ReSurfaced to reopen with bourbon theme

A pop-up plaza that drew thousands of people to a revamped downtown lot last summer will return this June under a new theme: bourbon and local food.

ReSurfaced: The Bourbon Edition will launch June 4 in conjunction with The Kentucky Bourbon Affair fantasy camp and will hint at what's to come in June 2016 — a new bourbon and local food festival for the city, according to a press release.

The 14,000-square-foot plaza, at 615-621 W. Main St., is owned by the city's parking agency and was previously opened to the public for six weeks between September and October, offering everything from a Fried Chicken Throwdown to a puppet fundraiser. The space this year will feature live music, art and local food throughout the month of June, remaining open nearly every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

"ReSurfaced quickly became a beloved venue and, soon after it closed last year, people began asking when it would reopen," Mayor Greg Fischer said in the release. "Partnering with the distillers during The Kentucky Bourbon Affair made an ideal pairing, like a fine bourbon and branch water."

The new Bourbon Edition of ReSurfaced is being curated by City Collaborative, a nonprofit that designed the first rendition of the initiative, and sponsored by the Kentucky Distillers' Association.

"We're thrilled to help bring ReSurfaced back to life as part of the Kentucky Bourbon Affair, which is all about extraordinary experiences," association president Eric Gregory said in the release. "And what's more fun than an eclectic Bourbon block party in the heart of downtown on Whiskey Row?"

ReSurfaced and The Kentucky Bourbon Affair are among numerous accomplishments since last year's release of the mayor's Bourbon and Local Food Report — a 22-page plan to grow tourism, the economy and jobs.

In the report, a work group made six major recommendations and a number of smaller ones, including everything from building a downtown bourbon/food visitors center to creating a public art piece that is a "must have photo for tourists, the bourbon equivalent of the big Slugger bat," the release stated. Since its release, accomplishments have included:

✓ The announcement of the $45 million Old Forester distillery on Main Street, to open in fall 2016.

✓ The opening of the Bulleit Bourbon Experience at the legendary Stizel-Weller Distillery, now the ninth stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour.

✓ Construction starting or completing on several new distilleries, such as Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., the new Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse, Angel's Envy, Michter's and Copper & Kings.

✓ Creation of the Stave and Thief Society by the Distilled Spirits Epicenter to educate front-line hospitality workers about bourbon and its history.

✓ The announcement of the Frazier History Museum and Kentucky Distillers' Associations partnership to develop a bourbon gateway center and make it the official launching point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

✓ New programs added by Mint Julep Tours, Cave Hill Cemetery and Louisville Visitors Center.

Reach reporter Bailey Loosemore at (502) 582-4646. Follow her on Twitter at @bloosemore.