The 2020 Kentucky Bourbon festival is going virtual. Originally scheduled for mid-September, the annual event has been pushed back to October 15-18 and will now be online.
The event’s 29th edition will put an “increased emphasis on everything Bourbon and spirits – with a virtual twist. Organizers still promise a unique and exciting bourbon experience that attendees will not get anywhere else, except from Bardstown, Kentucky,” say orgainzaers.
In some way, the move to an online format has opened up the event has about 20 live and recorded “Spirits Education Sessions” will be available for viewing online throughout the weekend. Registration is free and virtual sessions include The Art of Whiskey Making (a four-part series featuring master distillers who teach the particulars of Bourbon making); the Bottled-in-Bond Happy Hour, where we’ll toast these special whiskeys and cocktails made with them; Cocktail Quickies (short breaks where bartenders teach viewers cocktails they can make at home); and the new Bourbon Legends Series, in which some of the industry’s most famous families will share stories.
“All sessions will encourage participants to buy their bourbons and cocktail ingredients in advance and ‘play along at home.’ The weekend’s festivities will culminate with the action-packed World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay.”
“Over the course of the last couple of months, we have been working diligently on the best plan to ensure the health and safety of our attendees, distillery partners, volunteers, and staff,” said KBF Board of Directors Chairman David Mandell in a prepared statement. “At this time, we know it’s the right decision to move to a new type of bourbon celebration by going virtual. We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Bardstown for our 30th Anniversary next year.”
Those interested in attending the 2020 Kentucky Bourbon Festival can check out a list of the virtual events via the festival’s official website. More details on pricing for VIP packages, including promotions with the 30th Anniversary Kentucky Bourbon Festival in 2021, will be provided at a later date.