Headed to Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville? Here's what you need to know

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The two biggest weeks in music will take over Louisville starting Thursday with Bourbon & Beyond.

The annual four-day festival at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center will be followed by the four-day Louder Than Life festival, which will combine to bring an estimated 375,000 people together to see more than 230 artists.

Zach Bryan, Dave Matthews Band, Tyler Childers, Sting, Beck, Matchbox Twenty, The National, My Morning Jacket and The War on Drugs are some of the headliners for Bourbon & Beyond. Other bands and artists include Whiskey Myers, Cody Jinks, Tedeschi, Trucks Band, Black Pumas, The Beach Boys, Mt. Joy, Fleet Foxes, Young the Giant, Maren Morris, The Head and the Heart, Teddy Swims and Melissa Etheridge.

To see a day-by-day schedule of acts, click here.

There will also be culinary and bourbon stages. Presenters on those stages include Jim Gaffigan and Kevin Bacon paired with celebrity chefs like Edward Lee, Amanda Freitag, Chris Santos and bourbon expert Chris Blandford.

The two festivals is expected to bring an economic impact of more than $33 million to Louisville. Here are some things to keep in mind if you're headed to Bourbon & Beyond:

Wristband Access

Everyone must register their wristband before entering the festival grounds. The code to register is listed on the wristband. To register, click here.

2024 Bourbon & Beyond Map — *(Photo courtesy of Danny Wimmer Presents)*

Parking

General parking is $40 per day at the Expo Center. It's not reserved, so spots will be taken as they come. Drivers trying to access those spots can enter through Gates 2, 4 or 6. If you'd like to purchase advanced parking for a bit extra money, click here.

Transportation

There's a designated rideshare drop-off and pick-up space located at Gate 1. For those staying at a hotel in downtown Louisville, Pegasus is offering the official hotel shuttle for the festival. To purchase your pass, click here.

Anyone who parks off-site or is staying at a hotel nearby can walk though any Expo Center gate to access the festival. And for those wishing to bike or use a scooter to get to the festival, there's a special parking space across from the main festival entrance. Organizers advise those using it to use Gates 2, 4 or 6 and bring their own bike lock.

Payment Options

Bourbon & Beyond will be cashless. Vendors on-site will accept credit/debit cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Android Pay, Tap to Pay. Also, all registered RFID wristbands are a form of cashless payment.

Chair Passes

Due to "capacity limitations," organizers say you must purchase a Lawn Chair Pass in advance in order to bring a personal lawn chair. To purchase yours, click here.

Street Closures

Sept. 8-30
- Phillips Lane from Preston Highway to Freedom Way

Phillips Lane from Crittenden Drive to Freedom Way (restricted to business, hotel, residents and ride-share access only)

I-264 eastbound ramp to Phillips Lane/KY Expo Center Gate 1
I-264 westbound ramp to Phillips Lane/KY Expo Center Gate 1
I-65 northbound ramp to Phillips Lane/KY Expo Center Gate 1
I-65 southbound ramp to Phillips Lane/KY Expo Center Gate 1

September 19-22 (10:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.)
- I-65 southbound ramp to Crittenden Drive
No Parking Areas
- Sept. 19-22 (All Day, both sides of the street)
  - Phillips Lane from Freedom Way to Crittenden Drive
  - Crittenden Drive from Phillips Lane to I-65
  - Monarch Drive from Phillips Lane to Manning Road
  - Manning Road from Preston Highway to KFEC Gate 7
  - KFEC Gate 6 Drive from Preston Highway to I-65 Overpass
  - Emberson Avenue from Phillips Lane to the end
  - James Road from Phillips Lane to the end
- Sept. 19-22 (All Day, south side of the street)
  - Hart Avenue from Preston Highway to the end
  - Union Avenue from Preston Highway to the end
  - Larue Avenue from Preston Highway to the end
  - Wolfe Avenue from Preston Highway to the end
  - Bourbon Avenue from Preston Highway to the end
  - Belmar Avenue from Preston Highway to train trestle
  - Short Street from Preston Highway to Fayette Avenue
  - Short Street from Henderson Avenue to the end
  - Morgan Avenue from Preston Highway to Roosevelt Avenue
  - Springdale Avenue from Roosevelt Avenue to the end
  - Farmdale Avenue from Curtis Avenue to the end
  - Lucas Avenue from Curtis Avenue to Farmdale Avenue
  - Keller Avenue from Preston Highway to Lupino Road
- Sept. 19-22 (All Day, west side of the street)
  - Fayette Avenue from Hart Avenue to Union Avenue
  - Fayette Avenue from Union Avenue to Wolfe Avenue
  - Fayette Avenue from Wolfe Avenue to Morgan Avenue
  - Franklin Avenue from Larue Avenue to the end (south of Morgan Avenue)
  - Henderson Avenue from Belmar Drive to Morgan Avenue
  - Curtis Avenue from Farmdale Avenue to Lucas Avenue
  - Roosevelt Avenue from Morgan Avenue to the end (south of Lucas Avenue)
  - Alley west of Roosevelt Avenue from Springdale Drive to Farmdale Avenue
  - Lupino Road from Keller Avenue to the end
- Sept. 19-22 (All Day, north side of the street)
  - Jefferson Court from Preston Highway to the end

What You Can Bring

Cellphones and small portable chargers
Sunscreen (non-aerosol)
One factory-sealed bottle of water (20 oz. Max size) or one empty plastic refillable water bottle (no hydroflasks or yetis)
Binoculars
Towels 30"x58" max — towels prohibited from standing only marked areas
Small, point-and-shoot digital camera
Hats and sunglasses
Earplugs
Sealed packs of cigarettes & cigars
Vape pens & e-cigarettes

Organizers strongly encourage people to not bring bags of any sort. If you must bring a bag, please abide by the bag policy below:

2024 Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life Bag Policy — *(Photo courtesy of Danny Winner Presents)*

What You Can't Bring

No outside chairs of any kind - unless with a chair pass.
No large bags, backpacks, or duffle bags
No blankets (new for 2024, towels will be allowed in non-standing only areas)
No metal containers (ex. Yetis or hydroflasks)
No aerosol cans
No camelbaks or other refillable hydration packs
No strollers
No coolers or picnic baskets
No outside food or beverages - exception: one factory-sealed bottle of water (20 oz. Max size)
No glass containers
No umbrellas
No inflatable lounger air sofas
No video cameras or GoPros
No audio recording devices
No laptops or tablets
No professional cameras or cameras with removable lenses
No selfie sticks
No lasers or laser pointers
No drones
No hula hoops or totems
No balloons or beach balls
No confetti or glow sticks
No whistles or air horns
No fireworks or explosives
No musical instruments of any kind
No weapons of any kind
No drugs or drug paraphernalia
No pets (with exception of service animals)
No colors or patches
No chains, chain wallets, or spikes
No unauthorized vending or advertising
No walkie talkies/two way radios

Other FAQs

All attendees, regardless of age, are required to purchase a full-price ticket
There is no same-day re-entry unless you're camping on-site or purchased a Hotel + Admission package
Gates open each day at 11:30 a.m.
Lockers are available to reserve. To get yours, click here

Single-day General Admission tickets were still available Friday, and more single-day tickets were recently made available for Saturday.

To learn more, visit Bourbon & Beyond's website.

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