Ranked amongst the top travel destinations to visit in 2024 by Travel + Leisure, Louisville Kentucky is a city on the rise. Known for its award-winning Bourbon and as the home of the Kentucky Derby, it’s safe to say the people of Louisville (otherwise known as ‘Louisvillians’) know how to party!
We’ve listed below some of Louisville’s top festivals to look out for in 2024.
This year marks the 150th running of The Greatest Two Minutes in Sport – the Kentucky Derby. Whilst the race itself takes place on Saturday 4th May 2024, excitement across starts building across the city weeks prior to the off.
The Kentucky Derby Festival gets underway with the spectacular ‘
Thunder Over Louisville’, one of world’s biggest firework displays, officially kicking off celebrations on Tuesday 20th April 2024.
As the nights become shorter and we say goodbye to Summer, for Louisville the party keeps going as the streets burst with colour for one of Kentucky’s largest LGBTQ+ events of the year.
This free street event takes place in the Highland neighbourhood. An area known for its eccentric array of shops, a mecca for dining, and as one of Louisville’s most popular neighbourhoods for nightlife.
From 11am to 11pm, experiences live music from Grammy award-winning artists and top DJs, accompanied on stage by famous drag artists. You’ll also find over 100 vendors with goods ranging from tasty cuisine, refreshing cocktails, and local arts and crafts.
If you are visiting Louisville earlier in the year, the ‘
Kentuckiana Pride Festival’ takes place in Downtown Louisville on 15th June 2024 and is the largest LGBTQ+ festival in Kentucky.
The World’s Largest Bourbon and Music Festival returns to Louisville’s Highland Festival Grounds in 2024. Indulge in one-of-a-kind, multi-sensory food and drink experiences, brought to you by America’s best chefs and Bourbon distilleries.
Discover the incredible range of Bourbon on offer from premium brands such as Angel’s Envy, Maker’s Mark, and Jim Beam, whilst top chefs such as Chris Santos (co-founder & executive chef Beauty & Essex), Amanda Freitag (Judge on Food Network’s “Chopped” and “Iron Chef America), and Darnell Ferguson (host of Food Network’s “Superchef Grudge Match”) create mouth-watering masterpieces.
The talent doesn’t stop in kitchen though. World-renown musical talent will once again grace the stage over the 4-day festival. 2023 saw the likes of The Killers, Bruno Mars, and The Black Keys rock Louisville. The 2024 line-up is yet to be announced but is sure to bring even more incredible artists back to the city!
Get ready to rock…. Again! Just one week after ‘Bourbon & Beyond’, the skies of Louisville will once more be filled with the sound of incredible musical talent.
2023 welcomed headline act and rock legends Foo Fighters to the Highland Festival Grounds, along with Green Day, Weezer, Royal Blood, and many more. For 2024, the Highland Festival Grounds will once again welcome heavy metal and rock legends as Slipknot, Motley Crue, Korn, and over 150 artists to celebrate 10 years of Louder Than Life.
Along with an incredible music line up, festival goers can expect to experience the taste of Louisville (and the South) with an abundance of premium drink brands showcasing their products. Rabbit Hole Distillery, Angel’s Envy, Jack Daniel’s, Tito’s Vodka to name a few.
For more information on the many annual events and festivals in Louisville KY throughout 2024, visit GoToLouisville.com
Posted by: Louisville Tourism
Posted on: 15/01/2024