06 Kbf

[Whiskey River]

Trying to get hotel reservations for the week of the festival and understandably, it seems like every place in town is booked. Any ideas on where would be the next best place to stay?

[TNbourbon]

Try Red Carpet Inn, out by the Bluegrass Parkway. Pretty plain, but clean enough, and serviceable. And only a couple of miles away from the Gazebo!:grin:

I can't find a direct website, but I remember making my reservation last September online, so run a search -- one of the booking sites must have it.

[luv2hunt]

Put your name on a waiting list at a few places. They always get a few cancellations....last year the hurricanes caused several cancellations.

Call the KBF office, they're very helpful

Call places and leave your name/number, don't rely on internet info!

Dawn

[gr8erdane]

For sure, call the hotels directly if you can. Most of the online reservation systems are selling from a block of rooms that is reserved just for their sales and the hotels themselves sometimes have other blocks held out just for their own sales. Geez, I knew that Hotel and Restaurant Degree would come in handy someday.....

[cowdery]

Bardstown has quite a number of very nice bed and breakfasts. The festival office can give you the details. All of them I have seen are very nice, as are the people who run them, and surprisingly they are not the first places to sell out for the festival, probably because they don't pop up in on-line searches. Especially considering that the "ordinary" hotels bump their rates up for the festival, they are not too dear.

Also be sure to call the Talbott Tavern.

Also check out "My Old Kentucky Home" Motel. It's clean and decent, though a bit worn. It is right across the street from the General Nelson and has the additional attraction of being owned and operated by the Beam family. They even have a distillery (non-functioning) on the premises. Again, because you can't make reservations on line, they tend not to fill up as fast as other places.

Dane's advice is very sound. Don't bother trying to do anything online for the festival. Get on the phone and call the places directly.

The General Nelson, if this isn't obvious already, is the semi-official StraightBourbon.com festival headquarters and fills up fast for that reason. Many people will make their reservations for next year before this year's festival ends.

[bluesbassdad]

It is right across the street from the General Nelson . . .

Three rye-and-gingers ago, the following remark would probably not have seemed funny to me.

Do you suppose Bettye Jo could line up a local troop of Boy Scouts to walk inebriated SB.com'ers across that street? :grin:

Yours truly,

Dave Morefield

[gr8erdane]

Would we, as socially conscious drinkers, want to subject the youth of our country to inebriated SB.commers? I wonder if they have a Distillation Merit Badge in the Kentucky Troops?

[Whiskey River]

Thanks for the advice!! I'll let my fingers do the walkin', and I'm confident we'll find a place.

I would like to go to the sampler, but can't make it this year, but I'm looking forward to meeting as many of you as I can this fall at the Gazebo!!

[Virus_Of_Life]

I had run into this same issue and will start making phone calls this weekend.

Also, I noticed the festival is 5 days. I am not sure if I'll be able to be there all 5 so I was hoping for some advice on the "not to miss events"? Obviously I'll check the list of events, but as a KBF virgin I'd like to hear from others what are the best days to be there: when does everyone get together at the gazebo? What days do SBers typically do distillery tours?

I'd be coming by myself so it'd be nice to meet up with folks I almost know via the website.

[BarItemsPlus1]

as a KBF virgin I'd like to hear from others what are the best days to be there: when does everyone get together at the gazebo? What days do SBers typically do distillery tours?....

I too would be very appreciative of any 'insider' info. I will be making sure I get to this!!

[nor02lei]

I too would be very appreciative of any 'insider' info. I will be making sure I get to this!!

That goes for me to Troy. I am in the middle of my planning of distillery visits during my Kentucky trip in September and it would mean gold to me to know what distillery the SB group will visit already in this early state.

Leif

[cowdery]

I suggest that you do some searching on the site, as these questions have been asked and answered before. Like most festivals of its type, the KBF builds toward the weekend, with Saturday being the busiest day for everthing, official and unofficial. There is a big drop-off on Sunday as many out-of-towners make that their travel day. The gazebo is still (knock on wood) an informal activity open to all and pretty much happens when it happens, although it too peaks on Friday and Saturday evening.

[boone]

That goes for me to Troy. I am in the middle of my planning of distillery visits during my Kentucky trip in September and it would mean gold to me to know what distillery the SB group will visit already in this early state.

Leif

:grin: :grin: Maker's Mark :grin: :grin:

[nor02lei]

:grin: :grin: Maker's Mark :grin: :grin:

Bettye Jo,

Thank you very much. This early information means a lot to me. I lock forward for the visit!!

Leif

[BarItemsPlus1]

Cheers Chuck & Betty Jo!!:toast:

Leif I hope I get to have a many a pour with you and others from SB over this festival.

I might start to stock up on the B..B..Boroca:puke:

Could be a longgg weekend??week...

Chuck as you would probably be the best to consult on the Gazebo...

What is the practice in bringing along special items??

[cowdery]

Chuck as you would probably be the best to consult on the Gazebo...

What is the practice in bringing along special items??

I'll again stress the informality of the gathering. Bring something or bring nothing. There is always plenty and you will be equally welcome either way. Some people just put a bottle on the table, others "tell the story" if they think it will be of interest.

[nor02lei]

Cheers Chuck & Betty Jo!!:toast:

Leif I hope I get to have a many a pour with you and others from SB over this festival.

Cheers to that Troy!

[LeNell]

I just gave up my reservations at the General Nelson/Best Western. Got a wedding we're committed to going to so won't make it down to the Festival. Sure will miss seeing y'all!

[hookfinger]

I can' t stress calling the Nelson directly. Prior to the Tasting their website said they were sold out but a phone call got me a room. Also ask to be put on the list for the cancellations, you might be surprised. The day after LeNell posted that she couldn't make it I got a call offering me the room and I was 5 or 6 down on the list.

[nor02lei]

I got this brochure from the festival and I do wonder if anyone could help me with some information about all this events’ that you have to pay for. Is it necessary to pay in advance or can I pay on site as well? Many of them seem quit expensive. Is it worth the money? As I understand there will be some strightbourbon.com group activities as well and I wouldn’t like to miss them. Is it any plans made for that yet? Are any of you other forum members going to visit any of these official payment activities?

Leif

[boone]

I got this brochure from the festival and I do wonder if anyone could help me with some information about all this events’ that you have to pay for. Is it necessary to pay in advance or can I pay on site as well? Many of them seem quit expensive. Is it worth the money? As I understand there will be some strightbourbon.com group activities as well and I wouldn’t like to miss them. Is it any plans made for that yet? Are any of you other forum members going to visit any of these official payment activities?

Leif

Thursday is the SB.com tour at MM...it will start at MM around 11 a.m.

Friday night is my party...The Boone Shindig...I will host another tasting this year :grin: :grin: :grin: We havta crown another " Bourbonian Taster of the Year 2006" :grin: :grin: :grin: It usually starts around 6 p.m, dinner afterward.

Other than that we meet at the Gazebo behind the General Nelson nighly...Saturday night being the biggest gathereing :grin: :grin:

This will give you a little heads up on a few SB.com things we normally do (as a group) every year.

Ed and Dale can fill you in on the Gala (most expensive)...seems as if they have a good time every year :grin: :grin: Black tie.

Bettye Jo :grin: :grin:

EDIT... Here is a link to the events page: http://www.kybourbonfestival.com/events.htm

Jim, has a link to the KBF on the front page.

[NeoTexan]

I got this brochure from the festival and I do wonder if anyone could help me with some information about all this events’ that you have to pay for. Is it necessary to pay in advance or can I pay on site as well? Many of them seem quit expensive. Is it worth the money? As I understand there will be some strightbourbon.com group activities as well and I wouldn’t like to miss them. Is it any plans made for that yet? Are any of you other forum members going to visit any of these official payment activities?

Leif

As Ms Boone points out, Ed and I go to the Gala every year. This a black tie event (Tux for most, I wear a kilt and Prince Charlie Jacket) and IMHO a very nice evening of drinking, food and dancing.

The evening starts with a tasting. All the distillery's are there and offering almost everything in their inventory. They also allow you to keep the glass, which in many cases, are very nice. You are given a cloth bag to carry so you may transport the glasses you keep. After approx 2 hours the lights blink and you proceed to a LARGE tent to eat. (On the way they check your bag in to a holding area and give you a claim ticket for that bag so you do not need to carry it with you) The meal has always been good and the music afterward has also been fantastic.

The best thing about the event is that you get to meet a lot of the people you hear so much about. (Master distillers, CEOs, etc)

If you think you wish to go you need to call NOW. I called a few weeks ago and was on a waiting list for about a week before an opening became available.

If you do get tickets and are going, PM me and we can arrange a meeting at the Gala.

Dale

[cowdery]

Some people go to several of the "pay" events, some go to none. Some swear by one or the other. If this visit to the festival is a probable once-in-a-lifetime thing, then you might want to do the gala, which involves the additional expense of acquiring suitable attire. It is, in some ways, the festival's keynote event.

Personally, I have been to it exactly once, although I have been to the festival many times. Was it enjoyable? Yes. Could I have died happy having never been? Yes. Did those rented shoes do a major number on my feet? Yes.

To me, all of the "official" festival activities, free or paid, pale beside just being there with a lot of friends and attending events such as Bettye Jo's party and the nightly Gazebo gatherings. Anything else that happens to be fun is gravy.

The only paid event I really care about is shopping at Toddy's.

[NeoTexan]

To me, all of the "official" festival activities, free or paid, pale beside just being there with a lot of friends and attending events such as Bettye Jo's party and the nightly Gazebo gatherings. Anything else that happens to be fun is gravy.

The only paid event I really care about is shopping at Toddy's.

The best things in life are free. The man is correct (as always). The pay events are very nice, but not required to have one heck of a good time. You have enough friends on this site, that are attending and would be happy to show you sites and entertain, that I would doubt you would be bored.

[nor02lei]

As Ms Boone points out, Ed and I go to the Gala every year. This a black tie event (Tux for most, I wear a kilt and Prince Charlie Jacket) and IMHO a very nice evening of drinking, food and dancing.

The evening starts with a tasting. All the distillery's are there and offering almost everything in their inventory. They also allow you to keep the glass, which in many cases, are very nice. You are given a cloth bag to carry so you may transport the glasses you keep. After approx 2 hours the lights blink and you proceed to a LARGE tent to eat. (On the way they check your bag in to a holding area and give you a claim ticket for that bag so you do not need to carry it with you) The meal has always been good and the music afterward has also been fantastic.

The best thing about the event is that you get to meet a lot of the people you hear so much about. (Master distillers, CEOs, etc)

If you think you wish to go you need to call NOW. I called a few weeks ago and was on a waiting list for about a week before an opening became available.

If you do get tickets and are going, PM me and we can arrange a meeting at the Gala.

Dale

Dale,

Since it seems like I have to make up my mind at once I think I pass ( all row very interested) and stick to the sb.com activities in first hand. One to me important thing puzzles me though. It is the cloth requirements. The only thing that is said in the brochure is black tie and that is the thing you have around your neck I suppose. However I have seen pictures from the gala and must people wear tux as it seem. Therefore I ask you if it is ok to come with black tie, shirt and short trousers to this event? Visiting Atlanta in 1996 I got the impression that these clothes were accepted at all places including such were its not in Sweden.

Leif