BARDSTOWN, Ky. (WDRB) -- After the recent announcement of changes to the 2021 Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Bardstown’s Main Street area is creating its own event — on the same weekend.
Bardstown Main Street and Bardstown Tourism recently announced it will be creating a family event called "Cheers to Bardstown" after the Bourbon Festival announced it will now be a ticketed, 21-and-over crowd starting this year.
The festival set a limit of 7,000 tickets — which are already sold out.
"It is going to be really good for Bardstown," said Steven Stivers, who owns Making Good Scentz — a candle and soap store — on Main Street, said. "A lot of people who came to the Bourbon Festival didn’t even come to the downtown area."
Stivers has had his store in Bardstown for seven years, and is also open during the Bourbon Festival.
Steven Stivers at his shop Making Good Scentz in downtown Bardstown, Kentucky. (WDRB photo)
The Cheers to Bardstown event will have free admission and will be a non-ticketed event. It will include a beer garden, food trucks, vendors and crafts. It will also be a family event — something the Bourbon Festival has now steered away from, which upset many families who attended the event each year.
The new event will be held on the same days at the Bourbon Festival: Sept. 16 to Sept. 19 — minus Sunday.
Downtown Bardstown, Kentucky (WDRB photo)
“We did make it in response, however those tickets were already sold so there is absolutely no competition ... this really is in addition to,” Bardstown Tourism Executive Director Samantha Brady said.
The Bourbon Festival takes place on the Spalding Hall lawn, a few blocks from the downtown area.
Stivers says many of the thousands of people who attended the Bourbon Festival never came downtown to Main Street, so businesses really don’t see a big economic boost.
“We wanted to make sure that everyone that came to town whether it’s a visitor or a local has something to do that weekend - even ones that have tickets to the festival they can still come as well,” Main Street Program Director Randi Mouser said.
Stivers said he and several other downtown businesses have talked about the recent announcement and are thrilled at the opportunity to reach more people.
“This is what we have wanted. This is what we have wanted for years to draw people downtown and we’ve got it now,” he said.
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