14 Ways to Celebrate the Old Fashioned

For the first 14 days of June, Louisville celebrates its official cocktail—the Old Fashioned— a cocktail that was originally created at the Pendennis Club downtown Louisville, before its popularity spread world-wide. This yearly celebration kicks off on June 1, which happens to be the birthday for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, and concludes on National Bourbon Day--June 14. Click here to learn more about Louisville's Official Cocktail-- the Old Fashioned.

Here are 14 ways to celebrate the Old Fashioned cocktail.

1 | Travel the Urban Bourbon Trail – There are 40+ restaurants where you can imbibe in an Old Fashioned or satiate your appetite with a bourbon-forward dish. Download the Urban Bourbon Trail digital passport to begin your adventure.

2 | The Ideal Bartender Experience @ Evan Williams Bourbon Experience – As you step into the Speakeasy, you’re transported back in time to meet Louisville native and renowned bartender, Tom Bullock. As the first Black American to write & publish a cocktail book, Tom will lead you through a bourbon tasting that finishes with his most famous creation—the Old Fashioned.

3 | Create Your Own Candle @ Maddox & Rose-Nulu – You get to pick and mix the scents that will fill your home with smell of bourbon with your own custom-created candle.

4 | Kick Off the Morning with a Kentucky Coffee @ Jackdaw: If you need a little “pick me up,” stop by Jackdaw at the Cambria on Market Street and grab a Kentucky Coffee that has all the makings of an Old Fashioned with a coffee kick! Stop back by after work (or on another day) for one of their specialty cocktails like the Blackberry Old Fashioned.

5 | Phantoms of Prohibition: Ghosts, Cocktails & Bites Tour @ Louisville Food Tours – Explore the hidden stories of Louisville’s haunted past, as you eat and drink your way down Whiskey Row. You may meet a few residents ghosts as you retrace the steps of bourbon magnates and mobsters, uncover hidden speakeasies, and learn a few shocking truths about Prohibition.

6 | Twilight Thursdays @ Churchill Downs – Sip an Old Fashioned while cheering on the ponies racing under the lights at historic Churchill Downs during the 2025 Spring Meet.

7 | Barrels & Billets @ Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory - Travel back to the 1800s to taste, create, bottle, and name your own whiskey to take home to use in your own Old Fashioned cocktail.

8 | Behind the Bar Cocktail Class @ Angel's Envy Distillery – Step behind the bar and learn directly from an expert to discover insider tips on how to craft the perfect cocktail.

9 | Whiskey Row Walking Tour – Travel back in time to Louisville’s famed Whiskey Row that has been home to distilleries beginning in the 1800s. A place where famous Bourbon barons like “Pappy” Van Winkle, Evan Williams and many more were instrumental in Louisville’s position as a major whiskey producer. This walking tour includes stops at different distilleries along Whiskey Row to sample well-known bourbons.

10 | Bath in an Old Fashioned @ Moss Hill - After a long two weeks of celebrating, relax with Moss Hill's limited-release Old Fashioned fragrance line that includes bubble bath, lotion, soap and other goodies. You can also check out their other delightful scents like Bathe in Bourbon, Mint Julep, Kentucky Lily and many more to choose from.

11 | Boozy Brunch & Bourbon @ Mint Julep Tours – Spend your Sunday enjoying a local brunch before hopping in a van that will take you to two area distilleries for a guided tour and tasting.

12 | Take a Selfie with Tom Bullock @ Sway, Hyatt Hotel Downtown: A mural by local artist, Kacy Jackson, adorns the side of Sway restaurant at the Hyatt Downtown that honors and commemorates Tom Bullock and his cocktail creation more than a century after Bullock first published his cocktail book.

13 | Craft Your Own Cocktail @ The Frazier History Museum - Craft the official cocktail of Louisville, presented by Old Forester, at the Frazier History Museum. Led by Certified Bourbon Stewards, this unique experience is for Bourbon beginners and aficionados alike.

14 | National Bourbon Week in Bardstown, KY – Head down the road to Bardstown's second annual National Bourbon Week where you will find a mix of world-class distilleries, tastings, educational offerings, and a street concert.

Can't make it to Louisville between June 1 & 14th? Check out the Bourbon & Biscuits episode below to learn how to make an Old Fashioned Bundt cake and a frozen Old Fashioned to enjoy at home this summer.

Heading to Bourbon City soon? Check out the 150+ concerts, festivals & events happening throughout Bourbon City this summer. Plus, we have a hotel package that is sure to "life your spirits."