2024 was a big year for music festivals. Festivals like Railbird and Bourbon and Beyond had record-breaking attendance with headliners like Tyler Childers, Zach Bryan, Sting, Teddy Swims, Chris Stapleton, Hozier, and Noah Kahan. So what's in store for 2025? And which one is the most worth it for your money?
Railbird, a classic Kentucky festival held at Red Mile, is the most convenient because it is the closest location. Railbird this year will be on May 31st and June 1st which is right around the corner, making it a little bit harder to get tickets. On the first day, the headliner is Lainey Wilson, a Grammy winning country music singer and songwriter, playing alongside Bailey Zimmerman and Shaboozey. The following day, Jelly Roll, a Grammy-nominated country music star, will perform with others like Riley Green and The Red Clay Strays.
Emery Luckett, a sophomore at Lafayette said, “I loved Railbird last year. I saw a lot of my favorite artists and even got to see them with my friends. But I’m not going this year because I'm not a big fan of the lineup”.
The next big festival coming up is Bourbon and Beyond. Bourbon and Beyond is from September 11th to the 14th in Louisville, Kentucky, a further drive than Railbird. However, Bourbon and Beyond spans over 4 days whereas Railbird only lasts 2 days. With this in mind, if going to Bourbon and Beyond for more than one day, you might need to get a hotel room. This definitely ups the price of the trip. The 2025 Bourbon and Beyond headliners are Phish, Noah Kahan, Sturgil Simpson, The Lumineers, and Jack White. There are also other big artists playing like Benson Boone, Alabama Shakes, Cage The Elephant, Khruangbin, and Megan Moroney.
Anna Gordon, a freshman at Lafayette said, “I would love to go to Bourbon and Beyond on Sunday because I love the artists Noah Kahan and Megan Moroney.” This shows how many people just go to one or two days instead of all four at Bourbon and Beyond because of the artists playing which can also lower the cost of the trip.
Healing Appalachia is another option that is two days and is in Ashland, Kentucky. The festival is on September 19th and 20th and is the farthest away from Lexington. The only people performing at this festival are Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton because it's a more subtle event founded by Tyler Childers to raise money for fighting the opioid crisis and supporting recovery from drug addiction.
Music festivals can be expensive, so which one is the most bang for your buck? General admission weekend passes for Railbird start at $235 and single-day general admission tickets start at $150. For Bourbon and Beyond, the prices range from $90 for single day general admission to $1600 for the Beyond VIP Weekend Pass. Healing Appalachia starts at $199 for early bird adult general admission weekend tickets that are available to buy till June 3rd and children (12-17) early bird general admission tickets for $25. Leah Collins, a freshman at Lafayette said, “I would love to go to Healing Appalachia, I love Tyler Childers and Chris Stapleton and if I go with a parent I only have to pay $25 to go.”
If planning to attend a festival for one day, Bourbon and Beyond would be the most worth it for the cost because it’s only around $90 to see 28 music artists. If planning to go to a festival for the weekend, Healing Appalachia is a good price to see popular Kentucky artists Chris Stapleton and Tyler Childers. It's only $199 for the weekend versus Railbirds weekend passes that start at $235.
Railbird, Bourbon and Beyond, and Healing Appalachia are some of the most exciting festivals to look forward to in Kentucky this year. Depending on the cost, the number of days attending, and the distance, each concert has its own positives and negatives, but they all guarantee a great time.
