The next Kentucky Bourbon Festival runs September 16-19, 2027, on the lawn of Spalding Hall in downtown Bardstown. It is a ticketed, 21-and-over festival with pours from dozens of distilleries, and it has sold out every year since 2021, including the 35th-anniversary edition held September 10-13, 2026. If you want in for 2027, plan now: join the festival newsletter for early ticket access in spring, and book your room the same day you buy tickets.
When is the 2027 festival?
The official festival site lists 2027 as Thursday, September 16 through Sunday, September 19. By the festival’s own numbering that will be the 36th year. Expect the same shape as 2026, which was:
| Day | 2026 hours | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday | 6-9:30 p.m. | Bourbon in the Air, the kickoff party on the Great Lawn (separate ticket) |
| Friday | Noon-6 p.m. (VIP 11 a.m.) | Full festival: tastings, panels, sessions |
| Saturday | Noon-6 p.m. (VIP 11 a.m.) | Full festival, plus the free Barrel Relay in the morning |
| Sunday | Noon-4 p.m. (VIP 11 a.m.) | Shorter day, Sunday Sampler tickets |
The 2027 schedule will be posted closer to the date. Since 2025 the festival has sat in early-to-mid September to open National Bourbon Heritage Month.
How the 2026 festival went
The 2026 edition was billed as the 35th anniversary, and every ticket tier was sold out well ahead of time. General admission promised sampling from more than 60 distillery booths, and the festival’s home page counts more than 200 brands and 30-plus events across the four days. New Riff Distilling was the featured distillery, with a tasting led by its master distiller. Organizers say about 85 percent of ticket holders come from outside Kentucky, which explains why hotel rooms vanish so fast.
Downtown got in on it too. Bardstown Main Street and the Chamber held the sixth Cheers to Bardstown street party on the Saturday, 1-10 p.m., with live music, food and cocktails around Court Square. Watch for it again on 2027’s festival Saturday.
Tickets and prices
These are the 2026 tiers from the festival ticket page. All were sold out when checked, and 2027 pricing has not been released.
| Ticket (2026) | Price | What you got |
|---|---|---|
| Weekend Taster (3-day GA) | $225 ($205 for newsletter subscribers) | Sampling from 60+ distillery booths, unlimited re-entry, Bourbon:30 panels |
| Sunday Sampler (1-day) | $115 | Sunday entry and a Wee Glencairn glass |
| Bourbon in the Air (Thursday) | $215 | Kickoff party with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails and live music |
| Bourbon Enthusiast (3-day VIP) | $795 | VIP Lodge access and gifts |
| Flask Force (3-day VIP) | $895 | VIP Lodge, a limited-edition flask, a signed bottle |
| Decanter Club (3-day VIP) | $1,495 | VIP Lodge, crystal decanter set, a signed bottle |
| President’s Club (3-day) | $6,995 | Three nights at The Trail Hotel, private shuttle, a watch; limited to 30 guests |
Add-on sessions cost extra. In 2026 the events and experiences list included chef-led Bourbon Culinary Sessions ($85), cocktail workshops ($85), a Moonshine University sensory class ($85), a Michter’s Saturday brunch ($95), a New Riff tasting ($100) and vintage whiskey tastings with pours from the 1950s to the 1980s ($125). The vintage session is the one serious collectors circle first.
How to get 2027 tickets
For 2026, tickets opened to “Bourbon Insiders” newsletter subscribers on April 13 and to the public on April 14, according to Breaking Bourbon’s report on the on-sale. Expect a similar spring release for 2027. The playbook:
- Sign up for the newsletter on the festival site now. Subscribers get the early window and a discount on general admission.
- Decide your tier before sale day. VIP tiers are small and go first.
- Book lodging the minute your tickets are confirmed.
- If you miss out, watch for authorized resale. In 2026 the festival promised resale details for May. Skip strangers selling screenshots.
What to expect on the grounds
Most of the festival happens on the Great Lawn around Spalding Hall, the 1800s college building that also houses the Oscar Getz Museum of Bourbon History. Distilleries pour directly from their booths, which has been legal in Kentucky since 2019, and you can buy bottles on site, including a run of single-barrel “Distillers’ Row” releases. The free Bourbon:30 panels bring master distillers and writers onto a stage (13 sessions in 2026). There is also a Master Distillers’ Bottle Auction and a marketplace of food trucks and vendors.
The one part open to everyone is the World Championship Barrel Relay, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when teams race 500-pound barrels. In 2026 the festival located it at the Nelson County Courthouse. It is free, fun and the only festival moment you can bring kids to.
Pace yourself. The afternoons can be warm (September highs average about 81°F), pours add up fast, and water is your friend. Eat something real before noon.
Rules to know before you go
The festival is strictly 21 and over with valid ID, and it runs rain or shine with no refunds. Bags must be clear and no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches, or a small clutch. No outside alcohol and no pets (documented service animals are allowed). Check the festival-info page for the current list before you pack.
Where to stay and how to get there
This is the hardest lodging weekend of the year in Bardstown. Regulars book a year ahead, and repeat groups re-book the same rentals every year. A few moves that help:
- Book your room when you buy tickets, and read cancellation terms. Jailer’s Inn, for example, requires 30 days’ notice on Bourbon Festival weekend instead of its usual 7.
- Look at the whole county and the historic B&Bs, not only the chain hotels on the bypass. Our Bourbon Festival lodging guide walks through the options.
- If town is full, the festival sells a $30-a-day shuttle from the Tempo by Hilton Louisville Downtown NuLu, about an hour each way.
Bardstown is about 52 minutes and 36 miles from Louisville’s airport (SDF). The grounds are a short walk from Court Square. Parking is on the street and in nearby cash lots, so walk in from your hotel if you can. After a day of pours, do not drive: line up a driver or tour company ahead of time using our bourbon transportation guide.
A short history
The festival began in 1992 (some sources say 1991) as a bourbon-tasting dinner, and the Kentucky General Assembly named it the state’s official bourbon festival in 2000, according to Wikipedia’s Bardstown article. For decades it was a free, family street festival with parades, funnel cakes and a black-tie gala. In 2021 it reinvented itself as a ticketed, 21-and-over event with direct distillery pours, and it has sold out ever since. The old gala is no longer on the program. Also, do not confuse it with Louisville’s Bourbon & Beyond, which is a separate music festival.
Pair it with
Build festival weekend around distillery tours on Thursday or Monday. They sell out too, so read how far ahead to book distillery tours (most release in roughly 90-day blocks). If you cannot land festival tickets, National Bourbon Week in June is a quieter, cheaper way to get distillery exclusives. For the rest of the season, see fall in Bardstown.
