Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025 Ticket Sale Dates Announced

Press Release

Kentucky Bourbon Festival Announces 2025 Ticket On-Sale Date

Passes and Packages for the 34th Annual Celebration Available in April

(Learn more about the KBF in my detailed article about last year’s event: Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2024: A Spirited Celebration!)

Bardstown, Ky. (March 18, 2025) — The Kentucky Bourbon Festival announced that tickets for the 2025 festival will go on sale April 17, with early access for “Bourbon Insiders” on April 16. The festival will offer multiple ticket tiers, from Bourbon Taster general admission weekend passes to premium VIP experiences.

The 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival is set for September 5-7 in Bardstown, Ky., the Bourbon Capital of the World. The event draws bourbon enthusiasts from across the globe to celebrate bourbon’s history and craftsmanship during National Bourbon Heritage Month.

For more information, visit www.kybourbonfestival.com.

A World-Class Bourbon Experience

“The 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival marks the fifth year since the complete revisioning of the event,” said Randy Prasse, president and COO. “We are now considered a world-class sampling and buying experience with bourbon enthusiasts making an annual pilgrimage to the Bourbon Capital of the World. Today, 85% of ticketed guests visit from outside Kentucky, and the event continues to serve as an important tourism and economic engine for the entire region.”

Ticket Options and Exclusive VIP Experiences

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival will offer six ticket options this year, ranging from single-day access to exclusive VIP experiences, including the new Oris President’s Club. All passes include:

• Unlimited re-entry to the festival
• Sampling from more than 60 Kentucky distilleries
• Access to exclusive single-barrel selections
• Engaging programs with industry experts
• Expanded dining options

Special Release Bottles and Bourbon Lockers

Bourbon enthusiasts will have the opportunity to purchase special release bottles directly from distilleries, including the exclusive “Distillers’ Row Series” single-barrel releases handpicked by the Kentucky Bourbon Festival team. To enhance the experience, lockers will be available for attendees to store their purchases until they are ready to leave.

Expanded Premium Event Programming

In response to high demand, the festival’s premium events will feature an expanded programming schedule inside The Great Tent, with increased capacity and more offerings. Attendees can:

• Hear from master distillers on topics like mashbills, secondary finishes, and distillery history
• Enjoy culinary and cocktail programming led by top chefs and mixologists

Immerse Yourself in the Bourbon Lifestyle

Festival attendees can explore the “bourbon lifestyle” throughout the weekend, with special offerings from premium vendors, including:

• Oris timepieces
• Jacob Bromwell flasks
• Clayton & Crume leather goods
• Retro 51 writing instruments

The always-popular Bourbon Marketplace will return, featuring over a dozen bourbon-themed vendors in this year’s Bourbon Capital Bites area.

VIP Packages and the New Oris President’s Club

The festival’s VIP packages have been incredibly popular, selling out within 10 minutes in 2024. VIP benefits include:

• Daily early entry
• Crystal Glencairn glassware
• One bourbon locker
• Bottle signings by master distillers
• One ticket to Bourbon in the Air on Thursday, Sept. 4
• Access to the VIP Lodge with premium catering, exclusive neat pours, and cocktails

The newly introduced Oris President’s Club is the festival’s most exclusive year-round membership and includes:

• Access to the Brindiamo Penthouse overlooking the festival grounds
• A spring bourbon experience and fall/winter KBF reception
• A three-night stay at The Trail Hotel in Bardstown
• Private shuttle service to the festival
• A limited edition Oris watch
• All other VIP experience amenities

Kentucky Bourbon Festival’s Growing Anticipation

“From engaging directly with the distillers who make your favorite pour to discovering a new brand to add to your bar, there’s no place quite like KBF,” said Cordell Lawrence, festival board chair and Eastern Light Distilling CEO. “We are pleased with the anticipation for the 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival – by our distillery partners and bourbon enthusiasts from across the U.S. and around the world.”

Featured Distilleries and Major Sponsors

This year’s featured distillery is Angel’s Envy, and other major sponsors include:

• The Koetter Group
• Joseph & Joseph Architects
• KPFF Engineers
• Kentucky Tourism
• Visit Bardstown

Ticket Prices and Availability

Ticket prices for this year’s festival range from $190 for three-day Bourbon Taster passes to $1,395 for the VIP Decanter Club and $6,995 for the new ultimate VIP experience, the Oris President’s Club—limited to just 24 guests. Premium events are priced individually and will go on sale with admission packages. 

How to Purchase Tickets

KBF Insiders – those subscribed to the festival’s e-newsletter – will have exclusive early access to tickets on April 16, before sales open to the public on April 17. VIP packages are expected to sell out quickly.

For more details and to purchase tickets, visit www.kybourbonfestival.com.

About the Kentucky Bourbon Festival 

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival (Sept. 5-7, 2025) is a celebration of Kentucky Bourbon and the Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown, Kentucky. What began as a Bourbon tasting dinner has grown into a truly authentic experience that brings together bourbon enthusiasts from all over the world. In its 34th year, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival is one of the Commonwealth’s leading cultural festivals. For more information, visit kybourbonfestival.com.

To learn more, read my detailed article about last year’s event: Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2024: A Spirited Celebration!

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!