Kentucky Queer Bourbon Week to have tastings, distillery tours, drag brunches and more

Bourbon, once seen as “your father’s drink” by a generation that tuned in, turned on and dropped out, increasingly has been embraced by a diverse audience of drinkers.

There are Bourbon Women chapters, the Kentucky Black Bourbon Guild and, now, a Queer Bourbon Week in Kentucky. It’s the first year for an event that organizers hope will become a whiskey mainstay.

The event will take place between October 2-6 in eight locations across Kentucky, including Lexington, Bardstown, Bullitt County, Frankfort, Louisville, Northern Kentucky, Paducah and Winchester. The week-long event was inspired by other events across the country, like Gay Wine Weekend in Sonoma, Calf., and Queer Beer Fest’ in Washington, DC.

“From my Covington home to seven other amazing destinations around the state, we are excited for you to join us for a week of festivities honoring Kentucky’s LGBTQ+ culture and bourbon tradition alongside the top bourbon brands in the world,” Missy Spears, executive director of Queer Kentucky , said in a press release.

There will be multiple events throughout the week, such as cocktail classes, bourbon 101 lessons, behind-the-scenes distillery tours, drag brunches, multi-course dinners and a tasting event featuring Kentucky’s only LGBTQ-owned distillery, event planners said in the press release. Events, listed on the website, in Lexington include:

• Oct. 2: 21c selects tasting event and guided tour , 167 W. Main Street

• Oct. 4: Bluegrass Distillers barrel selection event , 158 W. Leestown Road

• Oct. 5: “Make Your Mark” tasting event , 161 N. Mill Street

• Oct. 6: Bespoken Spirits and Old North Bar drag brunch , 101 W. Loudon Avenue

Many bourbon partners from across Kentucky are included in the week’s lineup. Event planners said the activities are designed to foster safety, belonging and togetherness while raising funds for Queer Kentucky and other Kentucky-based LGBTQ+ community service organizations.

Select hotels, including 21c Museum Hotels (Louisville & Lexington), Common Bond Hotel Collection, Hotel Covington and Hotel Genevieve, are partnering with the events to provide accommodations attendees, according to event planners.

Queer Kentucky is a LGBTQ+ nonprofit that works to bolster and enhance Queer culture and health through storytelling, education and action, event planners said.

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