SoKY’s Choice: A decade of good spirits fills Bowling Green at Bourbon and Brewfest

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (WNKY) — Under partly cloudy skies and mild fall temperatures, thousands poured into the Bowling Green Ballpark on Saturday to celebrate the 10th annual Bourbon and Brewfest, a decade of Kentucky flavor, local pride, and community connection.

For Ashley Harold, assistant manager at Springhill Liquors, the festival isn’t just about bourbon or beer; it’s about people. She said the event draws “people from all over the state and actually all over the East Coast,” giving independently owned businesses like hers “a chance to put out our new products for customers.”

Harold has been part of the festival for seven years and said watching it grow has been one of her favorite parts. “It keeps getting bigger, and I love that,” she said. “It’s just nice to see the different faces of people that actually enjoy it.”

That blend of familiar and new faces filled the Ballpark with energy and purpose. Dana Adams said she came for both the fun and the philanthropy. “You’ve got a lot of people coming in, they’re supporting some good causes down there,” she said. “The Center for Courageous Kids is here, they’re raffling off Pappy Van Winkle. There are great vendors, and it means a whole lot to come down here and have some fun.”

For Noe Garcia, attending for the first time made Bowling Green feel more like home. “I probably ran into more people here today than I do in my own neighborhood,” he said. “It’s just a great thing to bring people together and a hell of a community event.”

Now calling Kentucky home, Garcia said it didn’t take long to adopt the state’s signature drink. “I’m a new Kentucky native, so bourbon is my number one now,” he said. “I mean, that’s all I’ve got left at home.”

Visitors traveled from out of state to join the milestone celebration. Jesse Gerkowicz, who made the trip from Michigan, said her family plans their fall around the event. “This is actually our third year that we’ve been here,” she said. “There’s so many local bourbons trying to make a name for themselves, and being able to take them back home and share them with our friends and family has been fantastic.”

For longtime local Lisa Lancaster, the day was a reminder of why the event has lasted a decade. “It’s helpful for the community to be together, having fun,” she said. “Bowling Green is the best place to be.”

As the evening sun slipped through the clouds and the crowd toasted another successful year, Julie Simpson summed it up with a smile. “It’s a beautiful day,” she said. “It’s a good way to come out for the community and see what Bowling Green and Kentucky has to offer.”

Ten years in, Bourbon and Brewfest continues to prove that there’s nothing quite like Kentucky hospitality, especially when it’s served neat.