LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Back-to-back music festivals in Louisville is estimated to bring in 400,000 people between both Bourbon and Beyond and Louder than Life. It's like if the Kentucky Derby and Oaks were in September!
Danny Hayes, the CEO of Danny Wimmer Presents and the company that produces both festivals, believes they will double the crowds in the next five years.
And for the first time, the festival producers have expanded free events to neighborhoods outside the fairgrounds. NULU hosted Bourbon and Beyond and Germantown plays host to Louder than Life pre-games this week, taking their idea from one of the biggest.
"You know how when you go to the super Bowl, you know what, one hundred thousand people maybe go to the game, but a million people go to the host city. Right, That's the goal here is how do the people who are in town who aren't attending the festival participate," said Hayes, who talked with Terry Meiners on WHAS Radio. "And how do people who maybe can't afford to go to the festival still want to come in town and be part of the bigger activity. That's the long-term goal, and that's the steps that the Mayor's office has taken this year to really start getting that going."
Hauck's Corner in Germantown saw an influx of people for Bourbon and Beyond, Thursday through Sunday, and are hosting festival-goers again this weekend as part of the Louder than Life festivities.
"Starting Thursday it's going to be pretty crazy around here and we're ready for it," said Hauck's Corner bartender Kyle Higgins. "We actually have some shuttle buses that are going to be taking people from Hauck's to Louder than Life and then bringing them back in the evening. It's a safe way for people to get there and back."
Bourbon, Brunch, and Bluegrass will be the pregame event in Germantown running from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Goss and Hoertz Avenue.
Across the street from Hauck's, the Post has seen an increase in foot traffic from festival-goers stopping by for a late night bite.
“I think is kind of like a central hub for people and then they kind of bounce around the neighborhood," The Post Front of Store Manager Alaina Nixon said. “An increase in business is always good, it’s always fun to get out of towners. I love to wait on people who it’s their first time here.”
Hayes said 25% of the festivals attendees have never been to Louisville before, but 90% say they're likely to come back. Danny Wimmer Presents produces nine other festivals in the U.S.
"All of our festivals are something that we're really proud of. But there's something just incredibly unique about Bourbon and Beyond that, you know, makes it our favorite child," Hayes said.
Over in downtown Louisville, two weeks of music festivals also means increased foot traffic for tourist attractions, like the Frazier History Museum.
"We always see an uptick when Bourbon and Beyond comes to town," said Frazier History Museum's Andy Treinen. "It's a great chance for the Frazier History Museum and really all the attractions in town to show off what makes us special. This is a unique and special place and bourbon is our one authentic story in Kentucky. It has led to a great Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and an above normal Monday as people are hanging over, in more ways than one, after the concerts."
In a statement sent to WHAS11, Mayor Craig Greenberg said:
"I am incredibly proud of our city for hosting more than 200,000 people for Bourbon and Beyond, many of whom visited Louisville for the first time. It was wonderful seeing the pride reflected by so many Louisvillians who shared how special this weekend was for them and their families."
Back over in Germantown, the Post and Hauck's are getting ready for the next free events before the weekend's big event: Louder than Life.
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