Award-winning festival producers Danny Wimmer Presents have announced an all-star lineup of music artists for Bourbon & Beyond–The World’s Largest Bourbon, Food & Music Festival–held September 11, 12, 13 & 14, 2025 at Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky.
After a record-breaking year in 2024, DWP is thrilled to announce the stacked music lineup featuring dozens of legends and breakout stars led by The Lumineers, Benson Boone, and Alabama Shakes (reunion) on Thursday, Phish, Khruangbin and Joe Bonamassa on Friday, Sturgill “Johnny Blue Skies” Simpson, Jack White and Vance Joy on Saturday, and Noah Kahan, Goo Goo Dolls and Megan Moroney on Sunday.
Bourbon & Beyond has received widespread acclaim from national media. The 2024 event was named a must-see festival by national media outlets including: Forbes, Garden & Gun, People, Rolling Stone, SPIN, Thrillist, USA Today, US Magazine and more. In addition, Bourbon & Beyond was named 2024 Festival of the Year by leading live entertainment organization IEBA after welcoming a record-setting 210,000 fans over 4 days marking the largest music festival in Kentucky history. It has also been nominated as Pollstar “Festival of the Year” for the past two years.
Now in its 7th year, Bourbon & Beyond will feature more than 120 artists performing on five stages during the 4-day event, also including Cage The Elephant, TV On The Radio, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Lake Street Dive, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Foreigner (in one of the final announced dates of the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees’ Farewell Tour), Third Eye Blind, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, and many more.
In addition to four full days of music at Bourbon & Beyond across five stages, the unique immersive festival experience will include daily workshops and demonstrations showcasing America’s best chefs and Louisville’s vibrant bourbon and culinary culture on the festival’s workshop stage for The Bourbon Experience and The Culinary Atelier. Hosted by bourbon expert Chris Blandford, Chef Amanda Freitag, Chef Ed Lee and Chef Chris Santos, the festival’s bourbon tastings and culinary workshops pair world-renowned master distillers and some of the country’s top chefs, with some workshops featuring celebrity guest appearances.
The current music lineup for Bourbon & Beyond is as follows: Phish, Noah Kahan, Sturgill “Johnny Blue Skies” Simpson, The Lumineers, Jack White, Benson Boone, Alabama Shakes (reunion), Cage The Elephant, Khruangbin, Megan Moroney, Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats, Rilo Kiley, Goo Goo Dolls, Vance Joy, Third Eye Blind, Lake Street Dive, Ringo Starr & His All-Starr Band, Myles Smith, Foreigner, Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo, Joe Bonamassa, Pixies, Dylan Gossett, TV On The Radio, The Teskey Brothers, Flatland Cavalry, Waxahatchee, Dashboard Confessional, Blues Traveler, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue, Collective Soul, Trampled By Turtles, Muscadine Bloodline, Guster, 49 Winchester, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Colbie Caillat, Iron & Wine, Morgan Wade, Lawrence, Sammy Rae & The Friends, Julien Baker & TORRES, Dawes, Gavin DeGraw, Gin Blossoms, Spin Doctors, The Hold Steady, Switchfoot, Robert Cray Band, John Waite, Michael Marcagi, Austin Snell, Matt Maltese, Ashe, St. Lucia, The Waterboys, Blind Melon, Old 97’s, 10,000 Maniacs w/ Mary Ramsey, Josiah & The Bonnevilles, Bonny Light Horseman, Squirrel Nut Zippers, Marc Cohn, The Baseball Project, The Paper Kites, Redferrin, Kolby Cooper, Jade Bird, The Ocean Blue, The 502s, Nolan Taylor, Marshall Crenshaw, Madison Ryann Ward, Waylon Wyatt, Bayker Blankenship, iDKHOW, The Heavy Heavy, Darren Kiely, NRBQ, Marcy Playground, Hazlett, Certainly So, Jonah Kagen, Yächtley Crëw, Chance Emerson, The Band Feel, Reid Haughton, Kelsey Waldon, Miles Miller, Meg McRee, Brit Taylor, Cale Tyson, Leftover Salmon, Steep Canyon Rangers, Rhonda Vincent, AJ Lee & Blue Summit, Fruition, Wonder Women Of Country, Danny Paisley & Southern Grass, Michael Cleveland & Jason Carter, Tophouse, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Wyatt Ellis, Caleb Caudle & The Sweet Critters, Jett Holden, Chatham Rabbits, Thunder & Rain, Emily Scott Robinson, Gooseberry, sullvn, Axel & Lolo and more.
Some of the reunions and highlights at Bourbon & Beyond include:
- Phish: Exclusive 2025 festival appearance
- Jack White: 12-time Grammy-winner, lead singer of The White Stripes, and renowned as one of the greatest guitarists of all-time
- Benson Boone: 2024 Grammy nominee for Best New Artist
- Reunion shows for Alabama Shakes (after 10 years), Rilo Kiley, The Waterboys
- Khruangbin: The trio known for blending classic soul, dub, rock and psychedelia was a 2024 Grammy nominee for Best New Artist
- Megan Moroney: 2024 Academy Of Country Music’s “New Female Artist Of The Year” is selling out her headlining shows and has been called a new country music icon
- Foreigner: one of the final shows of the 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees’ Farewell Tour
- Myles Smith: Exclusive North American festival performance. His single “Stargazing” has been #1 for 9 weeks
- The Baseball Project: Supergroup comprised of Peter Buck (R.E.M.), Mike Mills (R.E.M.), Scott McCaughey (The Fresh Young Fellows), Steve Wynn (The Dream Syndicate) and Linda Pitmon (Psycher)
- Bourbon & Beyond also features Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees: Ringo Starr, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Peter Buck and Mike Mills
“Bourbon & Beyond is the best lineup of the year—bringing together the biggest names in rock, Americana, and alt, alongside country icons and breakout artists. It’s a festival that doesn’t just celebrate one sound, but the best of all of them, paired with world-class bourbon, incredible food, and that unmistakable Kentucky vibe. From the start, our vision was to create an experience that blends music, culinary, culture, and community in a way that only Bourbon & Beyond can,” said Danny Wimmer of Danny Wimmer Presents. “The crowds are huge, the energy is unmatched, and every year, we take it up a notch. If you love music, a breathtaking atmosphere, and the best bourbon on the planet: this is the festival to experience.”
“Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life have quickly become the most anticipated and high-profile music festivals in Louisville each year,” said Mayor Craig Greenberg. “Bourbon & Beyond in particular showcases our city’s rich bourbon culture, and most importantly highlights Louisville’s incredible hospitality. Congratulations to Danny Wimmer Presents on another amazing lineup. We can’t wait for the fans to be back in September.”
“With top-shelf headliners and an expansive lineup, Bourbon & Beyond is taking center stage as the ultimate celebration of Kentucky’s hospitality and culture,” said David S. Beck, President and CEO of Kentucky Venues. “We’re proud to partner with Danny Wimmer Presents to welcome fans from around the globe to the Kentucky Exposition Center, and to showcase the best our state has to offer.”
Bourbon & Beyond also features an array of onsite experiences. Highlights include The Bourbon Experience, which is carefully curated and will feature panel discussions, hands-on workshops, Blind Bourbon LIVE: where renowned bourbon critic Fred Minnick will taste through the festival’s bourbons to award best in show, and product demos that will fill your cup and keep you coming back for more. The Culinary Atelier will feature culinary experiences including celebrity and Kentucky chef demos along with great eats from local restaurants (plus a few surprises along the way).
In addition, the Kroger Big Bourbon Bar is home to The Bluegrass Situation Stage, featuring the best bluegrass bands and line dancing, plus live tapings of the award-winning The Fred Minnick Show. Fans will also have the opportunity to get up close and personal with celebrities, bourbon experts and distillers to discover the heritage, explore the traditions, and raise a glass to the fine Art of Bourbon.
Bourbon & Beyond and DWP’s Louisville companion festival Louder Than Life, which takes place the following weekend, generated over $33 million in local economic impact in 2024 and drew more than 300,000 attendees booking over 60,000 hotel room nights and creating a visitor boom at local restaurants and other businesses, including bourbon distilleries along the Urban Bourbon Trail. Bourbon & Beyond is also highly acclaimed by the media, with recent accolades including:
- “Since 2017, Bourbon & Beyond has drilled down on Kentucky’s number one export and the presence of its famed Bourbon Trail to give fans a unique opportunity to sample rare whiskeys and Kentucky bourbons. Featuring some of America’s best chefs, the Louisville festival’s celebration of the culinary arts, spirits, live music and more makes it one of America’s most unique festival offerings.” –Forbes
- Named one of Seven Standout Southern Bourbon Festivals by Garden & Gun
- “With over 100 acts spread across five stages plus culinary and spirits demonstrations and celebrity appearances, the real magic of Bourbon & Beyond lies in dipping a toe into multiple offerings throughout each festival day.” –The Courier Journal
4-Day General Admission, Mint VIP and Angel’s Envy Beyond VIP passes, as well as Single Day GA and Single Day Mint VIP passes are on sale now at https://bourbonandbeyond.com/passes/.
○ VIP viewing area in front of both main stages
○ Shaded lounge with comfortable seating and live audio and video streams of the main stages
○ Outdoor seating with views of the main stages
○ Dedicated festival merch booth
○ Air-conditioned flushable restrooms
○ Premium food offerings**
○ Dedicated bars with full beverage options**
○ Locker rental with charging capabilities**
** For additional purchase
- Angel’s Envy Beyond VIP perks include:
○ Stunning views, lavish amenities, and an unforgettable atmosphere, all while indulging in the perfect harmony of music and luxury
○ Access to all General Admission and Mint VIP areas, express festival VIP entry lanes, commemorative laminate, and exclusive Angel’s Envy Beyond VIP Perks
Attendees can make the most of their Bourbon & Beyond experience by adding camping to their festival adventure. Options include RV, Car + Tent and the extremely limited Elevated Glamping experience which provides a 5-night stay in a luxury style “Bell Tent” located in a prime spot in the campgrounds closest to the festival entrance. Visit https://bourbonandbeyond.com for all details on all camping and festival pass options.
In addition, fans who want to celebrate the biggest eight days of music in the United States with back-to-back weekends in Louisville at Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life can purchase an Exacta Pass for less than $69 per festival day (Exacta Pass starts at $550 plus fees). Find all pass details at https://bourbonandbeyond.com/passes/. Service fees on all pass purchases include a charity fee for the DWP Foundation, which gives back to local and national charities throughout the year.
Onsite parking for Bourbon & Beyond at Kentucky Exposition Center will be available for purchase this Spring.
Fans in the Louisville area can celebrate the Bourbon & Beyond lineup with a Happy Hour this Friday, February 7 from 5PM – 7PM at Hauck’s Corner in Louisville. The event will feature custom cocktails, photo opps and service fee free passes.
Bourbon & Beyond is excited to announce its 2025 partners: Angel’s Envy, Crowne Plaza, Eargasm, Ford Bronco, Galt House Hotel, Jack Daniel’s, Kentucky Proud, Kentucky Venues, Kroger, Louisville Marriott Downtown, Louisville Metro, Louisville Tourism, Monster Energy, Park Community Credit Union, Team Kentucky, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, White Claw and Old Forester.
The DWP Foundation will be supporting the following nonprofits in 2025: Dare to Care and Preston Area Business Alliance, plus more to come.
Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center is located at 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville, Kentucky.
Bourbon & Beyond is produced by Danny Wimmer Presents, one of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in America.
INDOT reminds drivers to slow down, use extra caution, and avoid distractions when traveling in and near work zones. All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.
