Your First Bourbon & Beyond? The Ultimate Guide to the Music, Food and Kentucky Fun
From Kacey Musgraves and Chris Stapleton to chef demonstrations and amusement rides, here’s how to make your first Bourbon & Beyond weekend count.
You came for Chris Stapleton. You’ve also penciled in Kacey Musgraves, started debating dinner options and discovered that your festival ticket comes with access to amusement rides. Suddenly, four days feels surprisingly short.
Welcome to Bourbon & Beyond, where building your itinerary is half the fun.
Returning to the Kentucky Exposition Center in Louisville, September 24–27, 2026, the festival’s eighth year brings more than 100 artists across five music stages, along with culinary demonstrations, bourbon conversations and plenty of reasons to arrive before the evening headliners.
For country fans making the trip for the first time, the challenge is deciding how to fit it all in. Here’s where to start.
Get Your Bearings Before You Get Through the Gates
Your first move should be downloading the official Bourbon & Beyond mobile app, available for iPhone and Android. It lets you create a personalized itinerary and keeps festival information in one place.
Start by saving your absolute must-see performances. Then build around them with a few discoveries, a food break and something from the culinary and spirits programming.
The five music stages are Oak, Barrel, 100 Proof, Revival and The Bluegrass Situation. Familiarize yourself with the festival map before arriving, and leave room to move between performances. Back-to-back start times don’t necessarily mean you can catch every minute of both sets.
Screenshot your essentials, agree on a meeting spot with your group and check the app for updates throughout the weekend. Your future self, standing in a crowd trying to remember where everyone went, will appreciate it.
Pick Your Day, or Prepare for Four Very Different Ones
One of Bourbon & Beyond’s biggest draws is how much the musical personality changes from day to day.
Day | The big names | Your first-timer’s approach |
Thursday, September 24 | Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age, Goose | Explore early, make time for bluegrass and settle in for a rock-heavy evening. |
Friday, September 25 | Mumford & Sons, Kacey Musgraves, Foster the People | Arrive for emerging talent and build toward Kacey’s evening set. |
Saturday, September 26 | Chris Stapleton, The Red Clay Strays, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit | Give yourself a full day for a particularly stacked country and Americana lineup. |
Sunday, September 27 | Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, Counting Crows | Save some energy for afternoon discoveries and a closing stretch full of familiar favorites. |
If you’re choosing a day primarily for country music, Saturday makes a compelling case. But Friday’s Kacey Musgraves appearance and the roots acts scattered throughout the weekend deserve a close look before you decide.
Country Fans, Saturday Starts Long Before Stapleton
Yes, Chris Stapleton’s 9:20 p.m. set is the big finish. But arriving only for the headliner would mean missing an entire day worth talking about.
The announced Saturday schedule includes Bryan Martin at 12:35 p.m., Avery Anna at 1:15 p.m. and Maddox Batson at 2:35 p.m. Later, Kaitlin Butts plays at 3:45 p.m., followed by Cameron Whitcomb at 4:05 p.m. and Charley Crockett at 5 p.m.
That Butts–Whitcomb timing is exactly why planning matters: with their sets starting just 20 minutes apart, you’ll want to choose a priority instead of assuming you can comfortably catch both in full.
The evening then brings Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at 7 p.m., The Red Clay Strays at 8:05 p.m. and Stapleton at 9:20 p.m.
Our advice? Eat before that final stretch, take a break when you need one and give yourself time to get situated. That’s a lot of music to experience on an empty stomach.
Make Room for the Names You Didn’t Buy the Ticket For
A good festival delivers the artists you came to see. A great festival sends you home with a few new favorites.
On Friday, early options include Noah Rinker at 12:35 p.m., Ben Chapman at 1:15 p.m. and Gabriella Rose at 1:20 p.m. Those last two are another decision to make ahead of time. Later, Marcus King Band plays at 4:20 p.m., with Kacey Musgraves at 8:05 p.m. and Mumford & Sons at 9:20 p.m.
Thursday offers S.G. Goodman at 3:10 p.m. and Sierra Hull at 5:15 p.m. Sunday gives country and roots fans reasons to arrive early, including Uncle Lucius at 12:20 p.m., Max McNown at 3:45 p.m. and Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country at 6:05 p.m.
Choose at least one act you haven’t seen before. Give them more than a song while you’re passing through. That could be the set you’re recommending to friends on Monday.
Treat Fork & Flask Like Part of the Lineup
Food deserves a place on your schedule, especially with the revamped Fork & Flask curated by Kroger experience.
Hosted by Chef Chris Santos and bourbon, wine and spirits expert Chris Blandford, the programming brings together chefs, musicians and spirits personalities for cooking demonstrations, conversations and pairings.
The announced culinary roster includes Sara Bradley, Claudette Zepeda, Sean Brock, Amanda Freitag and Mei Lin, alongside local chefs and other featured guests.
A few sessions to put on your radar:
Thursday: Chef Santos challenges Stanley Simmons—Evan Stanley and Nick Simmons—to put their own spin on one of his signature burgers.
Friday: Sean Brock leads a cooking demonstration exploring his techniques, flavors and pairings.
Saturday: Owen Han and Chef H Woo Lee take on the ultimate festival sandwich during Viral Bites & Bourbon Flights.
Sunday: Mei Lin, Lisa Loeb and Old Forester’s Melissa Rift come together for Plates, Pours & Pop, combining a cooking demonstration with pairings and conversation.
There’s also a particularly appealing between-set stop: the Sargento Cheese Wheeler, where the announcement promises complimentary grilled cheese samples featuring Sargento Natural American Cheese.
Check the app for session times and participation details before working these into your music plans.
Pack for the Whole Day
Your festival outfit should survive more than the arrival photo.
Wear shoes you’ve already broken in, check the forecast before leaving and plan for a full day outdoors. Ear protection and a charged phone are sensible starting points; a portable charger can also earn its place in your bag.
Before packing, review the festival’s current rules for bags, sunscreen, water containers and other items. Confirm your ticket details, entry procedures and transportation arrangements, too. Those specifics should come from the latest official festival information.
Set a budget for food, drinks and merchandise, and figure out your trip home before your first pour. Leave room in the itinerary to eat, hydrate and sit down.
The Best First-Timer Move? Leave Yourself Some Freedom
Pick the performances you’d be disappointed to miss. Choose a Fork & Flask session that sounds fun. Make time for a proper meal.
Then leave a little space.
Follow the sound of a band you don’t recognize. Catch a chef demonstration you hadn’t planned on. Take your friends up on that Kentucky Kingdom detour.
With Stapleton, Musgraves, a deep supporting lineup and Louisville’s food and bourbon culture woven throughout the weekend, there’s plenty worth planning for. Some of your favorite moments may happen in the gaps.
Performance times and programming are subject to change. Check the official Bourbon & Beyond app for the latest schedule and festival details.
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