LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Chefs Amanda Freitag, Edward Lee and Chris Santos, along with bourbon expert Chris Blandford, are set to highlight Bourbon and Beyond's culinary and bourbon lineup, festival organizers announced.
Known for their work on "The Mind of a Chef" and "Chopped," respectively, Lee and Santos will lead the festival's Culinary Atelier demonstrations. They will be joined by the likes of chef and Food Network personality Tiffani Faison, "Top Chef" Season 16 winner Kelsey Barnard Clark and local chef Noam Blitzer, who has also appeared on "Chopped" and recently opened MeeshMeesh in Louisville.
Hosting the Bourbon Experience are Blandford and Freitag. There will be daily tapings of the Louisville-based "Firkin Podcast," an appearance from world-renowned bourbon expert Fred Minnick and premium brands such as Pappy & Co, Angel's Envy, Woodford Reserve and Old Rip Van Winkle.
The festival said additional guests participating in culinary and bourbon programming include Kevin and Michael Bacon, Mat Kearney, Melissa Etheridge, Jim Gaffigan, Charles Wesley Godwin and Young The Giant.
"There is no better time than Bourbon & Beyond when the best of music, chefs and bourbon enthusiasts get together for a magical festival where memories are created and life is celebrated," Lee said. "It gets better every year, and I can't wait to see what 2024 has in store for us all."
Another highlight is the Kroger Big Bourbon Bar, which organizers said will feature expertly curated picks of Kentucky's bourbon trail, bluegrass bands and line dancing. Bourbon enthusiasts can also stop by Chris Picks MiniBar for select single barrels curated for the festival, the Hunter's Club for rare and vintage sips, the Jim Beam Tiki Barrel Bar and cocktail offerings at Blackened Presents, The Whiskey Bar.
Now in its sixth year, the festival is set for Thursday, Sept. 19 through Sunday, Sept. 22 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center. Music headliners include Sting and Beck (Thursday), Dave Matthews Band and Tedeschi Trucks Band (Friday), Zach Bryan and Whiskey Myers (Saturday), with Kentucky's own Tyler Childers and My Morning Jacket rounding things out Sunday.
With five music stages and more than 100 artists, organizers said they expect 2024 to be Bourbon & Beyond's biggest year yet.
"Louisville is famous for a lot of things, but many people don't know what a great music town this is," said Danny Wimmer, founder of Danny Wimmer Presents, which produces the festival. "When I first came to Louisville, I fell in love with the city, its diverse culinary scene and its rich history of bourbon culture. I was quickly convinced that this is the perfect destination for this all-encompassing festival, and we look forward to one of our biggest years yet."
Visit the festival's website for a full music and culinary lineup. along with additional experiences and ticket packages. Weekend general-admission and select single-day passes are still available, but in limited supply.
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