Whether you spell it BBQ, Barbeque or Barbecue, it’s the taste of America. You like your Bourbon aged and smooth and your BBQ slow-cooked and savory, Wilderness Trail Distillery can fill the bill for both when it has its second Bourbon release and hosts the eighth annual Kentucky State BBQ Festival Sept. 6-8, 2019.
The Danville distillery’s first Bottled in Bond Bourbon release was a huge success and it is time for the second of the three releases this year. This release will be a wheated, Single Barrel, Bottled in Bond, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and a wheated Small Batch, Bottled in Bond, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
This special event coincides with the return of the KY State BBQ Festival to our 44-acre campus. This weekend is all about enjoying the food created by seven celebrity pitmasters, shopping with a variety of vendors, and enjoying music by seven bands.
— Below was the 2018 list of events. —
We will update as the 2019 plans come together.
7 Celebrity Pitmasters – Award-winning pitmasters from around the country will be cooking their best BBQ all weekend.
Backyard BBQ Competition –This year’s event will be more competitive than ever. Bring your “A-game” and be ready to throw down in downtown!
7 Live Bands – Top bands from throughout the U.S. will be playing your favorite music. Our Saturday Night Blues Party features the best of the best.
Hey Classic Car Lovers – On Sept. 8, Somernites Cruise will have a class car display of about 20 cars as part of the BBQ Festival. They are selling $10 tickets for a chance to win either an orange 1971 Dodge Challenger or a blue and silver 1984 Chevrolet pickup. The display is 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.
VIP Events
#1 – Luau Pig & Bourbon – Includes whole hog buffet by Mike “The Legend” Mills, live entertainment, two drink tickets, three day fast pass to the festival, $10 food voucher and a limited edition bottle of Wilderness Trail Distillery’s Kentucky BBQ Festival Single Barrel Bourbon. $200 per person.
#2 – Master Distiller’s Panel – Includes 5 Bourbon Expert panelists each discussing a specific topic.
– Peggy Noe Stevens, Founder of Bourbon Women and author will play host.
– Shane Baker, Master Distiller Wilderness Trail Distillery. Topic: The difference between sweet mash and sour mash.
– Dave Scheurich, Boondocks American Whiskey and consultant. Topic: The history of alcohol and bourbon.
– Al Young, Four Roses Bourbon. Topic: The importance of yeast.
– Marianne Eave Barnes, Master Distiller Castle & Key Distillery. Topic: The family of spirits.
– Kevin Curtis – New Whiskey. Topic: The difference between a pot still and a column still.
This event includes sampling of different bourbons and nibbles from the Pitmasters. Three bottles of the Wilderness Trail Bourbon will be raffled off via a name drawing for this ticketed event. $100 per person.
#3 – Sunday Brunch + Bloody Marys + Bloody Mary Class – Sunday brunch buffet, Bloody Marys featuring Wilderness Trail Distillery’s Blue Heron Vodka, Bloody Mary Class on how to make the Ultimate Bloody with Bloody Expert, Leslie Roark Scott from Ubon’s Bloody Mary Mix and a limited edition bottle of Wilderness Trail Distillery’s Kentucky BBQ Festival Single Barrel Bourbon. $100 per person.
Non-Profit Event – The Kentucky State BBQ Festival is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization supported by the generosity of donors and sponsors. The KY State BBQ Festival benefits Heart of Kentucky United Way.
Over $146,000 raised for charity so far, over 30,000 people fed each year, over 18,000 pounds of BBQ cooked – every year!
Got Questions? We’ve Got Answers
Email: Info@KyBbqFestival.com
