2008 Bourbon Festival

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2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Bourbon Joe » Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:09 am

Well, we're about a month away from our semi-annual trip to Louisville. We will be at Bourbon's Bistro on Wednesday evening, September 17, at about 5:00 p.m. We hope to see all our great friends from BE there. Hope y'all can make it.
Joe
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Bourbon HQ » Thu Aug 14, 2008 12:06 pm

See you there Joe. I'll bring your bottle and passports.

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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby bourbonv » Thu Aug 14, 2008 2:30 pm

Joe,
You know I will be there. I do believe I have a bottle or two for you as well. Looking forward to seeing you and Doug again. I hope you have Pen's Party in your plans as well.
Mike Veach
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby NeoTexan » Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:12 pm

We come in Friday morning. :bounce: :bounce: :bounce:
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2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby fricky » Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:06 am

bourbonv wrote:Joe,
You know I will be there. I do believe I have a bottle or two for you as well. Looking forward to seeing you and Doug again. I hope you have Pen's Party in your plans as well.

Hi Mike,
Joe and I always enjoy Pen's party. We are looking forward to it. We will stop at his house prior to the party to determine what we can contribute to the gathering.

Joe and our retired friends will be meeting later today at my house for whiskey and cigars.
Doug
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Bas » Sat Aug 16, 2008 6:50 pm

:( Maybe next year.

This festival goes on for several days , do you need all those days to see everything.
Or can you see everything in one day.
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby cowdery » Sat Aug 16, 2008 8:45 pm

Bas wrote::( Maybe next year.

This festival goes on for several days , do you need all those days to see everything.
Or can you see everything in one day.


That's not easy to answer. There's really not much to the festival itself, especially for someone primarily interested in whiskey and not in the trappings of a typical small town festival. If you're primarily interested in distillery visits, for example, you're better off coming at some time other than the festival. For me, Saturday night at the General Nelson gazebo is the highlight of the festival and that's not even an official event.
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Bas » Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:01 am

Thanks Chuck. I thought it was more of a halleluja to the drink but i forgot that there is the county too.
So, bourbon (the drink) is more as a part of all those festivities? And not just celebrating the drink?
Ok. I was already checking the airlineprices for next year and what a extra container would cost for all those souvenirs :D
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby cowdery » Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:07 pm

Others should chime in here, because I'm just speaking for myself, and I know there are contrary opinions.

The best thing about Bourbon Festival is that all of my friends are there, meaning many of the people who participate in this site, and others. The best "events" are the unofficial ones, but they aren't secret. Participating here will tip you off to most of them.

About the only "official" festival events I care about are the barrel rolling competition on Saturday morning, which is simply a hoot; the Getz Museum Benefit Auction that afternoon which, even if you don't bid is very entertaining; and the distillery booths on the Spalding Hall lawn, which are open Friday through Sunday, but there again mostly for the opportunity to see friends. You can look at the official schedule and if other official events interest you, that's cool. Four Roses always has a very nice event at their distillery. The other distilleries just do what they usually do, tour-wise, which you can do any time.

The festival organizers consider the fancy dress "gala" the highlight of the festival. I've been once and it's not my thing, but your results may vary.

Mostly it's a party that the people of Bardstown throw for themselves using the distilleries money. They don't really roll out the welcome mat for out-of-town (let alone out-of-country) visitors. I think many people are shocked by this.

I guess what I'm saying is that if you want to experience the festival and see for yourself what it's like, then by all means come to the festival. But if you mainly want to make a pilgrimage to the land of Bourbon, you might find that better accomplished at any time other than during the festival.
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Bas » Sun Aug 17, 2008 5:41 pm

cowdery wrote: But if you mainly want to make a pilgrimage to the land of Bourbon, you might find that better accomplished at any time other than during the festival.
I'll take your word for it and i'll do that then.
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby bourbonv » Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:09 pm

I have to say that I agree with Chuck. If you just want to see the distilleries and learn something about bourbon, don't come during the festival and save yourself a few bucks with off season hotel fares. The only reason I would recommend coming to the festival is that it is a good excuse to meet with you internet friends in Kentucky. I actually think that if these out of state people simply picked a random weekend to come to Kentucky for their get togethers and avoided the festival, they would get more bang for their buck. Other than the Gala, I don't know of anybody who goes to the official events and the Gala is way overpriced for what it is. They could at least make it a sit down dinner if they are going to use port-a-pots and tables in the grass. Making women wear formal gowns and heels and telling them to carry their plate in those heels across uneven lawn is a disaster waiting to happen.

Come to Kentucky and stay in Louisville. You will be within an hours drive of any distillery and the restraunts and hotels are much better.
Mike Veach
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Kendall » Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:18 pm

Mr.V and Mr.C, thank you for the info on the festival. I was thinking about attending this year but after reading your post
you have helped me make up my mind.

Kendall
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby bourbonv » Mon Aug 18, 2008 9:03 am

Kendall,
Don't get me (or Chuck) wrong - as close as you are to the festival it might be very good for you to come and meet face toface with people you have met on the internet. There is a lot of fun that weekend, but it has more to do with the getting together with friends who do enjoy bourbon than the festival itself. If you don't come to the festival, Do let it be known when you are coming so that some of us can get together and enjoy a drink or two.
Mike Veach
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Kendall » Mon Aug 18, 2008 7:29 pm

bourbonv wrote:Kendall,
Don't get me (or Chuck) wrong - as close as you are to the festival it might be very good for you to come and meet face toface with people you have met on the internet. There is a lot of fun that weekend, but it has more to do with the getting together with friends who do enjoy bourbon than the festival itself. If you don't come to the festival, Do let it be known when you are coming so that some of us can get together and enjoy a drink or two.


Mr.Veach,
Thank you, you are a true gentleman.

Kendall
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Re: 2008 Bourbon Festival

Unread postby Brewer » Tue Sep 02, 2008 9:14 am

I attended the festival twice and enjoyed it both times. As Chuck and Mike said, meeting friends made at the Bourbon sites was the best part of the trip for me. The 2nd year, a group of us bought a barrel at Buffalo Trace, and that was great. The gathering at the gazebo was also quite a party. Obviously, there's tons of great bourbon to be tasted there. I also agree with Chuck and Mike's point that if your priority is doing distillery tours, then that might best be done at another time. I haven't been back for a few years, basically because it's such a long drive from NY. :( I definitely recommend that you go at some point(s), just decide what your priorities are.
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