Letter: Writer suggests Bourbon Festival critics take advantage of other events
To the editor,
For the last several days, people have posted, on social media, concerning the cost of the Bourbon Festival. Like others, I followed the posts on Nelson County Overwatch and have surmised the newbies of Bardstown and Nelson County only like free activities and dislike the bourbon industry in general.
If it isn’t free then most people on these posts don’t think it should be offered. Having lived in Nelson County for generations, my ancestors arrived in Nelson County through payment of land grants for fighting in the Revolutionary War. Some complaining about the Bourbon Festival costing money is not native Nelson Countians, I know because their last names are not Nelson County names.
The cost of tickets is the most frequent complaint on social media. People complain that tickets shouldn’t be required and the price is way too expensive for the locals. Someone pointed out that the tickets don’t cost any more than going to a concert, staying at a hotel, and food for the night.
The bottom line is if a person wants something enough then that person should save for the event. My friend and I spent $400 a piece for box seats to see Hamilton the first time the musical was in Louisville. I think I purchased the last two tickets offered for the showing. Is $400 a lot of money? Yes, it is, but we wanted it, so we saved our money to see the best musical ever.
For those who now consider yourself local, have you ever visited The Stephen Foster Story? One night is even dedicated to Nelson County residents. To receive the discounts, show your driver’s license or mail with your address. If Stephen Foster, the father of country music, doesn’t interest you, the amphitheater offers an alternative musical, usually a popular Disney movie. This past summer was Little Mermaid. Everyone who saw it said it was outstanding. Children and adults enjoyed it.
If plays aren’t your thing, the venue offers a variety of bands to perform on Monday nights. The Crashers, from Indiana, is a repeat performer. Too much money? The City of Bardstown offers free concerts every Friday night at the City Park at the end of Halstead Avenue. Free, and I repeat free. Just bring a chair and enjoy the music.
Besides the cost and having tickets, the biggest complaint was it wasn’t kid-friendly. I have never associated bourbon with kids, but I am old. The mentioned activities are kid-friendly. Another place to visit is the Civil War Museum. The museum is in the top three of all Civil War museums of the Western Theater. All the artifacts are on loan from a private collection. The people who “work” there are all volunteers.
This is not kid-friendly, because of the reading, but a parent can buy a $15 ticket and take the kids to the Old Bardstown Village and let them run wild. Not only will they burn some energy, but they may be able to use their imaginations.
Another prominent complaint was the road closings car riders pick up at Bardstown Schools.
The Bourbon Festival is the same weekend every year, mark your calendars for next year, so you will not be surprised by the closing of North Fifth Street and having to wait in the car line longer than normal. Perhaps arriving at the schools earlier or even parking on another street and walking to the school can alleviate some of the inconvenience.
The last complaint on these posts was about the bourbon industry itself. I think the obsession with bourbon is extreme and worry that when the bottom falls out, Bardstown and Nelson County will be left holding the bag. What transplants to Nelson County don’t understand is the deep roots Nelson Countians have with bourbon.
Several citizens, myself included can trace their lines to the original distillers in Nelson County. The old distilleries helped build Bardstown and Nelson County. Men without a high school diploma began working for the distilleries to give their families better lives. For the first time, they had a steady income, insurance for their families, and a retirement.
Distillery money paid for college tuition. If a child didn’t want to attend college, a job waited at the distillery where his or her parents worked. Yet, according to these posts, distilleries don’t bring money into the community.
There are more festivals planned for Bardstown and Nelson County that don’t cost an entry fee and don’t promote bourbon. Perhaps those who only want free festivals should mark those dates on their calendar.
Rebecca Clark Brothers
Bloomfield
