The Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge & Distillery Invitational will take place June 10-11, 2022, at Dant Crossing in Nelson County, Kentucky, event organizers announced.
Presented by the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, the new barbeque event will feature multiple competition formats and family-friendly fun for all ages. For more information, visit kybourbonfestival.com.
“The Kentucky Bourbon Festival is excited to host the new Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge & Distillery Invitational with the Kansas City Barbeque Society,” says Randy Prasse, president and COO of the festival. “We’re looking forward to welcoming our Bardstown and Nelson County community to this event—and all the visitors it will attract. Besides, who doesn’t love a good BBQ and what pairs better with your favorite bourbon than BBQ? There are some great pitmasters in our area and across the U.S., and we’re looking forward to seeing their competitive ‘spirit’ at this competition.”
Distilleries will be invited to compete in a special division.
“The seed that inspired this event traces back to one Jim Beam hosted years ago—true to the industry, it was an invitational that created a fun yet competitive environment,” Prasse says. “It truly showcased the collaborative spirit of the Kentucky distilling community, and we hope to revive that while also inviting some of the best BBQ cookers from across the U.S. to convene here in the heart of bourbon country.”
Dant Crossing is a new, one-of-a-kind destination in Gethsemane, Ky., with a pastoral campus anchored by Log Still Distillery featuring a Tasting Room, an outdoor amphitheater, a 20,000-square-foot events venue, acres of wooded trails and a 12-acre fishing lake. More attractions, including a private train depot and a farm-to-table restaurant, are slated to open soon.
“We are excited to host this event on our Dant Crossing campus next June and bring BBQ and bourbon enthusiasts from across the country to Nelson County for an amazing two days,” said J.W. “Wally” Dant III, president of Log Still Distillery and Dant Crossing. “It will be a great time for families to come out and see distilleries compete in a BBQ competition, enjoy live music and great BBQ, watch the professional BBQ pitmasters compete, and various other activities.”
Event attendees will be able to enjoy a variety of fun events and entertainment — and plenty of barbeque, of course. The Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge & Distillery Invitational will be a ticketed event open to all ages. Those interested in competing or judging should visit the Kansas City Barbeque Society’s site at https://www.kcbs.us.