Bourbon may be in the name, but Cape Fear Botanical Garden’s Heritage & Harvest Bourbon Showcase is about much more than what is poured into a tasting glass. Returning for its second year, Heritage & Harvest will take over the Cape Fear Botanical Garden on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. The fall festival brings together North Carolina distilleries, traditional crafts, food, live music and activities for the whole family in a celebration of the state’s history and traditions. The idea for the event actually began with a simple suggestion.
“Ironically, it wasn't anyone on staff but rather Sheila Hanrick's son Aaron, who said, ‘MOM! You guys should do a bourbon festival,’” said Jessica Barnes, Director of Events & Experiences at Cape Fear Botanical Garden. Barnes and Hanrick liked the idea, and Barnes began researching ABC requirements and contacting distilleries to gauge interest. From that initial bourbon festival concept, however, something broader began to develop.
The Garden wanted to hold the event in the fall, but its calendar was already full of weddings, galas and other activities. The Heritage Garden was available and proved to be more than simply a location; it helped establish the identity of the new event.
“We decided to utilize our beautiful Heritage Garden,” Barnes said. “This space naturally helped shape the concept into a festival centered around family, history and heritage.”
The McCauley Heritage Garden Complex itself reflects the region's agricultural past, featuring heirloom vegetables, herbs and Southern staples inspired by 19th-century homestead gardens.
Holding the showcase during regular daytime hours also influenced its development. Rather than creating an adults-only tasting event, organizers designed an experience in which bourbon could be one component of a larger festival that families could explore together.
That approach is evident in this year's lineup. Five distilleries are currently scheduled to participate: Buffalo City Distillery, BHAWK, Southern Grace Distillery, Olde Raleigh Distillery and End of Days Distillery. Three are returning from last year's inaugural event, while two will make their Heritage & Harvest debut. Barnes said participating distilleries aren't selected at random. She researches their products, websites and customer reviews, and each participant must produce bourbon.
“We try to be intentional about identifying distilleries that align well with the event and would bring a quality and diverse selection to our guests,” she said.
The tasting tables also allow visitors to learn what is behind the bottle.
“Our distillery representatives are excited to share their history, processes, and stories with our guests,” Barnes said. “What makes this event special is not simply the tasting, but the storytelling and personal connections that happen at each booth.”
That storytelling is particularly appropriate for North Carolina, where whiskey and distilling have longstanding connections to agriculture, craftsmanship and local communities.
Although bourbon is most closely associated with Kentucky, Barnes said Heritage & Harvest offers an opportunity to introduce visitors to North Carolina's own distilling tradition and the agricultural resources, particularly corn, that helped support it.
“The event is not simply about bourbon,” Barnes said. “It is about celebrating the people, craftsmanship, agriculture and traditions that have helped shape North Carolina.”
Those traditions extend well beyond distilling.
Visitors will encounter representatives from the Cumberland County Beekeepers Association, the Quilters' Guild and Basket Weaving Guild, along with blacksmith demonstrations. The demonstrations turn Heritage & Harvest into something of a living-history experience, giving guests the chance to see skills that were once part of everyday life.
“In the ever-evolving world of technology and convenience, many of the traditional skills and trades that shaped our ancestors' livelihoods are slowly disappearing,” Barnes said. “It is important to preserve and share our history and the stories of those who came before us.”
She noted that children, and even many adults, may never have had the opportunity to watch some of these crafts being practiced or appreciate the time involved in creating an object by hand. That emphasis on passing traditions from one generation to another is also one reason organizers have deliberately kept Heritage & Harvest family-friendly.
“History and heritage aren't limited to adults,” Barnes said. “Nurturing a child's interest in these traditions from an early age can help preserve and pass down the skills, stories, and history that are important to North Carolina for generations to come.”
Beyond the demonstrations and bourbon, guests can hear live music from Luke & The Cool Hands and purchase food and drinks from vendors including Copperhead Burgers, Graze Craze, BADOS Louisiana Kitchen, The Scarlet Whisk, The Tonic Garden and Lucia's Cafe.
Families can also explore the Garden, visit a small hay bale maze, try the sluice, and stop at seasonal photo opportunities. The setting is an important part of the experience. Cape Fear Botanical Garden describes Heritage & Harvest as one of its signature community events, and Barnes said programs such as this one allow the Garden to reach people who might be drawn there for different reasons while still supporting its larger mission.
“The Garden is a unique and wonderful place in Fayetteville, offering an escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life,” Barnes said. “Guests can slow down, enjoy the outdoors, put their feet in the grass, and take a moment to reconnect and recenter themselves in nature.”
By combining that natural setting with North Carolina history, agriculture, and craftsmanship, Heritage & Harvest creates another way for visitors to connect with the place they call home. Ultimately, Barnes hopes that connection lasts longer than the afternoon.
“We hope guests leave with a renewed sense of pride in North Carolina and see the Garden as a place they can return to and feel connected,” she said. “Whether through membership, classes, events, or volunteering, we want to create a welcoming space where people can build relationships, find community, and feel a lasting connection to the Garden.”
The Second Annual Heritage & Harvest Bourbon Showcase will be held Saturday, Oct. 3, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Cape Fear Botanical Garden, 536 N. Eastern Blvd. General admission for ages 13 and older, without bourbon samples, is $25 or $15 for Garden members. Admission with five bourbon samples for guests 21 and older is $40 or $30 for members. VIP admission, which includes eight samples and a take-home glass, is $80 or $60 for members. Admission for children ages 6 to 12 is $7 and free for Garden members; children 5 and younger are free. Bourbon sampling is restricted to guests ages 21 and older. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://tinyurl.com/yc23e4rs.