Bourbon & Belonging: Kentucky's Queer Bourbon Week is the only LGBTQ+ inclusive bourbon week in the country. Presented by Queer Kentucky, Kentucky's only LGBTQ+ newsroom, it's our invitation to experience the best of what Kentucky has to offer in a space where you are welcomed, celebrated, and seen.
Now in its third year, Bourbon & Belonging spans four cities across the state: Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Lexington, and Paducah. October 1-4, 2026, you'll find exclusive distillery experiences, queer history tours, drag shows, panels, bar crawls, and more, all designed with our community in mind.
Kentucky's bourbon culture belongs to everyone. We built Bourbon & Belonging because we wanted LGBTQ+ travelers and locals alike to have a home in it.
Bourbon & Belonging is made possible with support from our bourbon partners including Old Forester, Michter's, Beam Suntory, and New Riff, our tourism partners in Northern Kentucky, Louisville, Lexington, and Paducah, and our media partner Passport Magazine.
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Presented by Queer Kentucky | GLAAD-nominated independent newsroom
About Queer Kentucky
In a deeply red state, Queer Kentucky is the only dedicated LGBTQ newsroom, keeping an often rural and at risk population informed on public health, politics & government, and arts & culture news, along with the everyday experiences of Kentuckians.
Their articles have been nationally recognized and shared across the world, bringing the stories of Kentuckians to over 3 million people a year. They collaborate with journalists, writers, and historians to report on the experiences, barriers, successes, news, history, and joy experienced by the Queer community throughout all corners of the Bluegrass state.
What’s next? More stories. More community. Join them over this next year as they fight to keep the LGBTQ+ community informed, empowered, and healthy.