GENESEO, NY, Sep 8, 2023 - A celebration of harvest season featuring live music, craft whiskey and bourbon, and local culture, the inaugural Hoochenanny Whiskey Festival will take place in the village of Geneseo Oct. 20 and 21.
From tastemakers and festivalgoers to foodies and adventurers, Hoochenanny brings together locals and visitors for an elevated music festival experience promoting tourism to the Finger Lakes region and celebrating the state's craftsmanship and creative culture. The groundbreaking event that will unite New York’s whiskey distilleries, announces its distinguished showcase of premier and emerging brands, and invites all to explore its realm of unique experiences.
The event ushers in a new era of spirits celebration that will welcome connoisseurs, creators and adventurers alike, according to organizers.
Hoochenanny’s tagline, “Cultivate the Uncommon,” reflects a commitment to celebrating the extraordinary and pushing boundaries. The Rickhouse Rendezvous, a one-of-a-kind educational whiskey tasting experience, will feature fan-favorite brands from across the state, including Iron Smoke Distillery, Cooperstown Distillery and Great Jones Distilling, and deliver programming that invigorates the spirit and tantalizes the palette.
Hoochenanny Festival is the brainchild of Tommy Brunett of Iron Smoke Distillery and his vision to bring together music, whiskey, and culture to highlight the rich maker history of the New York Finger Lakes. Anchored in high-level hospitality, education, and entertainment, the festival fuels the region’s hardworking people and attracts a variety of creative makers.
“This inaugural festival will deliver a mix of craft beverages and live music that encapsulates the spirit of Livingston County,” said Livingston County Director of Tourism Kelly Burns.
A partnership with the New York State Distillers Guild fortifies the festival’s commitment to showcasing the state’s finest spirits and dedicated artisans.
Participating guild members include 1911 Established, Black Button Distilling, Finger Lakes Distilling, HudsonWhiskey, Lock 1 Distilling Company, Old Scotland Road Distillery, Southern Tier Distilling Co., Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery, The Better Man Distilling Co. and New Scotland Spirits.
Within the walls of the stylized turn of the century Rickhouse meets Prohibition-era speakeasy, fans will discover the Mixology Bar, complete with artisanal beverages not found elsewhere at the festival.
Fireside chat programming will allow enthusiasts to enjoy panel-style education sessions geared toward consumers and connoisseurs. Fee Brothers will lead a discussion on post-Prohibition brand evolution. Vendome Copper will showcase the unsung heroes of whiskey distilling, while the NYSDG discusses the history of whiskey in New York.
“The Distillers Guild is excited to bring a piece of our craft to this unforgettable event,” said Brian Facquet, president of the NYSDG. “With New York having the highest concentration of distilleries for any state east of the Mississippi, this is the perfect opportunity for consumers to immerse themselves in craft culture.”
The Hoochenanny Whiskey Festival is putting a spotlight on craft liquor, which has exploded in popularity over the last several years, by welcoming some of the most iconic whiskey and bourbon brands, distillers, and connoisseurs to showcase over two days.
Tommy Brunett, the visionary of Hoochenanny Festival, added, “Our plans to establish and grow this festival into a juggernaut for showcasing all that the region has to offer on a global stage is the driving force for every aspect of this endeavor.”
The festival is expected to welcome about 4,000 fans with a significant economic impact on the Finger Lakes region. The producers of the Hoochenanny Whiskey Festival hope the genre-spanning musical lineup, and the focus on craft liquor and harvest season, will attract not just locals but bring in people from out of town.
This two-day festival will start on Friday, Oct. 20 with a VIP Party at the Wadsworth Homestead overlooking the Genesee River Valley. The Wadsworth Homestead is the only country manor estate in New York State that has been continuously owned by the original family since 1804.
On Saturday, Oct. 21, the festival will continue at the Village Park at Main Street and Route 20A for a full day of live music, whiskey and bourbon tastings, and local cuisine.
Tickets will go on sale at Hoochenanny.com, and range in price from $30 to $350. Attendees must be 21 and older to consume alcohol at the festival, including tastings.
This event is supported by a grant awarded to Iron Smoke Whiskey by Empire State Development and I LOVE NY/New York State’s Division of Tourism.
For more information, visit Hoochenanny.com or contact Livingston County Tourism at (585) 243-7124.