LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The 2023 Bourbon and Beyond music festival starts next week. The four-day event runs from Sept. 14-17 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

In addition to performances by some of the top bands in the world, this year's event will feature a one-of-a-kind culinary lineup. Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson joined WDRB Mornings Wednesday for a taste of what to expect. 

Chef Darnell prepared some awesome pancakes for the morning crew, but said he is debuting a new dish at Bourbon and Beyond. 

"I'm demoing something that people haven't seen yet. I'm bringing it back home with fried chicken, but I'm doing this nice ... I'm using Bruno Mars' -- because he's the headliner of the festival -- I'm using his new rum in the dish with this pineapple-apple slaw on top of fried chicken. So it's going to be like this Mecca of flavor both nostalgic with fried chicken, but also fresh and light with the salad that goes on top of it with the rum." 

Chef Darnell said he is excited about the new dish and also excited about a new cookbook that's set to be published in October. It won't be available at the event, but you can order it when it's available on Super Chefs Kitchen.com. 

You can watch Chef Darnell at Bourbon and Beyond on Sunday, Sept. 17, at 2:55 p.m. on the Monogram Culinary Stage.

Along with Darnell, Chef Chris Santos, from "Chopped," Louisville Chef Edward Lee, and Chef Amanda Freitag — from "Top Chef" and "Chopped" — will host culinary demonstrations, with appearances by "Top Chef" contestant Sara Bradley, and Joe Kwon of the Avett Brothers, and many others. 

Chris Blanford, a bourbon expert, will host The Bourbon Experience, featuring guests Fred Minnick, Chef Amanda Freitag, actors Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley — from "The Vampire Diaries" and the founders of Brother's Bond Bourbon — as well as actor Graham McTavish, from "Outlander," singer Wayne Newton and country music artist Hailey Whitters, among others.

The full lineup and schedule for all events, including the bourbon workshop schedule, can be found online by clicking here, or on the festival's mobile app, which can be downloaded by clicking here.

There will be different culinary demonstrations each day.

Limited weekend general admission, single-day general admission and select single-day VIP passes are still available. To purchase tickets, and for more information, click here.

More than 140,000 people attended the 2022 festival at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center. It was the first time the festival that features music, bourbon, food and art was held for four days.

Below is a list of set times for musical performances, culinary programming and the Kentucky Venues Bourbon Stage provided by Danny Wimmer Presents:

Thursday, Sept. 14:

  • T-Mobile Barrel Stage 
    • 12:15 p.m. - Stephen Wilson Jr.
    • 1:30 p.m. - Brandy Clark
    • 3:00 p.m. - Drew Holcomb And The Neighbors
    • 4:45 p.m. - Buddy Guy
    • 6:45 p.m. - Train
    • 9:15 p.m. - Brandi Carlile
  • SelvaRey Oak Stage
    • 11:45 a.m. - Vivi Rincon
    • 12:50 p.m. - John Primer
    • 2:10 p.m. - The Lone Bellow
    • 3:50 p.m. - Mavis Staples
    • 5:40 p.m. - Midland
    • 7:50 p.m. - Billy Strings
  • The Bluegrass Situation Stage
    • 12:30 p.m. - Myron Elkins
    • 1:45 p.m. - Clay Street Unit
    • 3:00 p.m. - Two Runner
    • 4:15 p.m. - Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
    • 5:45 p.m. - Kelsey Waldon

Friday, Sept. 15:

  • SelvaRey Oak Stage
    • 12:30 p.m. - Boy Named Banjo
    • 1:40 p.m. - Wayne Newton
    • 3:05 p.m. - Joy Oladokun
    • 4:45 p.m. - Brittany Howard
    • 6:45 p.m. - Hozier
    • 9:15 p.m. - The Killers
  • T-Mobile Barrel Stage
    • 11:55 a.m. - Goodbye June
    • 1:05 p.m. - Darrell Scott
    • 2:20 p.m. - Inhaler
    • 3:55 p.m. - The Gaslight Anthem
    • 5:40 p.m. - Bastille
    • 7:50 p.m. - Duran Duran
  • The Bluegrass Situation Stage
    • 12:30 p.m. - Armchair Boogie
    • 1:45 p.m. - Lola Kirke
    • 3:00 p.m. - Twisted Pine
    • 4:15 p.m. - The Cleverlys
    • 5:45 p.m. - The Lil Smokies

Saturday, Sept. 16:

  • T-Mobile Barrel Stage
    • 12:30 p.m. - Willie Jones
    • 1:40 p.m. - Luke Grimes
    • 3:00 p.m. - City And Colour
    • 4:40 p.m. - First Aid Kit
    • 6:40 p.m. - The Black Crowes
    • 9:15 p.m. - The Black Keys
  • SelvaRey Oak Stage
    • 11:55 a.m. - Drayton Farley
    • 1:05 p.m. - Danielle Ponder
    • 2:15 p.m. - Michelle Branch
    • 3:45 p.m. - Old Crow Medicine Show
    • 5:35 p.m. - Spoon
    • 7:55 p.m. - The Avett Brothers
  • The Bluegrass Situation Stage
    • 12:30 p.m. - Armchair Boogie
    • 1:45 p.m. - Sunny War
    • 3:00 p.m. - Lindsay Lou
    • 4:15 p.m. - Della Mae
    • 5:45 p.m. - Town Mountain

Sunday, Sept. 17:

  • SelvaRey Oak Stage
    • 12:25 p.m. - Dumpstaphunk
    • 1:35 p.m. - Maggie Rose
    • 3:00 p.m. - ZZ Ward
    • 4:40 p.m. - Babyface
    • 6:35 p.m. - Jon Batiste
    • 9:05 p.m. - Bruno Mars
  • T-Mobile Barrel Stage
    • 11:55 a.m. - As You Were
    • 1:00 p.m. - Hailey Whitters
    • 2:15 p.m. - Fantastic Negrito
    • 3:50 p.m. - Aloe Blacc
    • 5:35 p.m. - Ryan Bingham
    • 7:40 p.m. - Blondie
  • The Bluegrass Situation Stage
    • 12:30 p.m. - Pixie & The Partygrass Boys
    • 1:45 p.m. - Lindsay Lou
    • 3:00 p.m. - The Arcadian Wild
    • 4:15 p.m. - Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen
    • 5:45 p.m. - Dan Tyminski

Monogram Culinary Stage with Chefs Amanda Freitag, Chris Santos and Ed Lee 

  • Thursday, Sept. 14
    • 3-3:30 p.m. - Spice It Up with Maneet Chauhan
    • 4:35-5:05 p.m. - Fire It Up with Kamado Joe's Tom Jackson
  • Friday, Sept. 15
    • 2:30-2:55 p.m. - Deep Thoughts with Christian Petroni
    • 4-4:30 p.m. - Claudette Zepeda, La Jefa
    • 5:30-6 p.m. - Pig Beach "Meats" Louisville
  • Saturday, Sept. 16
    • 1:30-2 p.m. - Hot Damn, Hot Brown Grilled Cheese with Sara Bradley
    • 2:55-3:25 p.m. - Boozy AF, Delicious AF, Easy AF with Amanda Freitag
    • 4:15-4:45 p.m. - A Korean BBQ Throwdown with Chefs Ed and Danny Lee and Joe Kwon of The Avett Brothers
  • Sunday, Sept. 17
    • 1:30-2 p.m. - Pappy & Company with Chef Ed Lee
    • 2:55-3:25 - Darnell "SuperChef" Ferguson x SelvaRey's Brian Klemm

Kentucky Venues Bourbon Stage, hosted by Chris Blanford

  • Thursday, Sept. 14
    • 2:10-2:55 p.m. - "The Firkin Podcast" LIVE: Every Drink Tells A Story with TBD special guests
    • 3:35-4:30 p.m. - A Seat At The Table: Grand Traditions With Fresh Perspectives 
      • Panel moderated by Jamar Mack with panelists Melissa Rift, Richie Michaels, Tracey & Scott Jacobs and Rob Dietrich.
    • 5:10-5:50 p.m. - It's A Family Affair: Generations of Whiskey
      • Panel moderated by Chris Blanford with panelists Eddie Russell and Bruce Russell of Wild Turkey
    • 6-6:30 p.m. - McTavish Spirits Bottle Release with actor Graham McTavish
  • Friday, Sept. 15
    • 1:40-2:25 p.m. - Building an "Influential" Bourbon Collection: The Expert Edition
      • Panel moderated by John Wadell with panelists Tyler Zoller, Brandon Smith, Steve Higdon and Blake Riber
    • 3-3:45 p.m. - Between The Chefs: Dishing & Drinking with Chefs Chris Santos, Darnell Ferguson and Amanda Frietag
    • 4:40-5:15 p.m. - Smokin' and Sippin': Pairing Cigars With Whiskey with Carrie Greener, Willy Herrera and Wayne Newton
    • 6:05-7 p.m. - "The Firkin Podcast" LIVE: Telling Stories with special guests Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley
  • Saturday, Sept. 16
    • 2:05-2:50 p.m. - Heaven's Door Barrel Select hosted by Matt Wheatley
    • 3:30-4:10 p.m. - The Art of Blending (Bardstown) - BBC's Discovery Series hosted by Dan Callaway
    • 4:50-5:30 p.m. - The Big Finish: Barreled Again
      • Panel moderated by Kenny Coleman with panelists Brandon O'Daniel, Owen Martin, Christian Huber and Jessica-Ann Adkins
    • 5:45-6:30 p.m. - "The Firkin Podcast" LIVE: Every Drink Tells A Story with TBD special guests
  • Sunday, Sept. 17
    • 2:05-2:50 p.m. - Badass Bartenders & Bourbon
      • Panel moderated by Ian Sulkowski with panelists SC Baker, Susie Hoyt, Lily McCabe Lambert and Sherri Jenkins
    • 3:30-4:10 p.m. - "The Firkin Podcast" LIVE with special guest country music artist Hailey Whitters
    • 5-5:45 p.m. - The Perfect Pairing: Bourbon & Cheese with Bernie Lubbers, Lisa Ueltschi, Dewanna Walker and Chef Amanda Freitag
    • 6-7:00 p.m. - Fred Minnick's Blind Bourbon Finale: The B&B23 Fan Favorite reveal

Other food, beverage and experience vendors include:

  • 1 Million Strong
  • Art & Sound Art Tent
  • B.B. Flats
  • Bird Dog Whiskey
  • Blackened presents The Whiskey Bar
  • The Bourbon Experience
  • Budweiser Zone
  • Chris' Picks Minibar
  • Culinary Atelier
  • George Dickel Flight School
  • The Highland Grounds Wine Garden
  • The Hunter's Club
  • Jim Beam Tiki Barrel Bar
  • Kentucky Distillers' Association Craft Bourbon Bar
  • Kroger Big Bourbon Bar
  • Pappy & Co. Cigar Lounge
  • Pegasus Distilled Experiences
  • Small Batch Activation featuring Basil Hayden & Knob Creek
  • T-Mobile's Club Magenta
  • Wild Turkey

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Tickets for Bourbon and Beyond are still available online.

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