Sips & Sites & Bites

If your idea of bonding includes bourbon, brainpower, and a bit of boldness, clear your calendar for August 14–17. The Bourbon Women SIPosium is back … and this time, it’s pouring bigger than ever.

Held at the Kentucky International Convention Center in the heart of Louisville, SIPosium 2025 is a four-day celebration where whiskey meets womanhood in all its fierce and flavorful glory. Nearly 500 attendees from across the country are expected to gather for tastings, off-site excursions, sensory labs, and the kind of joy you can only bottle in bourbon country.

This isn’t your average whiskey event. It’s the only national spirits conference by and for women, created by the legendary Peggy Noe Stevens, who flipped the script on how women show up, and are seen, in the whiskey world. Since its launch in 2011, Bourbon Women has grown from a Kentucky-based sisterhood to a national movement with branches in 16 states and a mission rooted in inclusion, empowerment, and celebration.

At SIPosium, it’s more than just sipping … it’s soul food. Thursday kicks off with VIP tours to iconic spots like James B. Beam and Vendome Copper & Brass Works, followed by a welcome mixer with Heaven’s Door. Friday layers in workshops and a keynote from Dana Zauch, then shifts into full-on wonder with a private Maker’s Mark event featuring Chihuly’s Spirit of the Maker. Saturday brings panels, dinners, and the beloved Bar-a-Rama, while Sunday winds things down with a Sagamore Spirits farewell brunch and one last toast to new connections.

And while the pours are top-shelf, the purpose runs deeper. The Bourbon Women Foundation’s SIP Scholarship gives rising women in spirits access to the conference, mentorship, and three-year memberships. This year, 21 recipients from a pool of 80 applicants will get the tools, guidance, and connections to build their futures in an industry long overdue for change.

As Peggy Noe Stevens puts it: “No one is busier than women, and it really says something that they’re willing to take a long weekend to connect over a shared interest.”

Tickets are flying, with sales closing July 31 … so if whiskey, women, and one unforgettable weekend sound like your kind of blend, now’s the time to raise your hand (and glass).

Cheers to sipping with purpose. 🥃

Learn more at bourbonwomen.org