2019 Update: Annual update time. This year's Forecastle was fantastic! Every year, they always schedule 'competing for my attention' acts at the same time. This year it was worse than years before. I was able to get back to music festivities this year. Last year I was battling kidney stones so my enjoyment was limited. I powered through last year and I powered through this year because... music. The top acts for me this year were Anderson Paak, GRLwood, Jungle, The Midnight, Maggie Rogers, Andrew Bird, and Big Wild. I'm extremely disappointed that Denzel Curry canceled and Forecastle kept it quiet. I noticed on Friday evening that they dropped Denzel and replaced him with another act. It wasn't exactly their fault. Curry hurt himself the previous week and he had been performing in a wheelchair. He hurt himself more and couldn't make it to Forecastle. That's fine but Forecastle could've made an announcement about it. That's one thing I hate about this festival... if you're paying attention, every year they always sneak-drop an act or two a few months before the festival weekend. The Port Stage remained in its new location this year. THANK YOU! I think the Port Stage came to Kentucky Landing a year ago and it's here to stay! It also looks like the carnival rides are here to stay too. I mentioned the Party Cove being separated from the rest of the festival and that is still the case. Unfortunately, they scheduled acts that drew younger crowds at all of the stages. With that, it drew all the children out of their Cove and into the rest of the fest. Like last year, the obnoxious kids seemed to stay in the Cove. The food and beer situation was weird this year. They moved the festival food to the Great Lawn in order to make room for the Yacht Club. It made the Great Lawn even more crowded than it already is at times during the festival. Where the food normally is... it made that area empty most of the time. I think it shook the vibe a bit. It'll be interesting to see if they do that next year. There also wasn't a huge local craft brew presence this year. One stand was serving at most (6) local brews. That's disappointing after having so many special/timed beer releases in previous years. The local brews were far away from most of the action too. It makes me afraid for the local part of Forecastle in the future. On the South Great Lawn, it seems they're finally doing more with it. With a rearranged Bourbon Lodge, there was more room on that lawn. Instead of State Farm this year, they had this huge Fruit of a Loom setup. Plenty of shade and seating. Fruit of a Loom was also passing out merchandise during the festival. They also had Snowhat giving out free snowballs. It was nice to have Snowhat in two locations during the festival so that I didn't have to trek all the way back to the west entrance for a snowball. OTHER NOTES: - They also figured out the water situation. I've been begging for a fourth water station. They only advertised 3 on the official map but they did have a fourth near the Party Cove. Good Job Forecastle. - Boom Stage - Good but I'm still hoping for a 'Big Ass Fan' from that Lexington company for that area. While I could leave Nelly in the past, it was a mistake to put him on the Boom Stage. People flooded that area. He should've been on the Mast Stage. - Ocean Stage - I think people are starting to realize that you don't have to be upfront to dance at the Ocean Stage. On more than one occasion people were taking advantage of all the space under the interstate. People were dancing everywhere! - One complaint - If you're going to have a pizza company yelling about free pizza when everyone is hungry, how about have actual pizza? Imagine hungry folks disappointment when there wasn't pizza and they were only giving away free temporary tattoos! Ludicrous. In closing, it was a great Forecastle. The music is still shining. It's hard to pick a winner between Forecastle favs but I'm adding Paak and Jungle to the fav list this year. List: Courtney Barnett, FJM, LCD, Danny Brown, Jack White, MMJ, Big KRIT, and Local Natives. read more

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This was my second year at Forecastle. I've never done the whole 3 day thing, only Saturday. I came again for Chris Stapleton. He came the first time I was here 3 years ago, but he wasn't that famous back them. He was wonderful live and just so talented. Down to earth kinda dude. Technical difficulties had us waiting 40 minutes before he performed but it was worth it. I also saw Houndmouth, T-Pain, and 1200 (part of the West Louisville showcase). It's so great that this festival stays true to its roots by always showcasing local talent and honoring those who've gone big. I miss seeing My Morning Jacket though it's great just being at this event overall. Bourbon lodge is always amazing. You get the AC and a nice selection of bourbon. They even featured my favorite one: Larceny. I kinda wish that buying the cup would discount the prices of the drinks though. Anyway, it was overcast so it wasn't as hot as usual. You can bring a water bottle that's empty and fill it up here. My only complaint is that I wish it was cold water. Lukewarm water isn't refreshing. It may be expensive to try and make it cold or even to sell ice since it might melt fast, but I'd love to see them do something about that. I'll come back again for sure!! read more

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After 23 years of being a Louisville native, I was finally able to experience my first Forecastle this year! I have always been curious about it, because it is HIGHLY praised by almost any Louisvillian you come across - and a highlight to many peoples' summer. I have never tried going before because I do not usually listen to the bands that play here. However, once I saw the 2018 lineup with a few familiar names, I knew it was my time to go! It was so much more than what I expected - I was thinking an array of concerts, some food stands and whatnot - but it is an entire experience that you wouldn't understand unless you went. Forecastle is at Waterfront Park, which in my opinion is a great place to hold it. You've got the beautiful view of the Ohio River and bridges in the front, and downtown Lou in the back. Before going, I was a little afraid that the space wouldn't have been big enough, but it was just fine. There were 4 different stages, a couple being just a little too close to each other, but there was usually just one band playing at a time on these two stages so it wasn't much of a problem. There are many food stands to grab a bite to eat, but be careful. There are plenty of food trucks from great local vendors, like High Five Donuts, Holy Mole, SnoWhat, etc., and then you have your mediocre yet overly priced stands right by the main stage. We were starving as soon as we got there, didn't take the time to look around, and blindly went for the $20 burgers sold at said mediocre stand....that didn't have water? I guess it's not much of a big deal since there were free water stations all over, just found that a little weird. I absolutely loved how they had other cool things you could experience besides the music, like a ferris wheel and pirate ship ride, some pop up shops, and plenty of Instagrammable photo ops. I would tell anyone who lives in Louisville that they need to experience Forecastle at least once. It's like entering a new world where everyone wears insane amounts of glitter and interesting outfits, a place to enjoy multiple bands in one day, and something to make you appreciate what Louisville has to offer. read more

As a frequent event and concert goer in Louisville, it wasn't until this year when I finally ended up at Forecastle! Forecastle is a summer festival here in Louisville, and I love how it brings local and national acts together to embrace the city. There are many local vendors (including SnoWhat Snoballs this past year--you better believe I had one of those), and with multiple stages, exhibits, etc... there is no shortage of fun! I'm honestly not sure if I could do all three days (I'm a trooper, but shoot... that's a lot!), so it's nice you can easily do as much or as little as you want. Obviously, you'll want to get the bang for your buck out of your ticket, but still. Tickets aren't cheap, but I've spent a lot more to see just one act. My biggest tip would be to plan accordingly. Utilize the app, website, and social media to make a plan of attack--as far as what to bring, your schedule of acts you'd like to see, etc. I only knocked off a star because personally none of the acts have been names that made me want to buy tickets--which is why this was the first year I finally went. That's just me personally. Otherwise, the event itself is very well organized and definitely exceeded my expectations. Again, plan accordingly, and HAVE FUN!!! read more

Forecastle - Friday night 2016--a beautiful sunset - Festivals Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

This was my first time at Forecastle and we decided to only attend on Friday (because we're not in our 20s anymore and everything hurts and we need two full days to recover). RKS and Modest Mouse were stellar, we saw some other fun DJ sets, and the ambience on the water's edge was perfect. Thankful for the overpasses and the shade because it was scorching out there. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because we hoped there would be better food available. We were looking for more local places and food trucks, rather than the multiple generic stands with tacos, burnt fries and tasteless burgers. Other than that, we had an absolute blast and even made some friends in the crowds while watching a few sets. read more

Forecastle - Festivals Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

This year was my first Forecastle experience. I've been wanting to go for years, as everyone in Louisville seems to big a huge fan of this festival; but this year was my first chance, so I took it! And I wasn't sorry! Full disclosure, I was working the event, so it wasn't exactly your typical festival experience. I spent a lot of my time in a bar booth serving bourbon slushies to bring in money for a non-profit. I enjoyed the time I spent doing this. The booth offered some respite from the direct sunlight and heat. Plus, I could still perfectly hear all of the music, so even when I couldn't see the stages I could still listen to the shows. My experience this year was so enjoyable that I have already decided to attend again next year and in years following. If you haven't been to Forecastle I would definitely recommend going to check it out! Sure, it's hot, and it's expensive, but so is every music festival (and a lot of other concerts and events you could attend during the summer). Forecastle is a lot of fun, and it's awesome that we have this festival locally every summer! read more

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I'm still reeling from a raucous Forecastle weekend! Three days jam-packed with concerts and enough activities to fill in those times when you need a break from the tunes can't really be beat. Having attended several Forecastles over the years, I've seen this event morph in different ways, and I love what it is becoming. So for this review, I'm going to give my opinion on the pros and cons and then some tips if you decide to make a weekend out of Forecastle as well. First, the pros: * Always a great line-up. I've seen some of my favorite all-time concerts here, including MMJ, Beck and Jack White. The Flaming Lips left a little to be desired last year, but there's no doubt that Forecastle brings in the big names. * So much to do! From the Bourbon Lodge to the pop-up marching bands and oversize Squallis Puppeteers puppets to the pARTy boat (a live art installation in which artists painted a house boat) to the poster show, there is just so much to see and do, along with the music. * The stages are far enough apart to where the music from one doesn't disrupt the other stages too much, but they are still close enough to easily walk between them. * While Forecastle seems to bring out the masses, you don't really have to fight wall-to-wall people. You can easily find a spot not to far from the stages to lay down blankets. And if you want to stand in front of the stage, you can usually find a good spot as late as 20 minutes before the concert. * Being next to an overpass -- a bit weird, I know -- provides some respite from the glaring sun. * the Bourbon Lodge. I will definitely make use of this more next year, but for the $20 or so entry fee, you get a/c and nice bathrooms. * except for right before or after the fest, the traffic around it isn't too bad, which means you can easily pop out if you want to get lunch outside Forecastle or go to hour house or hotel for a bit. Parking also has never been a problem. * the people. I've really enjoyed meeting so many neat people at this fest. A couple of cons: * More local is always better. I feel like Forecastle is getting better each year in terms of bringing local biz and groups into the fest, but this could always be improved. * And along the same lines, more local beer is always better. I know that the big beer companies shell out the big bucks for sponsorship rights, but I wish I could get Against the Grain and Apocalypse brews, for example, closer to the stages. And now some tips: * Make sure to pack an empty water bottle (to be filled at the free water stations), sunscreen, hand sanitizer and a blanket. No lawn chairs are allowed. * When navigating the area in front of the stages, be careful not to step on the blankets. Don't be that guy or gal. * BUT, don't set up your blanket right in front of the stage and expect to have a five-square-foot area all to yourself while the rest of us are shoulder-to-shoulder. That's just rude. And in that case, I hope your blanket gets stomped to bits. * Buy entry into the Bourbon Lodge. Especially if the weekend is a scorcher, some a/c and bourbon will definitely hit the spot, along with nice bathrooms. * And if you are of the female sex, try to use the port-o-potties before the sun goes down. The pots are set up under the overpass with no additional lighting. Maybe you'd rather not see what you are stepping on and squatting over, but I think having all of that info is better than not, don't you? * Look for volunteer opportunities if you'd like to get in for free. Several local organizations man the beer booths at the fest and look for residents to work a few hours in return for free passes. * Want a discount on Forecastle swag? Find the booth that will give you a bag to pick up trash in return for a hefty discount. * You can find cheap parking not too far from the fest. My favorite spot was the $4 parking garage on Main Street near First Street, which was only two or three blocks from Forecastle. * Download the Forecastle app to get all the info about concerts, activities and delays. And be sure to listen to the Forecastle playlist that the organizers set up on Spotify to bone up on the bands. I'm already looking forward to next year's fest! read more

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Forecastle is a music festival held at Waterfront Park every year in Louisville Kentucky. It has grown pretty rapidly from a small festival to one of the top rated music festivals in the United States. This last weekend was the third time I've attended. Forecastle brings together a pretty eclectic group of musicians and performers on four stages. The Mast Stage is the main stages and usually the biggest acts perform there; then you have the boon stages for artists that are starting to make a name for themselves, and those that might be past their peak; after that there is WFPK stage, which has a lot of local and regional musicians, and then the Ocean stage which usually has electronica and hip hop. It's a fun a event, and the organizers place a premium on being ecological, so a lot of the food and beverage containers are recyclable and there are recycling wastebaskets everywhere. It's expensive to go, so I'd advise checking the line up before getting tickets, though the festival tickets operate on a sliding scale where the tickets get more expensive as more of them are sold. Alternatively, volunteer organizations run a lot of the food and drink booths and you can get in for the day in exchange for 4 to 5 hours of labor. Although you wouldn't think so, another plus is that there is a large highway overpass that runs over the festival grounds. You really can't hear the noise from the traffic, but it provides a lot of shade, which you need in July in Louisville. In additional you should definitely bring sun block and think about bringing a hat. read more

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I've been to a LOT of concerts and festivals and this is a great one. The music may not necessarily be my absolute favorite, but this had the best food choices, cleanest and I felt the most comfortable at this one out of any other. I loved the challenge in the phone app where you could visit eight different places within the festival and scan the QR code to receive 25% off any official merchandise. I took advantage of that and it also gave me something to do because I was alone at the festival. I also loved that they took the recycling and composting very seriously. I don't know how they did it, but even the port a pots were super clean each time I went in one. Bravo, Louisville and Forecastle Foundation. read more

A lot of fun! I volunteered at a beer booth each day of the festival to gain free entry each day, so I can't say whether it is worth the money. They got some pretty great acts this year! I've been in the Ville for 6 years, but this is only the second year I had heard of the festival. I'm having a hard time *not* comparing it to Bonnaroo, which I also attended for the first time this year. In comparison, it felt smaller, not as populated, and cramped. The stages are awfully close to each other. Which is not an issue as long as only one of them has a performer on them at the time. But it was a struggle to hear Grace Potter over El-P and Killer Mike...unless you forced your way to the front of the spectators. I heard (unsubstantiated) that the grounds used to go further along the waterfront toward Tumbleweed. If that is true, I wish that set up would come back so stages could be a little more spread out. What Forecastle has over Bonnaroo is the plethora of shaded area provided by the highway overpasses. But that's really only helpful if you want to stay at the hip hop/dance/electronic/dj stage. Still...more shade! I appreciate that garage and lot parking prices for the weekend didn't skyrocket! We found it for $5 in a garage and one day my shift started early enough that I got free street parking. The event staff that I encountered were super friendly with great attitudes, that at least made working with them super enjoyable. read more

Two years in a row I've been to Forecastle. Two years in a row I've left 100% satisfied with every part of the weekend. Of course I wouldn't be spending money to see bands I don't like, so I'll start with the fact that I'm always impressed by the bands this festival gets. For 2014 I was STOKED to get to see Outkast, Twenty One Pilots, Jack White, Beck, and many others all in one weekend. Then in 2015 to have Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, Cold War Kids, Tallest Man, etc. all together? Just incredible. Now aside from the choice in headliners, I think Forecastle has a great setup going at Waterfront Park. The main stage is backing up to the Ohio River which makes for great scenery behind the shows, especially once the sun begins to set. One of the smaller stages is set up under an overpass and I love that. It's always a nice place to catch a show if it's extremely hot like this year. I always love the vendors they bring in for the weekend as well- food, art, drinks, etc. Local food trucks are brought in as well as a few local breweries and of course some other wonderful festival food and drinks. This year I bought a pass for the Bourbon Lodge. I highly suggest doing that in the future. For $25, I got a little souvenir mug to use throughout the weekend, 15 drink tickets to use inside the lodge, air conditioning (!!!) inside the lodge, AND bathrooms much nicer than port-a-potties. This year the air conditioning itself seemed worth the price. We also had a chance to meet a few members from Houndmouth, My Morning Jakcets, and Twin Peaks. They also had a booth from a local BBQ joint (Feast) inside that was only for the Bourbon Lodge. The friendly faces throughout the festival weekend really showcase the city of Louisville in a great way. The workers, volunteers, performers, and concert-goers are always happy to see everyone around them and it makes the festival that much more enjoyable. Forecastle does a great job every year and I look forward to continuing to go this festival! read more

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Forecastle is another reason I'm so proud of my hometown. It's fantastic to see some one's idea grow from a party in a local park into a large organization & event that brings joy & awareness to thousands. I also appreciate the mission of giving back to the community & celebrating Kentucky. I've been to several Forecastles from the early yrs to more recently. But, I hadn't attended in three years and it's really evolved. A small town pops up on the Waterfront for half a week and then disappears into the next year. It's unreal. The four stages had amazing artists all weekend. To many incredible acts to recount. There were also plenty of vendors with merch, as well as food and drink of all kinds. I love that non-profits partner with Forecastle to run the beer tents as a fundraiser. Great music, loads of interesting things to see/buy/eat, and a true spirit of community that makes me proud to be a Louisvillian. The weather can hot &/or temperamental, prices are higher than in normal life, and parking is challenging. But, the festival planners do a phenomenal job creating a weekend to relish & remember when you drag into work on that following Monday morning. read more

This is a fun weekend festival for any music lover. Nestled on the waterfront, downtown Louisville, this festival is full of music, food, beer, people, and much more. Each year the line up is different and that is part of what makes this festival so much fun. The atmosphere is always pretty chill which adds to the enjoyment for me. Some tips if you attend Forescastle: -bring a water bottle (to fill up for free at the festival) -bring/wear sunscreen -have cash -wear comfy clothes that you can tolerate for 10 hours -eat as many King of Pops popsicles as you can, all the flavors as sooo good! -uber or bike it there and home each day -make your own customized schedule/lineup on the forecastle app read more

I love my first Forecastle! Tons of interesting things to see from artwork to people watching. Shade was in short supply, but that was not a suprise and (duh) part of an outdoor event. I was really sad that Walk the Moon cancelled but there were still a lot of amazing acts to see Favorites were The Avett Brothers and Death Cab for Cutie (I got to check off them off my "list of bands I NEED to see" list) Great food options, including my favorites of SnoWhat, Hi Five Doughnuts, Red Top Hot Dogs, and some place I hadn't heard of before. Getting tickets/entrance to the Bourbon Lodge is worth it, both for the area with AC and nicer bathrooms with AC. I can't wait to see who they get next year! read more

Let's see... Five stars for ... a damn fine line-up giving back to local charities good space design that makes the 3 stages feel connected but acoustically separate tasty food stuffs poster art showcase giant Gonzo puppet being an all-around great Louisville institution. Three stars for ... the evacuation. I'm all for safety, but the slow meander of about half the attendees ot of Waterfront Park was less than ideal. Probably needed a few more bullhorns to keep people informed and moving. Probably should also tell them where to go (the steps outside Waterfront Park was the equally unsafe but most popular option) Two stars for ... ticket prices. Pretty spendy - you may want to sign up for a volunteer shift to get in for free. read more

Yes!!!!! This year was great but very sweaty!!! They had a great line up of bands each day. The bands that were so good that even if you had never heard of them they were still fun to watch. It was about 100* with a feel of 108* they combated this by having water stations and they actually allowed you to bring in an empty bottle of water to fill. The ems team also did a pretty good job of spraying the crowd with water too. They had pretty good food and beer booths to keep you full and hydrated. Overall o was pretty happy. read more

I will not be returning to Forecastle for several reasons. I have been to a lot of shows and usually have a great time, but the staff here were trying way too hard to police people and follow the rules. They ruined our time by being way too uptight about everything. Taking aerosol sunblock from people, letting me in with a backpack one day and not the next. Sat night they told my bf he could go to the box office and get a new wrist band when he lost his and when we returned Sunday they wouldn't let us back in even though he showed his id and proof of purchase and the card he used. Ridiculous and unnecessary. Also lots of very young kids who were not all well behaved. The bands and line up were hit and miss, especially on Saturday. With so many festivals to choose from don't waist your money on this one, especially if you are over 21. read more

First of all the Bourbon Lounge was a BIG waste of time and money. The pours were very very pricey $5-9 for 1/2 oz - $10-14 for 1 oz. Boycott this so Forecastle comes up with a different way to rip off their customers :) The stage setup was great and there were plenty of beer and food booths to keep the lines calm. Their beer selection is not very good. Surprised Pabst and Sierra Nevada were the only 2 options essentially. The lineup was great. It was a hot one to definitely bring in your own water bottle. They search by pat down method as well so make sure you hide any contraband well if you plan to bring it in. There were policy walking through the middle of large crowds at times. Be careful! Great fest and will be back! read more

Love this festival. The weather is great. There is a breeze rolling off the river. And the music could not be better. Also Uspiritus is selling slushies and the proceeds go to the kids! read more

Would have 5 stars if it wasn't so hot. Maybe like April? When the high schoolers are still in school.

This was awesome! I went Sunday and I had the most amazing time I have ever had at a music fest!

Laid back with the emphasis on the music, although the many food options and Bourbon Lodge are also great. Never had to wait long for food or drink. The GA ticket is a bargain. Easy to maneuver close to the front of the main stages. No need to get a VIP ticket. Easy to get around the grounds. People all friendly. I parked in a garage by the Ali museum, about a 10-minute walk away, which made it easy to avoid traffic at the end of each night. read more

It's hard to say anything negative about music festivals; in general, I'm gonna be a really happy camper to be outdoors listening to music.

I love music festivals. You get a lot of music for the money. This venue was awesome not just for the different genre of music that was represented. I liked that there was something for everyone. The vendors were plenty and the food was good! I think I went back to a couple even though I wasn't hungry. There was also a local beer tasting selling by the ounce. So all these things a good but being a girl what made this a Great venue is plenty of restrooms! I didn't have to cross my legs while waiting. Everyone was very friendly. This was my first time and I will be back! read more

I'm experiencing post Forecastlefest depression. Is anyone else like me? My group and I flew from LA to this amazing festival that we heard about and we were not disappointed. Everything about the Festival was great. The food was amazing. If its there next year, definitely try out the alligator tail! Drinks were reseasonably priced for a festival and the bourbon lodge was definitely worth it. The line up this year was amazing. Alabama Shakes killed it. Forecastlefest completely sold me on Louisville. The townspeople , the culture, the food and the music are all fantastic. read more