Honey Festival · October 11–12, 2033 · Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Harrodsburg — seat of Mercer County in central Kentucky's Bluegrass Region — holds the distinction of being the oldest permanent English-speaking settlement west of the Allegheny Mountains: Fort Harrod was established in June 1774, three years before the United States itself was founded, making Harrodsburg a touchstone of American pioneer heritage. The surrounding Kentucky Bluegrass Region is also one of the finest honey-producing landscapes in the eastern United States, defined by the karst limestone topography of the Inner Bluegrass Basin that supports horse farms and an extraordinary sequence of honey plants spanning the entire growing season. The tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera) is Kentucky's premier honey tree: blooming in May and early June across Mercer County's woodlots and creek hollows, it produces an amber honey with distinctive caramel-spice notes that Kentucky beekeepers consider their signature product. Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) on limestone ridge edges provides a brief but intensely productive early-May flow of water-white, delicately sweet honey. White Dutch clover and alsike clover from the Bluegrass pastures contribute the summer foundation flow. Sourwood honey from the eastern Kentucky mountains — accessible as a day trip from Harrodsburg — represents the region's Appalachian counterpart. The festival at Old Fort Harrod State Park celebrates both the pioneer heritage of the 1774 fort — where interpreters in period dress demonstrate colonial crafts — and the Kentucky Bluegrass honey tradition with competitive honey shows, tulip poplar honey tastings, hive demonstrations from Mercer County apiaries, and educational exhibits on the Inner Bluegrass karst ecosystem and its exceptional honey plant sequence.
Type: Honey Festival
Date: October 11–12, 2033
Location: Old Fort Harrod State Park, College Street, Harrodsburg, Kentucky
Official website: Harrodsburg Bluegrass Honey & Pioneer Heritage Festival 2033
Honey festivals feature tastings, vendor booths, educational talks, and family-friendly activities celebrating local honey production and beekeeping traditions.
Discover 210+ honey varieties before attending, or learn how to read honey labels to make informed purchases. Explore our Kentucky Honey Sourcing Guide for local variety recommendations.
Find local honey sources near the event, explore the best honey for your needs, or take our honey personality quiz to find your perfect variety.
Browse all upcoming honey events across the country.