Ole Smoky Distillery, home of the most visited distillery in the world and #1 moonshine brand in the U.S., is once again bringing National Moonshine Day to life with a 360 degree marketing campaign and its second annual “Shine Fest” on June 1, 2023. This year, the bestselling moonshine brand will host celebrations in its hometown of Gatlinburg, Tennessee as well as five additional markets around the U.S.

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Ole Smoky Distillery (Photo: Business Wire)

“National Moonshine Day is the perfect occasion for Ole Smoky to celebrate the legacy of moonshine and share the spirit with the world. We were proud to have brought the holiday to life last year and are excited to share the spirit’s rich American history with everyone again in 2023 and for years to come,” said Joe Baker, Founder of Ole Smoky.

Moonshine is one of the most storied spirits in the United States. Production of the notoriously incendiary spirit dates to the late 1700s when Irish and Scottish immigrants settled in the Southern Appalachian area, bringing with them their home distilling practices and their recipes for what is typically a white whiskey derived from corn, yeast, sugar, and water. Although the practice was illegal, moonshiners continued to provide the spirit to hooch seekers in dry counties after Prohibition, and distillation and consumption became more of a pastime, especially in Southern Appalachia.

Fast forward to 2010 when Ole Smoky Co-Founder Joe Baker and his partners, using a fine-tuned, century-old family recipe, launched the brand shortly after Tennessee legalized the distillation of moonshine in 2009. As the first legal moonshine in East Tennessee, the brand has grown exponentially over the past 13 years. The company now employs more than 800 people, makes a wide range of moonshines and whiskeys in four distillery locations across the state, and hosted more than 5.3 million visitors in 2022 alone.

“The Ole Smoky team will be encouraging everyone to celebrate National Moonshine Day at local bars and restaurants, our distillery locations, and retail markets throughout the country,” says Robert Hall, CEO, Ole Smoky Distillery. “Everyone deserves the chance to be a part of this special day that’s a nod to our rich history, which is why we are thrilled to expand our Shine Fest style celebration to additional markets this year.”

The most notable celebration will be Ole Smoky’s Shine Fest hosted in their hometown of Gatlinburg, Tennessee as well as in five additional markets for the first time, including: Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Rhode Island and Wisconsin. The 2nd Annual Shine Fest in Gatlinburg will kick off with a DJ and be followed by incredible performances from country artists Julia Cole and Canaan Smith. There will be delicious food, giveaways, and exclusive National Moonshine Day cocktails to bring an extra tasty and refreshing Ole Smoky spin to the festivities. Shine Fest will be held on Thursday, June 1 at 120 Historic Nature Trail in Gatlinburg starting at 5 p.m.

For those looking to celebrate at home, enjoy Ole Smoky’s National Moonshine Day signature cocktail, Blackberry Lemonade, featuring Ole Smoky Blackberry Moonshine, Lemonade and Muddled Mint. For more delicious recipes and ways to celebrate, click here.

Fans can visit nationalmoonshineday.olesmoky.com to enter for a chance to win a Grand Prize Trip to Tennessee for a Moonshine & Music Adventure, featuring roundtrip airfare for four, 3-night accommodations and a private VIP Moonshine Experience at 6^th & Peabody. First prize winners will take home the Ole Smoky Porch Party Bundle, a complete kit to throw your own neighborhood party with Ole Smoky products, yard games, branded patio furniture and plenty of Shine Merch for the neighbors like Ole Smoky t-shirts and hats. Second Prize winners will receive Shine Merch, including custom Ole Smoky National Moonshine Day t-shirts. The website also features a C’mon & Celebrate National Moonshine Day Curated Playlist along with cocktail recipes to help fans celebrate National Moonshine Day at home.

About Ole Smoky® Distillery LLC

Ole Smoky is the leading distiller of premium moonshine in the world, the leading craft distiller in the U.S. and the first federally licensed distillery in the history of East Tennessee. Founded in 2010, Ole Smoky's roots are traced to the Smoky Mountains' earliest settlers, families who produced moonshine with enduring pride and Appalachian spirit. Ole Smoky has been recognized on the Inc. 5000 List of the fastest growing private companies in America for three consecutive years – 2020, 2021, and 2022, as well as receiving the 2021 Shanken Communications’ Hot Brand and Blue Chip Brand Award and 2022 Growth Brand Awards for Moonshine, Canned Cocktails, and Peanut Butter Whiskey. Today, Ole Smoky’s 25 creative moonshine flavors and 17 inventive whiskey flavors can be found in all 50 states and at the company's four famed distilleries in Tennessee: The Holler and The Barrelhouse in Gatlinburg, The Barn in Pigeon Forge, and 6th & Peabody in Nashville. For more information, please visit olesmoky.com and follow Ole Smoky on social media @olesmoky.

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