Festival producer AC Entertainment (Bonnaroo, Forecastle, High Water, Moon River) is introducing the new Railbird Festival, which will place on The Grounds at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky Aug. 10 – 11, 2019.
“With all of our festivals, we aspire to create an experience that stands apart from others—that is a true celebration of place, of the richness and uniqueness of a community,” said Ashley Capps, president of AC Entertainment. “That, for us, is at the heart of any truly great festival experience. What a place this is, and what a team to collaborate with. This iconic setting at Keeneland in a city like Lexington, Kentucky, and these visionary leaders who make it all work, from bourbon to horses to bluegrass and everything in between. We couldn’t be more excited for this new venture.”
While music acts will be announced later, festival planners said to expect a mix of rock, Americana, folk, bluegrass and more.
A “railbird” in horse racing is the racetrack regular known for sticking close to the action and hanging on the rail along the track. To “ride the rail” is to do the same at a concert. A number of bourbon distillers will be on-site with special, exclusive offerings, available only at Railbird. Artisanal and local foods will be at the forefront, along with a number of craft beers.
“Railbird will be a celebration of our heritage, and an up-close-and-personal Kentucky experience at our historic racecourse,” said Vince Gabbert, Keeneland vice president and chief operating officer. “AC Entertainment brings an incredible track record and years of experience and expertise in booking and managing highly acclaimed music festivals, so we are so pleased to work with them to create Railbird here on the grounds at Keeneland.”
Railbird will also give back to the community by partnering with local nonprofit organizations Central Music Academy, Central Kentucky Riding for Hope, Fayette Alliance and Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. Each nonprofit will receive monetary support from the festival, and will have a presence on-site during the event.
“Railbird Festival will bring together A-list music and Lexington’s best this August – Keeneland, Kentucky Bourbon, local cuisine and craft beer,” said Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton. “I look forward to seeing our city shine in the national spotlight.”
For more information about Railbird, visit railbirdfest.com.
About the Author
LB Rogers is Project Manager at MusicRow magazine. She heads up specific, large-scale projects for the company and assists in day-to-day tasks. LB also manages the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart and contributes editorial for both the print and online platforms. She joined MusicRow full time in January of 2019, after interning and working part time for the company for a year. She is from Blairsville, Georgia and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University with a Music Business degree in 2018.View Author Profile
