Limited Passes On Sale Now
ROCHESTER, N.Y —June 12, 2025—Lou Gramm, the original voice of Foreigner, 2024 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and Rochester native will make a special guest appearance at this summer’s Hoochenanny Whiskey & Music Festival on Saturday, August 9.
Gramm helped define the sound of classic rock as the voice behind hits like “I Want to Know What Love Is,” “Hot Blooded,” “Feels Like the First Time,” “Waiting for a Girl Like You,” and “Cold As Ice.” His powerful vocals and songwriting have led to more than a dozen gold and platinum albums and nearly 20 chart-topping singles across his work with Foreigner and his solo career.
“Having Lou Gramm at Hoochenanny is more than just a hometown moment — it’s a rock and roll homecoming of the highest order, Lou’s voice didn’t just light up rock radio—it defined it” said Tommy Brunett, Hoochenanny co-founder and co-owner. “We’re honored to have him as we support Lou lifting up the next wave of musicians through his foundation. Lou’s coming home, and we’re cranking the amps to eleven!”
Gramm will appear in support of the Lou Gramm Foundation, one of three nonprofit partners Hoochenanny is working with this year to give back to the community. The Foundation is dedicated to promoting the transformative power of music education through grants and advocacy, and supporting emerging artists.
Hoochenanny is also partnering with Make-A-Wish Western New York and Endless Highway, with more details to come in the weeks ahead on how fans can support each cause during the festival weekend.
Hoochenanny, the ultimate three-day celebration of live music and world-class whiskey, returns for its second year bigger than ever. Festival organizers Tommy Brunett and Sean McCarthy are bringing an expanded lineup of top-tier musical acts and an immersive whiskey experience to Camp Eastman.
The festival will take place Friday, August 8, through Sunday, August 10, 2025. Hours are Friday from 2 to 10 p.m., Saturday from noon to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 2 to 10 p.m.
Passes are on sale now at hoochenanny.com/passes, with advance pricing available through Thursday, August 7.
General admission passes are available for one day ($55), two days ($95), or three days ($135), plus service fees. General admission includes access to the festival site during hours of operation, up-front standing room at both stages, entry to the Concert Pavilion Beverage Center and Stageview Craft Cocktail Lounge, the Artisans Bazaar and Barrel Bistro food experience, free beer tastings at Lager Land, water fill stations, and over 25,000 square feet of covered seating space. The event is open to all ages, with designated 21+ areas identified on-site.
Guests who want to experience the whiskey tastings can purchase General Admission Tasting Passes, available for one day ($85), two days ($150), or three days ($215), plus service fees. These passes include all general admission benefits, plus access to the World of Whiskey tasting experience, featuring 20 curated whiskey tastings with additional options available for purchase on-site.
VIP Passes are available for one day ($160), two days ($310), or three days ($430), plus service fees. VIP guests enjoy all the benefits of general admission tasting, plus access to the VIP Loft double-decker tent, bird’s-eye views of both stages with exclusive VIP bridge access, private whiskey tastings, full cash bars, plush cocktail lounges, sit-down dining and dedicated catering for purchase, climate-controlled luxury restrooms, a cigar bar featuring custom-made, hand-rolled cigars, and free on-site parking.
This year’s festival will span 14 acres and feature two outdoor music stages and seven custom-built experience tents. National acts include Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Charles Wesley Godwin, Old 97’s, The English Beat, Dark Star Orchestra, moe., and many more.
Whiskey lovers can explore five distinct tasting experiences inside the World of Whiskey, sip rare pours at the Rarities Bar, and join exclusive discussions led by industry experts at Bourbon Broadcast sessions.
For full festival details and to purchase passes, visit hoochenanny.com.
Music Lineup
The 2025 festival will feature an expanded music lineup with international, national, and regional artists performing across two stages, delivering a dynamic mix of Americana, rock, alternative, punk, outlaw country and rockabilly.
Friday, August 8: Charles Wesley Godwin, Old 97’s, The English Beat, Cristina Vane, Checks & Exes, Johnny Hart and the Mess
Saturday, August 9: Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Record Company, Tommy Brunett’s All-Star Cavalcade of Scoundrels featuring Andy Kim, The Jack Knives, Vandoliers, Mike Powell and The Echosound, The Isotopes, The Medicinals
Sunday, August 10: moe., Dark Star Orchestra, Galactic featuring Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Eggy
Whiskey Lineup
This year’s whiskey programming will be triple the size of the inaugural festival, showcasing more than 150 of the finest spirits from local, national and regional distilleries.
The World of Whiskey Tasting Experience will showcase more than 30 national and regional distillers areas inside an 16,000-square-foot structure tent. The tasting experience will offer interactive sampling stations, educational sessions, and opportunities to meet the distillers behind the brands, with samples ranging from classic bourbons to unique craft expressions.
The five unique Tasting Experience areas are:
- Rickhouse Rendezvous is a prohibition-style rickhouse-meets-speakeasy presented by The New York State Distillers Guild, it will highlight distillers from across the Excelsior state along with interactive exhibits and educational displays.
- American Whiskey Journey is a coast-to-coast experience showcasing whiskey-producing states and distilleries across the country. Patrons will be immersed in the rich culture and heritage of American’s signature spirit, and presented visions of what American whiskey is and can be in the future.
- Rarities Bar offers Hoochenanny whiskey fans exclusive access to some truly rare sips – exclusive, limited-edition whiskeys, from local, regional and national distillers, including several exclusive to Hoochenanny.
- Libations Lounge offers a selection of craft whiskey cocktails from veteran mixologists, allowing guests to experience pre-prohibition classics up to modern innovations. Patrons can mix their neat whiskey into a specialty cocktail, or explore a menu of non-whiskey spirits to craft the perfect drink.
- Fireside Chats are conversations moderated by nationally recognized whiskey media personalities along with a rotating lineup of industry experts and Hoochenanny master distillers, blenders, and ambassadors.
Participating brands include:
- 1911 Established
- Bardstown Bourbon Company
- Barrelhouse 6 Distillery
- Black Button Distilling
- Bubba’s Secret Stills Whiskey
- Buffalo Distilling Company
- Burnt Church
- Castle & Key Distillery
- Cooper’s Daughter Spirits
- Den of Thieves
- Do Good Spirits
- Fort Hamilton Distillery
- Green River
- Hudson Whiskey
- Iron Smoke Distillery
- Jefferson’s Bourbon
- Lock 1 Distilling Company
- Michter’s
- Old Scotland Road Distillery
- Pinhook Bourbon
- Rabbit Hole
- Smooth Ambler
- Springbrook Hollow Farm Distillery
- Starlight Distillery
- Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey
- Tenmile Distillery
- Tin Cup Mountain Whiskey
- WhistlePig Whiskey
- Woodinville Whiskey Co.
More Expanded Festival Experiences
The 2025 festival will offer a variety of immersive experiences, including:
- Highball Stage - Featuring performances by top international and national music groups.
- Fermenter Stage - Showcasing top international and national music groups, along with the best local and regional talent.
- VIP Loft Double-Decker - This premium ticket option offers exclusive access to a two-story, 5,000-square-foot oasis with a bird’s-eye view of the festival stages or access to the VIP bridge for the best main stage experience. The experience includes sit-down dining, a full cash cocktail bar, plush seating with a cigar bar, and exclusive whiskey tastings. Climate-controlled luxury restrooms provide comfort while guests enjoy the ultimate festival experience.
- Concert Pavilion - This 10,000-square-foot covered space offers views of the main and local stages, with ample seating and lounge areas. It can comfortably accommodate 1,000 patrons and features an 80-foot bar serving beer, wine, and seltzer. Festival and band merchandise will also be available to browse while enjoying live music in a relaxed atmosphere.
- Stageview Cocktail Lounge - An exclusive bar with a prime view of the main stage, offering specialty drinks at a cash bar. Relax in a laid-back atmosphere under a 1,650-square-foot tent, where guests can enjoy craft cocktails served in real glasses. The space, available on a first-come, first-served basis, accommodates about 300 people.
- Lager Land - A complimentary beer-tasting area showcasing approximately 15 local craft brews poured to perfection inside a 1,800-square-foot tent just steps from the action. Open from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday and Sunday and from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, the area provides an opportunity to sample local beers alongside the festival’s music and whiskey offerings.
- Barrel Bistro - This collection of food vendors will offer unique culinary experiences. A variety of local vendors will provide food to complement the festival. Local vendors can visit the website for more information on how to apply.
- Artisans Bazaar - This marketplace will feature unique creations of local artisans and handcrafted goods. Meet the makers and learn their stories.
Seeking Unique Vendors for the Artisans Bazaar
Vendors are invited to showcase unique, one-of-a-kind goods at the festival, focusing on rare, quirky, and unconventional items. This is an opportunity for artisans and creators to offer festivalgoers something extraordinary. Vendor applications are now open. Those interested in participating can apply at hoochenanny.com/artisans-application.
Hoochenanny Teams Up with Make-A-Wish, Lou Gramm Foundation, Endless Highway to Make an Impact
This year, the festival is partnering with Make-A-Wish, the Lou Gramm Foundation, and Endless Highway, uniting to bring hope and change to our community. Details on how these organizations will be involved in this year’s festival will be announced soon.
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