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
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – Kentucky state lawmakers held a town hall Wednesday night at the South Central Regional Library in south Louisville to hear directly from residents about concerns over hyperscale AI data centers — one of several public meetings on the issue in recent months, but the first organized by legislators themselves.
State senators and representatives convened the meeting on their own time, during the legislative off-season, ahead of January’s session.
“This is a time to bring people together, allow community to have their voice heard, and us take that information back so when it does come time for January, we have the right information in order to create policy that is going to be good for our constituents,” said Sen. Keturah Herron.
Residents, advocates, and organizers packed the library to raise concerns about energy demand, water use, noise, transparency, and whether costs would be passed to everyday utility customers.
Rep. Lisa Wellner cautioned that the legislative fight ahead would be difficult.
“The utilities lobby is very, very powerful in Frankfort…These are going to be the same powerful moneyed forces we’re going to be up against with these hyperscale data centers,” Wellner said.
Sen. Gary Clemons, a 30-year chemical industry veteran, drew a comparison between the potential impact of AI data centers and the effects of factories already bordering some Louisville neighborhoods.
“I negotiate with multi-million, billion dollar companies every day. I’m ready to go toe-to-toe with them now, if we’re ready to do it,” Clemons said.
U.S. Rep. Morgan McGarvey also attended the meeting.
“I am sick and tired and done with out-of-state corporations coming into our state, our home, our community — and using our resources, wasting and exploiting our people for their gain,” McGarvey said.
Attendee Virginia Bush, who came with a list of concerns about the city’s draft regulations, said halting data centers entirely was not realistic but that inaction was not an option.
“We know it’s not realistic to stop all of them, because people use the data in their everyday life…but they need to be regulated so that these things aren’t causing damage to the communities and to the environment,” Bush said.
Copyright 2026 WAVE. All rights reserved.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – Health officials are warning residents about a rise in Cyclospora cases, a parasite that causes an intestinal illness known as cyclosporiasis and can leave people sick for weeks.
The Kentucky Department for Public Health reported 67 cases between June 14 and July 2 — nearly double the approximately 35 cases the state typically sees in an entire year. While cases normally rise in the spring and summer months, Kentucky is among several states seeing a larger-than-typical increase.
Cases likely undercounted, health official says
Cassie Prather of the Woodford County Health Department said the reported numbers are likely an undercount.
“At this point, we have an underreported number of cases because a lot of people will deal with this and their immune system can kick it in a few days,” Prather said. “For those with a suppressed immune system it can lead to quick dehydration or even a hospital visits if they’re dealing with symptoms that don’t go away for 3-5 days.”
How the parasite spreads
People can become infected after eating or drinking contaminated food or water. Fresh produce has been linked to outbreaks in the United States, but the CDC says it is still working to pinpoint the cause of the current increase.
Symptoms and timeline
Symptoms often begin about a week after exposure but can appear as soon as two days or more than two weeks later. The most common symptom is watery diarrhea. People may also experience stomach cramps, nausea, fatigue, bloating, and weight loss. Symptoms can last weeks and sometimes return after improving.
“You’re going to endure stomach cramps, nausea, sometimes you can have a low-grade fever with that,” Prather said.
Prevention guidance
Public health experts urge people to follow food-safety guidelines to reduce the risk of cyclosporiasis and other intestinal illnesses. That includes washing hands with soap and water before and after handling raw fruits and vegetables, and refrigerating cut, peeled, or cooked fruits and vegetables within two hours.
Health officials say people whose symptoms last more than a few days, keep returning, or cause signs of dehydration should contact a healthcare provider for evaluation and possible testing.
Copyright 2026 WKYT. All rights reserved.
What is going on with Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell’s health?
The 84-year-old senator is still hospitalized after nearly three weeks, according to staff. Staff members still have not said why he was admitted.
Like many Kentuckians, I have been following the recent questions surrounding Senator Mitch McConnell’s health and ability to carry out the responsibilities of his office. Every elected official deserves privacy regarding personal medical matters. But when legitimate questions arise about an officeholder’s ability to serve, the public deserves transparency.
Unlike the presidency, the Constitution provides no mechanism for addressing the incapacity of a sitting member of Congress. That makes accountability even more important. At a time when every vote and committee decision can have significant consequences, Kentucky cannot afford uncertainty about whether one of its two senators is fully able to represent the Commonwealth.
Governor Beshear, Senator Rand Paul and Kentucky’s six members of the U.S. House should insist on transparency on behalf of their constituents. Kentuckians deserve an honest assessment of whether Senator McConnell is able to fulfill the duties of the office to which he was elected.
If he is well enough to continue serving, that should be communicated clearly. Weeks of unanswered questions are not fair to Senator McConnell, nor are they fair to the people he was elected to serve. I hope my fellow Kentuckians will join me in urging our elected officials to be transparent and put the interests of Kentucky first.
— Kate Caverno, 40245
-
Washington3 minutes agoWashington Commanders are retiring Hall of Famer John Riggins’ No. 44
-
Wisconsin6 minutes agoWisconsin State Patrol rides with truck and bus drivers to spot violations in five areas
-
West Virginia11 minutes agoWest Virginia town fires entire police force after chief resigns, sergeant alleges evidence room break-in
-
Wyoming18 minutes agoWHP: July 5 single-vehicle rollover north of Riverton resulted in one death, one injury
-
Crypto21 minutes agoBritish Airline Jet2 Shares Jump 9% After $536M Fuel Hedge Gain Offsets Middle East Travel Fears
-
Finance26 minutes agoTreasury Pick Queried on Iran War Fallout to Face Senate Finance
-
Fitness33 minutes agoQuote of the day by Cher: ‘Nothing lifts me out of a bad mood better than a hard workout on my…’ – motivating life lessons by Oscar-winning actress of Moonstruck and singer of Believe on exercise, mental health, fitness and how this daily habit can transform your mood and mindset
-
Movie Reviews41 minutes ago‘Night Nurse’ Review: A Caretaker Explores Her Kink for Elder Abuse in the Year’s Strangest Erotic Thriller
