Thursday Morning Opening Keynote
Thursday, November 19, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Nick Laracuente
Bourbon Archaeology: Unearthing Spirited Stories
Kentucky’s signature industry permeates all aspects of the state’s economy, history, and identity. Over 2.7 million visitors toured Kentucky’s distilleries in 2025 and there are more barrels aging in Kentucky’s warehouses than both people and horses combined. Bourbon Tourists are drawn to Kentucky through the common thread of a high-quality Kentucky whiskey. But they stay longer, visit more things, and spend more money through a commonality they share with Heritage Tourists: an interest in authentic histories relayed through a unique sense of place.
Bourbon’s prominence in Kentucky makes one thing surprising: we’ve only scratched the surface of Bourbon History. This talk will highlight how much there is still to discover about this industry. It can energize communities who want to join in community archaeology projects or share stories of their own families. It faces the same challenges as other archive and library institutions with a large percentage of uncatalogued materials in distillery archives though there are business cases for its long-term preservation. It crosscuts demographics and interests providing opportunities to leveraging unique discoveries even for audiences who have no interest in consuming alcohol. It is resilient and overcomes challenges like the record setting 2025 flood.
This talk will have something new for bourbon novices or even seasoned experts. Consider it an invitation to join us and learn more as we discover these stories together.
As passionate about archaeology as he is about spirits, Nick is an in-demand speaker and the author of many academic publications. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Classical Studies from Tulane University, a Master of Arts in Anthropology from the University of West Florida, and completed many hours towards his Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology at the University of Kentucky before deciding instead to pursue opportunities in Kentucky’s distilling industry.
Friday Morning Keynote
Friday, November 20, 2026, 8:30 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Frank X Walker
Curious George Goes to the Library (and Gives Birth to a Poet)
Frank X Walker will talk about the ways the local bookmobile and libraries multiplied his love of books and early literacy and how integral library archives and research have been to achieving the status as the most prolific poet of historical poetry writing today.
Multidisciplinary artist, Frank X Walker holds the endowed C.R. Lezius Professorship in the Arts at the University of Kentucky. A Cave Canem Fellow and co-founder of the Affrilachian Poets, he is the author of thirteen collections of poetry including Load In Nine Times, winner of the 2025 Pen/Voelcker Award for Poetry and Turn Me Loose: The Unghosting of Medgar Evers, winner of the NAACP Image Award, and Buffalo Dance: The Journey of York, winner of the Lillian Smith Book Award. Voted one of the most creative professors in the south, he is the originator of the word, Affrilachia, and is dedicated to communicating how literacy and the arts impacts our quality of life. The Lannan Poetry Fellowship Award recipient has degrees from the University of Kentucky and Spalding University as well as four honorary doctorates from the University of KY, Centre College, Spalding University, and Transylvania University.