican Rep. Jennifer Decker, prohibits Kentucky colleges and universities from spending money on DEI programs. The measure also requires schools to eliminate all DEI offices and positions and prohibits them from requiring students or staff to attend DEI training sessions, among other things.
The bill has some exceptions, including for Americans with Disabilities Act and Title IX requirements. It defines DEI initiatives as policies, practices or procedures “designed or implemented to promote or provide differential treatment or benefits to individuals on the basis of religion, race, sex, color, or national origin.”
Beshear has defended DEI measures in the past and said Kentucky “should be embracing diversity, not banning it” when he announced his veto.
House Bill 216: Department of Agriculture grants
House Bill 216, sponsored by Republican Rep. Myron Dossett, would let Department of Agriculture employees apply for and receive grants and loans run by the department through the Kentucky Office of Agricultural Policy’s Agricultural Development Board or Kentucky Agricultural Finance Corporation.
In Beshear’s veto message, he said the measure allows conduct that “always has been unethical and unlawful under the Executive Branch’s Ethics Code.”
He cited two advisory opinions issued to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, where the Executive Branch Ethics Commission confirmed the state’s laws prohibit executive branch employees from accepting grants from programs “run by the agency they work for.”
“As written, House Bill 216 would even allow employees who work directly on the grant and loan programs to select themselves,” Beshear said. “This puts farmers who are not department employees at an unfair disadvantage when competing with department employees for grants and loans.”
Senate Bill 245: Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission
Under Senate Bill 245, members who are reappointed to the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources Commission would not be able to serve unless they receive Senate confirmation.
According to the bill’s language, “a member whose reappointment is not confirmed by the Senate while it is in session shall vacate his or her seat upon the date of sine die adjournment of the session in which the confirmation was declined.”
SB 245 was sponsored by Republican Sen. Brandon Smith.
Under current law, only new appointments from Beshear are subject to Senate confirmation. In his veto message, Beshear said the Senate has “refused to confirm seven members whom the sportsmen and sportswomen have nominated” the past four legislative sessions. He also pointed out the Senate still has to confirm the reappointment of the “first ever Black member of the commission.”
“The bill and the Senate’s refusal to confirm creates a scenario where there could be multiple vacancies on the Commission at one time, while the part-time General Assembly is out of session (most of the year), threatening the Commission’s ability to fill its quorum,” Beshear said in his veto message.
Reach reporter Hannah Pinski at hpinski@courier-journal.com or follow her on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @hannahpinski.
Illinois’ season came to an end against Kentucky on Sunday, as the Illini fell 84-75 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Milwaukee. What the future holds for the Illini roster remains to be seen, as the NBA Draft and transfer portal will certainly be calling a variety of names.
One of those names is freshman Will Riley, who could certainly hear his name called in the first round of June’s NBA Draft.
Riley was a prized recruit from Canada whose commitment Brad Underwood and Illinois won over Alabama and Kentucky. Riley made those visits last summer before choosing the Illini and enrolling at Champaign shortly after.
Following Sunday’s game, Riley was understandably down. One of the first to console him? The Kentucky coach that didn’t ultimately land his commitment, Mark Pope.
“What an incredible season he had with a great Illinois team,” Pope said of Riley following the game, “Beautiful kid with a beautiful family.
“And he’s really smart, because he didn’t come play for me.”
Pope then went ahead to make a prediction on what’s next for the Illinois star.
“Huge future as a big-time pro.”
Brad Underwood on Illinois roster retention
For years, college basketball teams would lose in the NCAA Tournament and perhaps one or a couple would be off to the pros, while other seniors readied for the business world. Then there were the underclassmen who would certainly be back in the tournament again for their respective schools.
Today, with the transfer portal, who will remain with any given program is a question even head coaches don’t always know the answer to.
Underwood about the next steps for the Illini basketball regarding roster retention, and admitted that most of it is well out of his hands.
“It’s always about [retention],” Underwood said. “Unfortunately, we don’t have a lot of control of that.
“Last year, we were very old. I thought we had a group this year that I enjoyed coaching.”
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