If you’ve ever celebrated anything in the Midwest, you know just how fun St. Louis can be. From Cardinals baseball and the St. Louis Arch to Grant’s Farm and the St. Louis Zoo, there’s always something exciting to do and experience. However, if you’re a bourbon fan, you’ll need to make plans to be in the St. Louis Metro area come October 6th. It’s the St. Louis Bourbon Festival! And every year, thousands descend to the Mississippi River Valley for the best entertainment, the best exhibits, and more than 450 globally renowned whiskeys, scotch varieties, and bourbons.

About the St. Louis Bourbon Festival

This year’s festival is taking place on October 6th, so mark those calendars and start making arrangements. Also, it’s for a good cause. Every year, the St. Louis Bourbon Festival comes to the Metro with the raffle and auction proceeds benefiting the St. Louis Hero Network for First Responders. So, you can partake in this Midwest celebration and feel good about contributing.

The St. Louis Bourbon Festival is no backyard variety shindig, either. There will be more than 450 bourbon, whiskey, and scotch varieties available, hailing from distilleries and brands from all around the world. Moreover, the festival continues to expand and includes an indoor and outdoor layout, with additional spaces and buildings for adventurous sippers. Other attractions include:

• Live Music
• Celebrity Meet & Greets
• Custom Cocktails
• Premium Tastings
• Silent Auction
• Craft Vendors
• Food Trucks

It’s one of the area’s biggest festival attractions and worth adding to your bourbon, whisky, or scotch must-experience list!

The St. Louis Bourbon Festival Venue

The St. Louis Bourbon Festival seems to get bigger every year, expanding into nearby Cherokee Street and including additional sites. The primary venue, the Lemp Grand Hall and Lofts is where you’ll look to head first. Additionally, the Lemp family heritage is rich with iconic historical sites throughout the St. Louis Metro area.

New in 2022, the festival featured individual premium tasting sessions in the Lemp Mansion, known globally as a paranormal hotspot and thrilling haunts. The spirit tastings, however, will center on all things bourbon, including:

• History of St. Louis Bourbon
• Distillation and Barreling
• Blending and Finishing
• Brilliant Cocktail Creation
• Culinary Pairings
• And More!

Learn more about the Lemp Dynasty, including the various breweries, lagers, and craft beers that still hail from the resurrected historic sites.

The General Admission Experience

Ticket pricing is always subject to change, of course. However, St. Louis Bourbon Festival attendees can expect to pay anywhere from $90 to $120 for general admission. This GA entry includes tasting samples and more, including:

• St. Louis Bourbon Festival Tasting Glass
• Access to Unlimited Samples from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM
• Access to 450+ Bourbon, Whiskey, Rye & Scotch Varieties
• Access to the Lemp Grand Hall Space and All Vendors
• Access to the Demenil Place Vendor Tent
• Access to the Demenil Mansion Courtyard & Live Music
• Access to the Lemp Mansion Gazebo for Celebrity Meet & Greets
• Access to the Lemp Mansion Courtyard Vendors

The Sazerac VIP Experience

You can expect a fully-immersive adventure as a general admission guest at the St. Louis Bourbon Festival. But if you really want an upscale experience, check out the Sazerac VIP Experience. The St. Louis Bourbon Society and Sazerac have partnered to create a truly elevated bourbon experience. This VIP ticket will grant you access to the best of the best festival amenities, including:

• Exclusive VIP Lounge Area
• Allocated Tastings
• Specialty Cocktail Experiences
• Exclusive Interactive Events
• 1-Hour Early Access
• Private VIP Bar Access

The St. Louis Bourbon Society

The St. Louis Bourbon Festival is brought to the area every year, in part, due to the efforts of the St. Louis Bourbon Society. When it was originally founded in 2016, there were roughly a few hundred members. Today, the group is made up of nearly 12,000 spirit enthusiasts and supporters who are fiercely passionate about regional bourbon.

The St. Louis Bourbon Society hosts regular events, including tastings and bottle shares, throughout the year. And the group celebrates master distillers, brands, hall-of-fame producers, and ambassadors from all over the country. And many of the group’s efforts are rooted in charitable contributions, helping to support local non-profit organizations and promote cause awareness. It’s more than just bourbon. It’s about a collective of bourbon enthusiasts who continue to find ways to innovate, contribute, and share. And today, the St. Louis Bourbon Society is one of the country’s largest and most highly interactive communities.

The Official Details & FAQs

The St. Louis Bourbon Festival will take place this October 6th, 2023, at the Lemp Grand Hall and Lofts in St. Louis, Missouri. General admission tickets will go on sale officially on July 1st, 2023. For more updates, follow the festival’s website here. 

Where do we park and check in to the festival?

The check-in tent is typically set up in front of the Lemp Grand Hall at 1817 Cherokee Street. Parking is going to be limited in the area, so Uber and Lyft are popular methods for arrival. There are paid parking options at 3500 Lemp Avenue that can be purchased with your festival tickets.

What’s allowed and not allowed into the festival?

Festival guests can bring small purses, cameras, reusable water bottles, sanitizers, and sunscreen. Below is the list of strictly prohibited items in the festival.

• Coolers
• Glass Containers
• Backpacks
• Drones
• Chairs
• Outside Food or Beverage
• Pets
• Skateboards or Scooters
• Tents
• Fireworks

And, of course, illegal substances, illicit substances, and weapons of any kind are NOT allowed into the festival.

What happens if the weather is rainy?

The St. Louis Bourbon Festival is a rain-or-shine event. There are no refunds or exchanges available should it be rainy that day.

Is there other festival swag to buy?

There will be limited edition St. Louis Bourbon Festival tee shirts available for pre-purchase. Tee shirt quantities are limited, so be sure to order yours when you order your festival tickets online.

If you’re a bourbon and whisky enthusiast, you’ll definitely appreciate the adventures at the St. Louis Bourbon Festival! And don’t forget – Distillery Nearby can be your guide to discovering all the best festivals, distilleries near you, and spirit tours wherever you may travel! Check back often and start checking off those spirit experiences from your bucket list!