Fans of bourbon and bluegrass are invited celebrate the passage of the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act March 3-7 as the Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival returns to the banks of the Ohio River in Covington.
The third-annual festival will feature five-days of festivities celebrating the legislation, which is a bourbon purity law that passed in March of that year and was advocated for by Covington’s own John G. Carlisle. It was the first consumer protection act implemented in American History.
The festival schedule:
The New Riff Bonded Spirit COV Crawl
Tuesday, March 3 – Thursday, March 5
Music from 6 – 9 p.m.
Beginning on Tuesday, March 3, bars and taverns across Covington will be filled with music and serving Bottled-in-Bond cocktails from B-Line Distillery, New Riff Distilling. The three-day pub crawl will take place across the COV to celebrate Covington Bourbon Heritage Week, with a map of participating establishments available at BondedSpirit.com.
Tuesday, March 3: Central Business District
• Festival opens at 4 p.m. with Ceremonial Barrel Tap at Wenzel Whiskey.
• From 5 to 7 p.m., the Happy Hour & History guided stroll will take place down Madison Avenue, telling the story of Covington’s bourbon roots.
• Participating establishments: Braxton Brewing, Knowledge Bar and Social Room, Libby’s Southern Comfort, Revival Vintage Bottle Shop and Bar, Second Story, The Globe, The Hannaford, The Olde Towne Tavern, and The Well.
Wednesday, March 4: On the River, including Roebling Point District and the riverfront.
• From 5 to 7 p.m., Happy Hour & History will highlight neighborhood displays celebrating Covington’s bourbon heritage.
• Participating establishments: By Golly’s, Covington Yard, Molly Malone’s, Smoke Justis, The Gruff, and The Works Pizza Co.
Thursday, March 5: Village of Mainstrasse
• Happy Hour & History from 5 to 7 p.m.
• Participating establishments: Cock & Bull, Village Pub, Crafts & Vines, Up Over, The Standard, Gypsy’s, OKBB, Doubt It, Juniper’s, and Wise Guys.
The B-Line Community Concert, 4 p.m.
Friday, March 6: The B-Line will host a concert inside the Republic Bank Rickhaus, a heated tent built on Court Street. Free tickets for Friday’s concert will be available in limited quantities at specific B-Line stops in the days prior to the concert. Fans can visit thebline.com to find their sipping point. Those who have purchased tickets to Saturday night’s main lineup will gain free access to the Republic Bank Rickhaus for Friday’s concert.
The lineup of artists includes:
• Slippery Creek
• Johnny Estep and Lonesome Blend
• Union Town Bluegrass
• Tidalwave Road
• meetNKY Main Event
* Music begins at 5 p.m.
Saturday, March 7: Nationally recognized Bluegrass acts Bourbon Revival, Dan Tyminski, and The SteelDrivers will take over the Republic Bank Rickhaus. This 21+ ticketed event offers attendees locally and nationally acclaimed musical acts, flavor, and plenty of bourbon. SamJam Productions, which hosts their own Bluegrass festivals, partnered with the event to curate the musical acts for the Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival this year.
Tickets are available at BondedSpirit.com. Early bird pricing is available now through February 14 for $75, plus fees.
To learn more about the festival, purchase tickets, or for event updates, visit BondedSpirit.com.
Bonded Spirit Bluegrass Festival