The event kicked off some of America’s biggest days in music
The sixth Bourbon & Beyond made history last week with a record-setting attendance of 210,000 over the four-day event, and a single day attendance of 60,000 on Saturday, marking the highest single day attendance and the largest music festival in Kentucky history.
The World’s Largest Bourbon, Food & Music Festival was held from September 19-22 at the Highland Festival Grounds at Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Kentucky and featured an incredible music lineup of music legends and rising stars with headliners Sting and Beck on Thursday, Dave Matthews Band and Tedeschi Trucks Band on Friday, Zach Bryan and Cody Jinks on Saturday, and Tyler Childers and My Morning Jacket on Sunday. The lineup of over 100 artists on five music stages also included Matchbox Twenty, The National, Whiskey Myers, Black Pumas, The War On Drugs, The Beach Boys, Mt. Joy, Fleet Foxes, Young the Giant, Maren Morris, The Head and The Heart, Melissa Etheridge, Teddy Swims, and many others.
In addition to surpassing attendance records, Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life (held September 26-29 at the same site) continue to generate a massive economic impact for the region. This year, a combined 400,000 fans are expected between the two events. For 2023, Louisville Tourism reported that both festivals generated $30 million economic impact and over 60,000 room nights in hotels throughout the area.
Sting and Beck closed out the first night, treating fans to sets packed with their hits. Zach Bryan thanked local fans for supporting him since his very first show in the small town of Pineville, Kentucky and commented that Bourbon & Beyond is “the greatest festival anywhere.” Dave Matthews Band jammed for nearly two hours, with a set including covers of David Bowie’s “Let’s Dance,” Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” and Jimi Hendrix’s version of “All Along the Watchtower.” Sunday night wrapped up with back-to-back headlining performances from Kentucky natives Tyler Childers and My Morning Jacket.
Bourbon & Beyond is produced by Los Angeles-based Danny Wimmer Presents, one of the largest independent producers of destination music festivals in America.
