Bourbon & Beyond, the world’s largest bourbon and music festival, is dialing up the flavor for its seventh year with an expanded Fork & Flask stage. This multi-day culinary experience fuses Kentucky’s bourbon culture with the creativity of America’s top chefs, mixologists, and spirits experts. Set against the backdrop of a world-class music lineup, Fork & Flask will be a festival within a festival, offering fans a taste of the region’s finest food and drink, along with entertainment, storytelling, and surprise celebrity pairings.
Taking place from Sept. 11-14 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, Bourbon & Beyond 2025 promises more immersive culinary and bourbon experiences than ever before. After a record-setting 2024 and being named Pollstar’s Global Festival of the Year, producers Danny Wimmer Presents are expanding the Fork & Flask curated by Kroger stage. The stage will host daily demos, panels, and tastings with an all-star cast of chefs and spirits icons.
At the heart of the Fork & Flask stage are celebrity chefs Chris Santos of *Chopped* and Edward Lee of *The Mind of a Chef*, who will host a rotating lineup of food and beverage talent. Joining them are fan favorites like Chef Amanda Freitag, Chef Esther Choi, and Chef Claudette Zepeda, alongside Louisville’s own Chef Anthony Lamas of Seviche and Chef Lawrence Weeks of North of Bourbon.
The talent doesn’t stop in the kitchen. Fork & Flask will also feature some of the biggest names in the spirits world, including Preston Van Winkle (Old Rip Van Winkle), Elizabeth McCall (Woodford Reserve), Freddie Noe (James B. Beam), and Harlen Wheatley (Buffalo Trace). Mixologists Kyle Wallace and Lili Lambert will bring cocktail culture to the forefront with fresh takes on bourbon classics. Local producers and farmers will also take the spotlight with Kentucky Proud product features and discussions on farm-to-table sourcing.
Chris Blandford, a veteran bourbon expert and lead of Kroger Wine & Spirits, will co-host several sessions and panels, offering fans insights into the evolving role of bourbon in food, culture, and community. Programming highlights will include bourbon tastings, blind sampling workshops with renowned bourbon critic Fred Minnick, and themed sessions such as “Buzzed About Bourbon” and “New School of American Whiskey,” which focus on how new voices are reshaping the narrative of America’s native spirit.
One of the most buzzworthy moments will be the “Family Cookin’” segment with NFL legend Terry Bradshaw and his son-in-law, Chef Noah Hester. The duo, who recently released a family cookbook, will take to the stage to share stories, recipes, and, of course, plenty of Bradshaw Bourbon.
Fork & Flask will also embrace its entertainment roots with appearances from actress Elizabeth Banks for her “Unscripted & Uncorked” conversation and comedian Jim Gaffigan, who returns to the festival with his bourbon brand, Fathertime, for a blend of stand-up and sipping.
The culinary experience complements an already impressive music lineup featuring headliners such as The Lumineers, Phish, Jack White, Sturgill Simpson, and Noah Kahan. The synergy between food, drink, and music is what sets Bourbon & Beyond apart, making Fork & Flask not just a pit stop between sets, but a headline experience of its own.
As Chef Chris Santos says, “Bourbon & Beyond is where the heart of music meets the soul of bourbon country. Every sip feels like a high-five, and every bite is a thrilling encore.” And with over 210,000 attendees in 2024 and even more expected this year, the culinary stage is more than just a flavor bonus; it’s an essential part of the festival’s DNA.
The Fork & Flask stage will host workshops daily from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., and organizers will announce the full schedule in the coming weeks. For fans of food, bourbon, and immersive festival experiences, Fork & Flask is where it all comes together.
