Home » Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame opens its doors to the public

Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame opens its doors to the public

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – For the first time ever, members of the general public will be able to rub elbows with Bourbon royalty and living whiskey legends at the prestigious Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame’s annual induction ceremony.

A limited amount of tickets are available now at www.kybourbonfestival.com for the luncheon event on Friday, Sept. 14, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Frazier History Museum. Tickets are $100 and include lunch, drinks and parking.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association created the Hall of Fame in 2001, in conjunction with the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival, to recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant and transformational impact on Bourbon’s stature, growth and awareness.

It is the highest honor given by Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry.

KDA President Eric Gregory said the intimate event moved to Friday this year due to a scheduling conflict with one of the four inductees. That prompted an unexpected venue change from Bardstown to Louisville, but allowed for a larger space to accommodate more attendees.

“The Hall of Fame is my favorite event of the year,” Gregory said, “It’s the one time when we all get together and celebrate Bourbon’s heroes and toast those gone by. There’s a lot of laughter, and usually a few tears, as the unity and camaraderie of the industry shines through.”

This year’s diverse class ranges from a beloved tour guide to top executives who have grown and guided some of the industry’s most iconic distilling empires, Gregory said. “History will be made at this year’s induction,” he said. “You’ll regret missing this one, so get your tickets now.”

The 27th annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which runs September 12 -16 this year, is a celebration of all things Bourbon. Tickets to select events are still available at www.kybourbonfestival.com.

“Each year we try to provide new experiences for our guests,” said KBF Executive Director Jill Hawkins. “We are very excited to offer the opportunity to witness this prestigious event to Bourbon lovers for the very first time.”