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 this year.

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. June Dates: 6, 7, 13, 14, 20 & 21.

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 | Louisville Distilled Cruise @ The Belle of Louisville – Enjoy a mid-week evening cruise taking in the sights and sounds of the river. This evening cruise aboard this historic Belle of Louisville includes some historic bourbon. A Castle & Key Ambassador will be on board to provide a tasting and share a tale of one of Kentucky’s most iconic distilleries. June Dates: 5, 12, 19, & 26.

5 | 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.

6 | 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. June Dates: 4-7, 11-14, 18-12, & 25-28.

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 | Master Series: The Old Fashioned @ Liquor Lab Louisville – Throughout this cocktail class, you’ll craft three versions of the Old Fashioned with different flavor twists, learn tips and tricks to showcase at your next party, enjoy small bites while learning step-by-step how to recreate your cocktails at home. June Date: 12

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. June Dates: 1, 2, 6-9, 13-16, 20-23, & 27-30.

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. June Dates: 2, 16, 23 & 30.

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. June Dates: Mondays-Saturdays.

Or join the Frazier History Museum on June 11 to celebrate Father's Day with Fred & Freddie Noe from James B. Beam Distillery. Hear legendary tales about the eight generations that have made up James B. Beam, enjoy a guided tasting of bourbons led by Fred & Freddie Noe, and delight in tasty bites from the Kitchen Table-- Beam's new Clermont restaurant.

14 | National Bourbon Day @ Buzzard’s Roost – Celebrate National Bourbon Day at Whiskey Row’s newest Speakeasy inside Buzzard’s Roost. Enjoy an insider's look into the history of speakeasies and how Prohibition shaped America’s cocktail culture.

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."