Bourbon & Beyond is back, and once again, it’s proving that Kentucky knows how to throw a party—one that involves world-class bourbon, an absurdly stacked music lineup, and enough culinary star power to make your local food scene feel inadequate.
Set for September 11-14, 2025, at Highland Festival Grounds in Louisville, this year’s edition keeps up the tradition of blending top-tier rock, Americana, alternative, blues, country, and whatever category Phish falls into with bourbon experiences that could turn even the most casual drinker into a connoisseur.
The Music
They say variety is the spice of life, and Bourbon & Beyond 2025 is throwing the whole spice rack at us:
• Thursday: The Lumineers, Benson Boone, Alabama Shakes (yes, they’re back after a decade, so pretend you didn’t already Google “what happened to Alabama Shakes” last year).
• Friday: Phish, Khruangbin, Joe Bonamassa—get ready for marathon jams, groove-heavy psych-funk, and blues solos that melt faces.
• Saturday: Sturgill “Johnny Blue Skies” Simpson, Jack White, Vance Joy—expect weird from Sturgill, brilliant from Jack, and indie singalongs from Vance.
• Sunday: Noah Kahan, Goo Goo Dolls, Megan Moroney—because no festival lineup is complete without at least one ‘90s nostalgia act and an artist TikTok helped launch.
And that’s just the headliners. Also joining the madness: Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Cage The Elephant, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, TV On The Radio, Third Eye Blind, Pixies, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Dashboard Confessional, The Teskey Brothers, and… Rilo Kiley? Yep, add them to the growing list of bands you assumed would never reunite.
The Bourbon & The Bites
Because this isn’t just any music festival—it’s Bourbon & Beyond, and that means booze and food actually matter.
Expect top-notch bourbon tastings led by Chris Blandford and panels featuring bourbon royalty alongside actual royalty (chefs Chris Santos, Amanda Freitag, and Ed Lee). If you’re into bourbon, you’ll be in heaven. If you’re not, you will be by the end of the weekend.
The Culinary Atelier will feature chef demos, tasting experiences, and the occasional celeb guest appearance, ensuring your festival diet isn’t just beer and whatever questionable pizza slice you find at 2 a.m.
The Extras & The Flex
Bourbon & Beyond isn’t just about what’s on stage (or in your glass). It’s an immersive, let’s-make-this-a-lifestyle event, with:
• Blind Bourbon LIVE—watch Fred Minnick blindly rank bourbons, because even experts need a challenge.
• The Bluegrass Situation Stage—because Kentucky, obviously.
• Live Podcast & Panel Tapings—where industry folks talk shop, and you pretend to be taking notes.
Also, if you really want to flex on your friends, you can upgrade to Mint VIP (because air-conditioned restrooms matter) or go full Angel’s Envy Beyond VIP, which promises a “luxury” experience.
The Tickets & The Details
Single-day, four-day, VIP, and camping passes are on sale now at bourbonandbeyond.com. If you’re feeling particularly bold, you can grab an Exacta Pass, which lets you experience both Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life the following weekend, because who needs sleep when you have bourbon and rock ‘n’ roll?
Also, there’s a Happy Hour event in Louisville on February 7 at Hauck’s Corner, where you can snag service fee-free passes, sip festival-themed cocktails, and pretend this is the year you’ll actually make it to every set you planned to see.
So, what’s the move? Grab your tickets, start stretching your liver, and prepare for four days of expertly crafted debauchery. See you in Louisville.
