Culinary, bourbon lineups released for this year's Bourbon & Beyond

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Organizers for Bourbon & Beyond have released this year's culinary and bourbon lineups.

Chefs set to demonstrate during the music festival include Chris Santos, of "Chopped," Amanda Freitag, of "Top Chef" and "Chopped," and local celebrity chef Edward Lee.

Santos and Lee will be joined by chef Claudette Zepeda, who competed on "Top Chef," season 15, Food Network personality chef Esther Choi, Louisville chef Anthony Lamas, with Seviche, and chef Lawrence Weeks with North of Bourbon for culinary demonstrations

Freitag will lead bourbon programming with expert Chris Blandford. Featured brands include Old Rip Van Winkle, Angel's Envy, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Buffalo Trace and more. Organizers said Kentucky Proud products will be featured as well.

Other programming highlights include:

A live taping of the "Firkin Podcast," with Redferrin
"Family Cookin" with Terry Bradshaw and his son-in-law, chef Noah Hester
New panels "New School of American Whiskey" and "Buzzed About Bourbon"
A Q&A with actress Elizabeth Banks, who co-owns Archer Roose Wines
Stories and bourbon insights from comedian Jim Gaffigan
Blind Bourbon LIVE workshop with bourbon expert Fred Minnick
Special guests: 49 Winchester, Trombone Shorty, Kelly Hansen, Redferrin, Salt Hank, Katie Crutchfield and more

The Kroger Big Bourbon Bar will also return this year, as well as the Chris Picks MiniBar, The Hunger's Club, and the Jack Daniel's Sports Bar and Char House.

There will also be onsite food and beverage vendors "inspired by Kentucky's explosion in the culinary world," including local and regional restaurants.

Demonstrations, tastings and workshops are set to run daily from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on the Fork & Flask curated by Kroger Stage.

To learn more about the culinary and bourbon lineups, workshops, panels and more, click here.

Danny Wimmer Presents, the organizer behind Bourbon & Beyond, will hold the festival for the seventh time Sept. 11-14 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

There are more than 120 musicians and bands who will play over five music stages.

The full musical lineup includes a mix of artists who've taken off in recent years — 2025 Grammy-nominated Benson Boone and Noah Kahan, to name a few — and some throwback artists to the 1980s, 90s and early 2000s like Third Eye Blind, Pixies and Foreigner. Other notable names slated to play in Louisville include Alabama Shakes, Cage the Elephant, Megan Moroney, Ringo Starr, Pat Benatar, Spin Doctors, Dashboard Confessional, Colbie Caillat, Gin Blossoms, Gavin DeGraw, The Lumineers, Phish, Sturgill Simpson and Jack White.

Festival organizers said the 60,000 people who attended Saturday in 2024 marked the largest single day for a musical festival in Kentucky history. Just a few of the artists who took the stage in 2024 included Dave Matthews Band, Matchbox Twenty, Zach Bryan, The Beach Boys, Tyler Childers and hometown favorite My Morning Jacket.

In April, Bourbon & Beyond was named Pollstar's Music Festival of the Year. The festival was also named "2024 Festival of the Year" by the International Entertainment Buyers Association. It brought in a record 210,000 people over four days this year, a 75% increase from 2023 attendance.

Also in April, Kentucky Venues inked a 10-year deal with Danny Wimmer Presents to keep Bourbon & Beyond, as well as Louder Than Life — which follows Bourbon & Beyond Sept. 18-21, at the Highland Festival Grounds from 2026-35. The incentive package also solidified a partnership with the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Louisville Metro Government, Kentucky Venues and key tourism and hospitality partners.

A four-day general admission ticket to Bourbon & Beyond will cost $339 after fees. Four-day Mint VIP tickets will cost you $781. DWP said they'll include:

VIP viewing area in front of both main stages
Shaded lounge with comfortable seating and live audio and video streams of the main stages
Outdoor seating with views of the main stages
Dedicated festival merch booth
Air-conditioned flushable restrooms
Premium food offerings, for additional purchase
Dedicated bars with full beverage options, for additional purchase
Locker rental with charging capabilities, for additional purchase

Beyond VIP tickets are selling for $2,128. DWP said they'll include:

Stunning views, lavish amenities, and an unforgettable atmosphere, all while indulging in the perfect harmony of music and luxury
Access to all General Admission and Mint VIP areas, express festival VIP entry lanes, commemorative laminate, and exclusive Angel's Envy Beyond VIP Perk

For more information on Bourbon & Beyond, including how to buy tickets, click here.