Bourbon & Belonging makes its neat – or on the rocks – debut in Kentucky
STEVEN LINDSEY | Contributing writer
StevenCraigLindsey@gmail.com
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After all, if there’s one thing I learned about Kentucky bourbon on my first visit to the region last month, it’s entirely up to each person to decide how to drink their whiskey. In fact, such a celebration of individuality will undoubtedly carry over to the first-ever Bourbon & Belonging, Kentucky’s Queer Bourbon Week (BourbonAndBelonging.com), taking place across the region from October 2-6.
Presented by Queer Kentucky (QueerKentucky.org), the multi-day event takes place in eight different cities and regions (Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Lexington, Frankfort, Winchester, Paducah, Bullitt County, and Bardstown).
When I visited in August as part of a long weekend exploring the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky region, I was delighted to find such a diverse community and an encouraging number of LGBTQ-owned businesses. Red states continue to surprise me, and it’s an important reminder that a destination’s politics rarely reflect the attitudes of every citizen. (Right, fellow Texans?)
To make the most of Bourbon & Belonging, you must first decide which regions you wish to explore and where to set up your home base. For my visit, I flew into the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), which has several flight options out of Dallas. I stayed at the Kinley Cincinnati (KinleyCincinnati.com), a fun downtown hotel within walking distance of many great restaurants and attractions and just a short ride over the river to Covington, Kentucky. This particular region has 13 different Bourbon & Belonging events scheduled, so it’s a top option and a destination I wholeheartedly recommend.
You can also fly into the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) or Bluegrass Airport (LEX) in Lexington if those make more sense with your airline preference or activities you wish to enjoy.
During the five-day Bourbon & Belonging gathering, choose from a variety of booze-related experiences, including bottling your own bourbon, burlesque shows, drag brunches, pool parties, distillery tours and, of course, plenty of opportunities to sip, savor or chug your way through multiple local whiskies.
Whether you’re a big fan of bourbon or ready to experiment with the brown spirit, I can’t imagine a better opportunity to visit the Bluegrass State than during this big queer event.
Now, make like a bartender and head to Kentucky to shake things up!