Bourbon & Beyond and Danny Wimmer Presents announced that the festival was named the 2024 Festival of the Year by leading live entertainment organization IBEA. IEBA honored the best in live entertainment at its Honors & Awards Ceremony Oct. 8, capping off its annual conference in Nashville.

“The 2024 award winners represent the very best in live entertainment, showcasing an unwavering commitment to excellence and innovation,” IEBA’s Executive Director Pam Matthews said in a news release. “Their remarkable achievements have set the standard for our industry, and we are honored to celebrate their contributions.”

This year’s sixth installment of Bourbon & Beyond made history with record setting attendance of 210,000 over the 4-day event, and a single day attendance of 60,000 on Saturday, marking the highest single day attendance and the largest music festival in Kentucky history.  It featured an eclectic mix of music legends and rising stars.  

Joining Sting and Beck on Thursday are Dave Matthews Band and Tedeschi Trucks Band on Friday, Zach Bryan and Cody Jinks on Saturday, and Tyler Childers and My Morning Jacket on Sunday. The lineup also includes Matchbox Twenty, The National, Whiskey Myers, Black Pumas, The War On Drugs, The Beach Boys, Mt. Joy, Fleet Foxes, Young the Giant, Maren Morris, The Head and The Heart, Melissa Etheridge, Teddy Swims, and many more.

This year, Bourbon & Beyond also expanded to feature five music stages and 100 artists, plus the festival’s renowned culinary and bourbon workshop stages. Attendees immersed themselves in a unique festival experience, enjoying top-tier music talent spanning country, Americana, classic rock, alternative, roots, blues, bluegrass, and adult contemporary genres. The festival also showcased culinary programming from some of the nation’s top chefs and a wide array of bourbon tastings and workshops, celebrating Louisville’s rich bourbon and culinary culture.

“We are thrilled that Bourbon & Beyond is getting recognized by our peers in the live events industry as well as others nationally and internationally,” Danny Hayes, CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents, said. “Since day one, our goal has been to create something that Kentuckians can proudly say represents this great state, along with our fans and partners. Louisville has an incredible hospitality industry. The teams at the Kentucky Exposition Center, Louisville Tourism, the city, the state, along with local restaurants and hotels, all know how to create a home for a world-class event. This award belongs as much to them as it does to us.” 

“This is an incredible and well-deserved honor for everyone who works hard to make Bourbon & Beyond such a great event,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said. “Danny Wimmer Presents continues to break attendance records, add more experiences, and grow the festival. On behalf of the City of Louisville, I’d like to give a huge thanks to the staff and the attendees for making this year’s festival the best one yet.”For more information on IBEA, visit https://www.ieba.org/, and for more information on Bourbon & Beyond please visit https://bourbonandbeyond.com/.

We did it! Bourbon & Beyond has been awarded Best Festival of 2024 by the @IEBAConference, a leading live entertainment organization. A huge shoutout to our amazing team who work tirelessly to bring you the World's Largest Music, Bourbon & Food Festival. From the incredible… pic.twitter.com/kAcJrPxUGW

— Bourbon & Beyond (@BourbonNBeyond) October 9, 2024

Read more: Bourbon & Beyond 2024 Sets Attendance Records