Bourbon & Beyond and the Danny Wimmer Presents team are thrilled to announce that the festival was just named Pollstar’s Music Festival of the Year (Global, over 30k in attendance). The 36th annual Pollstar Awards have been recognizing and supporting the live entertainment businesses’ most innovative companies, venues, artists, tours, and executives.
“Danny and his team put on a world class festival. From an artist’s perspective, I can feel the love and intention they put into every step of the process. It is zero surprise to me that they won Festival of The Year,” said Patrick Hallahan with My Morning Jacket, who performed at the festival last year.
“This award belongs to every single person who has supported Bourbon & Beyond along the way, and we are honored to be in a category with icons like Coachella, Lollapalooza, Stagecoach, Austin City Limits and BottleRock. Our fans are the heart and soul of this festival, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you all this September,” said Danny Wimmer, Founder of Danny Wimmer Presents.
Award-winning festival producer Danny Wimmer Presents (DWP) also recently announced a long-term agreement with Kentucky Venues to host both Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life music festivals at the Highland Festival Grounds. The 10-year commitment runs from 2026-2035 and showcases both DWP and the city’s commitment to Louisville’s cultural and economic future.
In 2024, both festivals generated over $33 million in economic impact in total, according to Louisville Tourism. This impact was felt strongly across hotels, short-term rentals, transportation providers, and restaurants. Since their first Louisville festival in 2014, the DWP festivals have experienced remarkable growth, expanding from 36,000 attendees over two days to nearly 400,000 attendees over eight days. The 2024 edition was a record-breaking year, with over 70% of fans coming from outside Louisville, representing all 50 states and 27 countries.
“Year after year, Bourbon & Beyond continues to amaze us with its innovation, growth, and popularity, so it’s no surprise it was named the Pollstar Music Festival of the Year,” said Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. “This is a well-deserved recognition for Danny and the entire DWP team. As the festival continues to grow, we will be ready to welcome even more first time visitors to Bourbon & Beyond 2025.”
“Congratulations to Bourbon & Beyond and the entire Danny Wimmer Presents team for being named Pollstar Music Festival of the Year. We are so grateful for making Kentucky your home and look forward to the next 10 years together,” said Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear.
“Bourbon & Beyond is more than just a music festival — it’s a celebration of everything that makes Kentucky special. From our world-class bourbon to the incredible local food and craftsmanship on display, this event shines a national spotlight on the best of Kentucky agriculture. We’re proud to see our farmers, distillers, and artisans take center stage and show the world what ‘Kentucky Proud’ really means,” said Kentucky Agriculture Commissioner Jonathan Shell.
