Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2008

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Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2008

Unread postby cowdery » Tue May 29, 2007 5:24 pm

I have been in contact with the Festival organizers because the 2008 festival will coincide with the Ryder Cup golf tournament, which is in Louisville that year. Apparently, the General Nelson is already entirely booked with people coming for the Ryder Cup.

Some people suggested that maybe the Bourbon Festival should be rescheduled. The Festival Committee has considered that possibility and decided to keep the original dates, which are September 16-21, 2008.

Please note I'm not talking about this year. I'm talking about next year, 2008.
- Chuck Cowdery

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Unread postby bourbonv » Tue May 29, 2007 7:28 pm

Chuck,
I am suprised that the General Nelson is booked a year and a half in advance. I have not heard anything about there being a shortage of hotels in Louisville for the Ryder Cup. Are you sure they are booked because of the Ryder Cup and not because they are afraid of a lawsuit from the Gazebo party? I heard there was a couple of guys this year that were terribly drunk - drunk to the point that they probably could have used a hospital bed instead of a motel room. Maybe the management is re-think the idea of allowing such events and this their way of putting an end to it without coming out and saying so.

I don't see a problem with having the event the same weekend as the Ryder Cup. It will give the distilleries a chance to bring people in for the Ryder Cup and the Gala. I am sure the industry is happy to have the events coincide. It is not like their guest will miss any bourbon promotions at the "festival" while watching golf.
Mike Veach
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Unread postby cowdery » Tue May 29, 2007 10:10 pm

That's a very mean-spirited and unfounded conjecture, Mike, unworthy of you. Straightbourbon.com is still much beloved at the General Nelson.

The entire place was booked by a tour operator, for a group attending the Ryder Cup. After that was revealed, calls were made and it was determined that no other Bardstown-area lodging establishment has been similarly booked, but everyone anticipates that the Louisville area's lodging resources will be stretched to the limit by the Ryder Cup. The Bourbon Festival Committee considered and discussed rescheduling the Festival, but decided to leave it as it is.
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Unread postby bourbonv » Wed May 30, 2007 9:42 am

Chuck,
I did not mean it in any way as an insult to straightbourbon. I do not think Straightbourbon.com is the problem other than the fact that the Gazebo Party has gotten too big and out of hand. It is a victim of its own success and the problem is that it is in a public forum in that other guest can wander in and that can lead to problems. The two guys who arrived this last sampler weekend are a good example. They had too much to drink at the Sampler and then came to the Gazebo. By the time they left they were way past drunk and could barely make it to their rooms. If one of them had fallen and hurt themselves or even worse died of alcohol poisoning, who do you think the lawyers would have come after - 1) The General Nelson, 2) Jim Butler because it is the Straightbourbon Gazebo party, and 3) the distillers in the party. I hope they have enough sense to work on this problem and cut off people who have had enough (the best idea) or limit the time that they hold the party ( a solution but not the best idea) or at least make sure their is plenty of food provided for the drinkers since food does keep people sober longer. I can see why the General Nelson might want to take steps to get the party to move elsewhere before they are involved in a legal mess.
Mike Veach
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Unread postby bourbonv » Tue Jun 05, 2007 12:42 pm

I don't follow golf. Is it still the Johnny Walker Ryder Cup or is it sponsored by someother company now? I do know that when I was at U.D. and they sponsored the Ryder Cup, it was a very big deal to company. It will beinteresting to see who they bring in as guest for the Ryder Cup.
Mike Veach
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