News - Bourbon & Beyond

With headliners including Pearl Jam, Chris Stapleton, Kings of Leon, Jack White, Brandi Carlile, Alanis Morissette, Greta Van Fleet and the Doobie Brothers 50th Anniversary, Bourbon & Beyond music festival returns to Kentucky next month ...

Press Release

Leading independent festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents has pulled out all stops to curate a truly one-of-a-kind weekend unlike any other festival experience – adding a full fourth day for the first time just to fit it all in – to be held September 15th-18th at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville.

Bourbon & Beyond’s incredible headlining talent begins with Jack White and Alanis Morissette Thursday, September 15; followed by Kings of Leon and Brandi Carlile on Friday, September 16; Pearl Jam and Greta Van Fleet on Saturday, September 17; and a very special closing night Sunday, September 18 including Kentucky native Chris Stapleton as well as The Doobie Brothers 50th anniversary celebration featuring Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston and John McFee. Many of the headliners are returning to Louisville for the first time in a number of years – Bourbon & Beyond will be Pearl Jam’s first Louisville show since 1994 and only the fourth time they’ve played in Kentucky, while Jack White’s last local appearance was in 2014 and Kings Of Leon haven’t been to town since 2017.

Additional must-see sets across the four-day event will include Father John Misty, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, St. Vincent, NEEDTOBREATHE, The Revivalists, Crowded House, Caamp, Japanese Breakfast, Lukas Nelson & POTR, Courtney Barnett, Cold War Kids, Marcus King, and many more rock, Americana, bluegrass, blues and alt rock artists.

"Bourbon and Beyond is definitely one we are looking forward to,” says Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon. “It has amazing food and obviously the best stuff to drink, I love both of those things. And sharing the stage over the four days with friends like Pearl Jam and Chris Stapleton makes us even more excited about it. We can’t wait!"

“We really captured lightning in a [bourbon] bottle with this lineup. Honestly, it’s one of the best billed festivals in 2022,” says Danny Wimmer Presents founder Danny Wimmer said. “Between Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life on back-to-back weekends, there is no better place to be this fall than Kentucky. See you there.”



The current Bourbon & Beyond lineup is as follows (subject to change):

Thursday, September 15: Jack White, Alanis Morissette, Father John Misty, The Revivalists, Japanese Breakfast, Shakey Graves, Jimmie Vaughan, Shovels & Rope, Buffalo Nichols, Hannah Wicklund, Gary Brewer and the Kentucky Ramblers, Hogslop String Band, Tyler Boone

Friday, September 16: Kings of Leon, Brandi Carlile, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Lukas Nelson & POTR, Courtney Barnett, Charley Crockett, St. Paul & the Broken Bones, Houndmouth, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Eric Gales, S.G. Goodman, Hogslop String Band, Jocelyn & Chris Arndt, Missy Raines & Allegheny, Tray Wellington

Saturday, September 17: Pearl Jam, Greta Van Fleet, St. Vincent, Crowded House, Cold War Kids, Elle King, Drive-By Truckers, JP Saxe, Robert Randolph Band, Reignwolf, The National Parks, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Jon Stickley Trio, Missy Raines & Allegheny, Matilda Marigolds

Sunday, September 18: Chris Stapleton, The Doobie Brothers (50th Anniversary with Michael McDonald, Pat Simmons, Tom Johnston and John McFee), NEEDTOBREATHE, Caamp, Marcus King, Yola, Mike Campbell & The Dirty Knobs, Jukebox the Ghost, Boy & Bear, Madison Cunningham, Gin Wigmore, Sierra Hull, The Blue Stones, Jake Blount, Bella White, Jon Stickley Trio.

Having welcomed 91,000 fans in 2019, Bourbon & Beyond has become the premier destination event of the fall, combining incredible nonstop music with the best food and spirits Kentucky has to offer – with even Forbes exclaiming, “It’s the inclusion of great food and unique bourbon experiences that set Louisville’s Bourbon & Beyond apart from a crowded American destination scene.”

The World’s Largest Bourbon & Music Festival offers unique bourbon and culinary experiences featuring demos and tastings from the master distillers and celebrity chefs live and in-person. The special line-up of experiences includes:

The Kroger Big Bourbon Bar: No time to explore the bourbon trail? It’s coming straight to Bourbon & Beyond, where you can enjoy a sip of Kentucky’s finest. Bourbon expert Chris Blandford has expertly curated an extensive lineup of bourbons and designed specialty cocktails for fans, friends and family. Choose from a wide selection of spirit-forward and refreshing cocktails served up on demand by hometown mixologists. Participating bourbons and whiskeys include Angel’s Envy, Bardstown Bourbon, Basil Hayden’s, Boone’s Bourbon, Brother’s Bond Bourbon, Bulleit Bourbon, Coopers’ Craft, Elijah Craig, Four Roses, Huber’s Starlight Distillery, Jack Daniel’s, Jefferson’s, Kentucky Peerless, Larceny, Legent, Maker’s 46, Michter’s, Middle West, Old Forester, Rabbit Hole, Resilient Bourbon, Stonehammer, Uncle Nearest, Wilderness Trail, Woodford Reserve and more to be announced. There is so much more than bourbon in The Kroger Big Bourbon Bar! Slide, Swing, or Two-Step on into the Kroger Big Bourbon Bar for a little dancing on the B.B. Flats! Take in some of the best bluegrass bands, then between sets, grab a partner and take a lesson or just dance your heart out while the B.B. Flats house DJ plays all the best tunes.

Kentucky Distillers’ Association Craft Bourbon Bar: The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has hand-picked craft distilleries to feature at Bourbon & Beyond. Participating distilleries include The Bard Distillery, New Riff Distillery, Bluegrass Distillers, Log Still Distillery and Boundary Oak Distillery.

Kroger Chris Picks MiniBar: Chris Blandford – the Adult Beverage Field Specialist for Kentucky, Southern Indiana, and Southern Illinois regions of Kroger (the largest liquor retailer that you never knew about) – and Danny Wimmer have taste-tested and hand-selected one-of-a-kind barrels to exclusively feature at the Chris Picks MiniBar all weekend long!

Jim Beam Tiki Barrel Bar: Say “aloha” to the day when you stop by the Jim Beam Tiki Barrel Bar. With bourbon and rum-based specialty island cocktails, shade and seating areas, the Jim Beam Tiki Barrel Bar is sure to be the oasis you need to make your festival vacation complete.

Craft Beer Bar: OG craft seekers can try a wide variety of beer styles accommodating a range of palates. The Craft Beer Bar will be showcasing a variety of brews from in and outside the great state of Kentucky.

The Bourbon Experience: Get up close and personal with bourbon experts, celebrities and your favorite distillers while discovering the heritage, exploring the traditions and raising a glass to the fine Art of Bourbon. Our carefully curated Bourbon Experience we will feature panel discussions, hands-on workshops and product demos that will fill your cup and keep you coming back for more.

The Silver Dollar Hunter’s Club: The Silver Dollar Hunter’s Club is the ideal on-site destination for every bourbon aficionado. Rare, vintage and experimental expressions will be available for those who are looking for something more. Wander in, take a seat and indulge in some liquid history. Our impressive bourbon collection features pioneers including but not limited to Blanton’s, Booker’s, Bourbon Royal, Chapin & Gore, Eagle Rare, George T. Stagg, Hill and Hill, Kentucky Owl, Old Grand-Dad, Old Weller Antique and a special taste of our very own Pappyland that you’d be remiss to pass by.

Speakeasy: Expect the unexpected and escape from the crowds when you step into this drinking den that’s serious about cocktails. Tell any of the down-home bartenders what kind of flavors you fancy and they’ll make you a custom creation unlike any other. While there are the classics of course, don’t pass by a long list of spirits or seasonal house cocktails that change by the day without missing a beat.

The Highland Grounds Wine Garden: Sip into the sunset, enjoy watercolor skies and ease into the night at the Highland Grounds Wine Garden. Whether you’re bold and sturdy, or fruity and nutty, all of these locally-sourced, premier and premium wines will let you decant your senses as you cheers through the weekend.

Blackened Bar, The Whiskey Bar: The Blackened Whiskey Bar pop-up is a DWP must-do. The festival’s partners at Blackened Whiskey have handcrafted a super-premium American whiskey blend, fueled by decades of creative passion. Led by the late Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, and the almighty Metallica, Blackened is now overseen by Master Distiller & Blender Rob Dietrich, with all sourcing and blending still carefully crafted to ensure the taste of Dave’s original recipe. Enjoy Black Noise, the proprietary sonic-enhancement process that shaped the aroma and built the flavor profile of this whiskey while it aged. Electrify your taste buds at this exclusive DWP experience.

Culinary Ateliers: Bourbon & Beyond will offer a weekend of amazing culinary experiences including intoxicating celebrity and Kentucky chef demos along with great eats from local restaurants plus a few surprises along the way.

As well, attendees at Bourbon & Beyond can enjoy a variety of on-site food and beverage offerings that celebrate menus and flavors inspired by Kentucky’s explosion in the culinary world. Selections from local and regional restaurants are specially curated by Southern Hospitality Concessions LLC.

Bourbon & Beyond is produced by Los Angeles-based Danny Wimmer Presents, one of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in America. 2022 events include Aftershock, Bourbon & Beyond, GoldenSky Country Music Festival, Inkcarceration Music & Tattoo Festival, Louder Than Life, and Welcome To Rockville.

For more information on Bourbon & Beyond and to book passes, please visit Website: BourbonAndBeyond.com