Thousands of attendees expected in Bardstown for sold-out Kentucky Bourbon Festival

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- More than 6,000 bourbon enthusiasts are expected pour into Bardstown this weekend for the return of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, an event that sells out year after year.

The 33rd annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival is hosted on the historic grounds of Spalding Hall. On Monday, dozens of tents were already set up in preparation for the sold-out event.

The nuts and bolts are in order, and industry staples like Wild Turkey and Buffalo Trace have their spaces reserved. That empty space is expected to be packed on Friday, Sept. 15, with 6,000 ticketed guests.

For the second year in row, tickets are sold out, with VIP tickets snatched up within minutes.

All attendees will have access to more than 50 distilleries, including rare bourbon tastings, exclusive access to limited products or selections, and meet-and-greets with the distillers themselves. Live music and food trucks will also be available.

Tracy Green, a spokeswoman for the festival, said even though they max out on tickets, the festival doesn't plan to leave the bourbon capital of the world anytime soon.

"We love having the bourbon festival in Bardstown," Green said. "It's the bourbon capital of the world. It's unlike anywhere else. It is such a great small town, and we love being part of that community and getting to showcase how important bourbon is to Bardstown and how important Bardstown is to bourbon."

The World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 16. Distilleries form teams to be the fastest at stocking mock rickhouses. The prize: bragging rights, at least until next year.

Next year's festival will be held Sept. 13-15, 2024.