Event Info
Celebrate the craftmanship, history, and culture of Michigan’s Craft Distillers at the premier of the Michigan
Craft Distillers Festival coming in September of 2025 to the Monroe, Michigan! Enjoy sampling craft spirits
from across the State of Michigan while enjoying LIVE entertainment, great food, and amazing programs
throughout the festival! September is National Bourbon Month, and at the Michigan Craft Distillers Festival
there will be lots of opportunities for the bourbon enthusiasts to meet distillery representatives and sample a
broad range of amazing Michigan Bourbons and Whiskeys! Sprits enthusiasts will also be able to sample
amazing Michigan Gins, Vodkas and other sprits throughout the festival.
Schedule
Thursday Sept. 11, 2025
6 PM VIP Event
Bourbon on the River VIP Exclusive Evening
• 6 – 9 p.m. inside the Michigan Wine and Beer Portal
• Heavy hors d’oeuvres, exclusive cocktails, and neat bourbon pours from top distilleries across Michigan while enjoying live music along the beautiful River Raisin
• Intermingle with craft distilling enthusiasts and distillery representatives
Friday Sept. 12, 2025
Festival from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. (VIP starting at 3 p.m. – music plays until 9 p.m.)
• 3 p.m. VIP Only Tastings begin
• 3:30 p.m. Gates Open
• 3:30-5:30 p.m. Live Music – Rick and Josh
• 4 p.m. Guest Tastings and hourly programs start
• 8 p.m. Last Tastings Served
• 6-9 p.m. Live Music – Voices of Chaos
• 9 p.m. Music Ends
• 9:30 p.m. Grounds Close
Saturday Sept. 13, 2025
• 2 p.m. VIP’s allowed in and tastings begin
• 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. (VIP starting at 2 p.m. – music plays until 9 p.m.)
• 2:30 p.m. Public allowed in
• 3-6 p.m. Live Music – Whiskey Throttle
• 3:00 p.m. Guest Tastings and Programs start
• 6-9 p.m. Live Music – Detroit Light
• 8 p.m. Last Tastings Served
• 9:00 p.m. Music Ends
• 9:30 p.m. Grounds close
MichiMash Programs
Sip, savor, celebrate & learn with Michigan’s best craft distillers at the
2025 MichiMash programs! See you there!
Friday, September 12, 2025:
4:00 p.m. Built from a Van: The Story of Gypsy Spirits
with Founder Michael Kazanowski
4:45 p.m. From Field to Flask: The Iron Fish Distillery
Story with Troy Anderson
5:30 p.m. Botanical Expressions: Exploring Gin with
Mike Fox, Ann Arbor Distilling
6:15 p.m. What’s Old is new Again: Rediscovering
Historic Flavors with Andrea Gray of Wonderland Distilling
7:00 p.m. From Grain to Glass: The Story of New
Holland Distilling with Peter O’Doherty
Saturday, September 12, 2025:
4:00 p.m. Grain to Glass: Kevin Stanley on Mammoth
Distilling’s Agricultural Revival
5:00 p.m. Michigan’s Bounty: Craft Spirits Rooted in
Local Soil with Kevin VanDuren – Long Road
5:45 p.m. Stories & Spirits: The Two James Journey
With Ben Senseney
6:30 p.m. 20 Years of True Grain to Glass: Grand
Traverse Distilling Journey by Steven Rabish
7:15 p.m. Prohibitions Proving Grounds: Tales & Treasures
from a Not-So-Dry Era with Joe Boggs
Looking for more to Explore in Monroe while here? Visit ExploreMonroeMI.com for a list of attractions, parks, restaurants, stores and more.
