The Ultimate Bluegrass Autumn Tour
Autumn is a beautiful time in the bluegrass. The summer rains have given everything a gorgeous green glow that begins turning the hallmark orange, yellow, and brown of fall. The humidity has dropped, and everyone wants to spend their days and nights outside in the cooler temperatures. This is also the time of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the Burgoo Festival, and the perfect time to tour a Kentucky thoroughbred horse farm ahead of the opening of Keeneland’s yearling sale and Fall Meet that run from September through October.
Kentucky Bourbon Festival
The 2022 Kentucky Bourbon Festival takes place September 16-18 in Bardstown, Kentucky, a short hour’s drive down the Bluegrass Parkway from Lexington. The Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown, is Kentucky’s second oldest city and is home to 11 distilleries within 16 miles of the town including Bardstown Bourbon Company, Barton 1792 Distillery, Four Roses Distillery, Maker’s Mark, Willett, and others. You could spend a few days touring all the facilities and seeing the sights in Bardstown and the surrounding areas.
If you only have a short time here or if you love a good festival, especially one centered around Kentucky’s most famous libation, you’ll want to head out to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in September. Here you can sample bourbon from over 45 distilleries, take classes on creating everything from cocktails to meals featuring bourbon, cheer on your favorite team at the bourbon barrel relay world championship, and head on out to a distillery for one of many after-hours events.
The Kentucky Bourbon Festival schedule is packed with a variety of events that will keep you entertained for as long as you stay, and good news for everyone—bourbon sampling is included in your ticket price as is your ‘Wee’ Glencairn Kentucky Bourbon Festival-branded nosing and tasting glass. In addition to walking around, tasting the wide variety of bourbons, and sampling delicious fare from the many food trucks, the Bardstown Bourbon Company team hosts several classes, including:
Discovery Series Deconstructed—a class giving a breakdown of the famous Discovery Series Whiskey
Equipped and Ready to Cocktail—a hands-on mixology event
The Bourbon Opener—a pairing event with four dishes of whiskeys/curated culinary offerings
If learning about cooking accompanied by bourbon is of interest, you may want to take the class with Chef Ouita Michel, owner of Holly Hill Inn in Midway, just a few miles west of Lexington. Michel also owns Wallace Station Deli, Windy Corner Market, the Midway Bakery, and Woodford Reserve Distillery near Versailles where she is the chef-in-residence. According to Michel’s Honeywood restaurant website, “her restaurants have purchased over $3 million of Kentucky-grown meats, dairy products, fruits, and vegetables over the last 18 years. Her reputation and commitment to sustainability have earned speaking invitations and awards from local, regional, and national organizations.”
While at the Bourbon Festival, don’t miss the World Champion Bourbon Barrel Relay. The Kentucky Bourbon Festival events page calls this a family-friendly event where teams from distillery warehouses “race against the clock to roll and position multiple, full 500-pound barrels perfectly into a rick.” There’s no need to purchase a ticket for this free event held just off the Festival grounds. As an added bonus, food trucks will be on hand to feed your family.
Still raring to go? Be sure to enjoy two stages hosting live music and interviews with bourbon industry superstars on the Bourbon 30 Show. You can also spend time shopping for that elusive rare bottle to add to your collection, raise a paddle at the Master Distillers’ Auction, and visit the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History.
Finally, don’t forget all of the after-hours events hosted by local distilleries. Spend time touring the distilleries, attending concerts, and of course, enjoying some fine dining accompanied by a great glass of bourbon.
September Fun in Kentucky
September is a jam-packed time for events in Kentucky, especially those focused on bourbon and food like Kentucky’s famous Burgoo.
Listen to live music, enjoy craft beer and delicious food trucks, and purchase arts, crafts, and more at the Stave Fest (Sept. 9-10) in Lawrenceburg in Anderson County, a pretty and short drive from Lexington.
At the Bourbon and Beyond Festival in Louisville (Sept. 15-18), enjoy music by Jack White, Kings of Leon, Pearl Jam, Alanis Morrisette, Brandi Carlisle, Chris Stapleton, the Doobie Brothers, St. Vincent, and many, many more are listed in the line-up.
Are you familiar with burgoo? Learn about it (or just go and enjoy your favorite stew) at the Burgoo Festival (Sept. 23-25) as you head out to Lawrenceburg. There is something for everyone at this festival with live music, food and craft vendors, carnival rides, and contests (including a beauty pageant and a talent show). This year’s headliners are Walker Montgomery and Jeffrey Wayne Bates. There will even be a Bluegrass Blues Brothers Tribute Band.
The Bourbon Country Burn (Sept. 30 - October 2) is both a bike tour and a bourbon festival spread out over three-days and originating in Lexington. Bourbon-loving cyclists have a chance to ride—between 20 and 100 miles a day—to a variety of distilleries and horse farms. Starting at the Kentucky Horse Park campground, bikers from all 50 states over the past four years have enjoyed touring the gorgeous bluegrass scenery and world-renowned distilleries.
The Complete Kentucky Experience
Bourbon is not the only reason to visit Kentucky in September. Make your trip to the Bluegrass state complete with a thoroughbred horse tour at Mill Ridge Farm.
You can expect to see an active horse farm where champions are bred and raised. Alice Headley Chandler founded Mill Ridge Farm in 1962. She was the first woman to breed an Epsom Derby winner sold at auction, and her father, Hal Price Headley, co-founded Keeneland. While you’re visiting, you can meet the horses up close and hand-feed them fresh carrots over the fence.
At Mill Ridge, you will have a chance to see horses of different ages and colors.
Broodmares and Foals—mothers and nursing babies
Weanlings—young horses between 6 months and 1 year old
Yearlings—1-year-old horses
Stallions Standing Stud—male horses over 5 years old
OSCAR PERFORMANCE, the stallion at Mill Ridge, particularly enjoys getting to meet people on tour, as do many of the broodmares, foals, weanlings, and yearlings. You’ll have the pleasure of seeing the younger horses playing together as you tour the farm.
Interested in learning more about broodmares, foals, weanlings, and two-year olds? Want to see for yourself how they’re raised? Schedule a tour of Mill Ridge Farm today at Visit Horse Country.