Put on your dancing shoes, Kentucky: Railbird is back.
Saturday marks the start of the 4th year of Lexington Weekend with great music, big crowds, early summer fashion and lots of food, fun and dancing.
And long lines at the bathrooms.
This is Railbird’s second trip to the Red Mile (2019 and 2022 were held at Keeneland) and most participants know what to expect: big crowds, some traffic, and familiar bands and a few unfamiliar groups aiming to break the big one. time.
The protagonists, Noah Kahan and Turnpike Troubadours will close out day one on Saturday night.
Turnpike Troubadours will take the Elkhorn stage at 8:15 p.m., while Noah Kahan will be on the Limestone stage at 9:30 p.m.
The Day 2 lineup also looks great, with Hozier and Chris Stapleton.
As thousands of people arrived at the Red Mile, the Herald-Leader was there too.
Here’s what we saw on day one.
Good start to the day
While road traffic might have been a different story, foot traffic leading up to the festival was smooth.
“When you walk in, it looks very organized,” Trace Phillips said.
Phillips is a Kentucky native who moved just a few days ago. He said he has been planning to participate for the past few months.
The Herald-Leader team was able to get through the gates in about 20 minutes.
It will be Taylor Sandusky’s third year participating in Railbird and he said based on what he’s seen so far, the festival is on track to replicate last year’s success.
“I think they did a great job last year,” she said. “It was an improvement on the previous year when they had some problems. It’s a great lineup.”
Hungry? You have 34 options
The festival offers 34 different food and drink options throughout the weekend, with several vegan and vegetarian options, such as Dragon Ban Mi’s Vegan Mushroom Ban Mi.
Several organizations have special promotions for Railbird participants, including a free Jersey Mike’s sub and towel for those who download the app and display it in the tent located in Southwest.
Justin’s House of Bourbon has exclusive single barrels in their tent at Bourbon Hideout. In addition to her notable Four Roses and Green River, she has created a small batch Railbird exclusive with samples available to attendees 21 and over.
No heat, but prepared for rain
We saw plenty of raincoats and ponchos as fans prepared for possible overnight drizzle.
But no one seemed to be complaining. Water, snacks, sunscreen and insect repellent were important items for fans as they entered the Red Mile.
“Cold water and ibuprofen,” said Cathy Vittitow as she walked to the festival entrance, holding her festival bag.
Vittitow has been attending shows and festivals with her friend Gina Dulsky for 30 years and has participated in all four versions of Railbird.
A few drops of rain were felt around 3pm, but nothing significant followed.
What were they wearing?
Cowboy boots and hats are the dominant fashion trend of the time, but long, flowing dresses and shirts are also popular.
Ponchos could quickly become more popular if rain continues to increase.
