Bourbon and Bluegrass: Summer Adventures You Don’t Want to Miss in and around Northern Kentucky
Imagine your perfect summer evening: The sound of live fiddles and banjos fills the air, a Kentucky sunset sets the mood and a glass of bourbon finds its way to your hand. In Northern Kentucky, the deep traditions of bourbon-making and the soulful melodies of bluegrass music come together to create experiences that feel like they’re made just for you.
From lively festivals to intimate concerts at historic distilleries to local jams at a bourbon bar, there’s something magical waiting for every music lover and bourbon enthusiast.
Here’s a taste of why summer in Northern Kentucky’s Covington and Newport area should be on your bucket list.
Sipping bourbon to an NKY soundtrack
One of the best things about Northern Kentucky is how effortlessly bourbon and music intertwine. From cozy bar stages to open-air concerts, you can feel the state’s rich culture in every note and sip. It’s a place where the rhythm of bluegrass and the smoothness of bourbon bring people together.
Vibrant Madison Theater in Covington is a must for live music and boasts an impressive lineup of both local and national artists. The Southgate House Revival in Newport, a historic church-turned-music venue, delivers a mix of bluegrass, indie, and folk performances regularly and never disappoints! At MegaCorp Pavilion in Newport, music of all varieties rocks the rafters with pitch-perfect acoustics. And whether indoors or out, there’s not a bad seat in the house.
Tasting, touring, blending, bottling
Sip al fresco at Covington’s Smoke Justis or the Tousey House Tavern in Burlington, a short 25-minute drive from Covington, and soak up the ambiance of summer in the city in the former and a more rural charm at the latter. Both of these B-Line venues stock an impeccable selection of bourbon, and each offers a custom-crafted cocktail. Will it be Smoke Justis’ Grand Slam Old Fashioned or Tousey House Tavern’s Erastus Tousey Manhattan?
Elevate your palate with tutored bourbon tastings. At Pensive Distillery Co. in Newport, learn how to drink bourbon like a Kentuckian with the Speakeasy Tasting, a guided experience of three Pensive bourbons that takes place in the distillery’s speakeasy. Add a tour to learn about Newport’s bootlegging days.
Sip your way through four unique New Riff Whiskey expressions during The Hits: A Guided Tasting Experience at Newport’s New Riff Distilling. Or play master distiller when New Riff presents its monthly Blend experience and taste, blend, and bottle your own bourbon.
From festival fun to circus stunts
You’ll wish you could bottle the fun and deliciousness of the three-day Bourbon, Bacon & Brew Festival, taking place in mid-July at Newport’s Festival Park at the Levee. Bourbon-glazed ribs, bacon-infused burgers, beer-battered morsels—yes, please! Visit the Bourbon Experience and immerse yourself in the rich flavors and history of America’s Native Spirit.
Northern Kentucky isn’t just an Official Gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®. It is also home to one of the most unusual and delicious culinary concoctions you’ll find anywhere: Goetta. Pronounced “get-uh,” this spicy and savory sensation made with pork, beef, and steel-cut pinhead oats, is about as NKY as one can get—and it’s feted in true foodie fashion during the annual Glier’s GoettaFest, held over two weekends in July/August.
Enjoy the live music, dancing, goetta games, and goetta dishes before heading to another unique experience, Ludlow’s
Second Sight Spirits. A mystic and visionary still, a crystal ball condenser, the magic of a well-crafted story (and bourbon)—it’s all here, along with a tasting of the distillery’s signature small-batch Oak Eye Kentucky Bourbon. Tour this distillery to learn how two lifelong friends brought their Las Vegas-style showmanship and theatrical production background to Northern Kentucky to build a still that resembles a Zoltar machine and blends bourbon and other spirits that enchant the palate.
Your guide to an unforgettable summer
If all this sounds like your idea of heaven, it’s time to pack your bags. Whether you’re a bourbon expert or bourbon curious, Northern Kentucky has something special for you—with plenty of live music on the side.
