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Oct 09, 2025 By Candace McDuffie Photography by Taylor Strategy Web Exclusive

Since its 2015 inception, Pilgrimage Music Festival has provided a much needed refuge from a sea of other similar events that often prioritize profit over experience. Taking place at The Park at Harlinsdale Farm in Franklin, Tennessee, this year’s lineup boasted immense talent like hometown heroes Kings of Leon, John Mayer, Grace Potter, Father John Misty, Sam Fender, Better Than Ezra and Maggie Rose.

Local artisans and restaurateurs set up shop all throughout the festival grounds to provide attendees with a fully immersive experience. Sponsors like Gibson, ASCAP and Nashville Scene were onsite to educate music fans and give more information about ways to support local music scenes.

While other alcohol brands like Corona, White Claw and Desnuda Tequila had a presence at Pilgrimage, they all paled in comparison to George Dickel Whisky’s innovative activation. Dickel Dive Bar, which was present for both days of the festival, had all the fixings of your favorite watering hole.

Complete with a dartboard, jukebox, live stage and classic bourbon cocktails, Dickel Dive Bar was the perfect place to cool down in between performances and to catch more intimate ones. One of the stage’s surprise guests was Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Maggie Rose, who has worked with the brand for years. She also performed on the Pilgrimage main stage.

Her most recent album, No One Gets Out Alive, was lauded for its harrowing musicality and lyrical fearlessness. With her new EP, Cocoon, being released on October 10, the star told Under The Radar Magazine that following her path wasn’t always an easy thing to do.

“Sometimes it was survival mode. But I think at the end of the day, I know that this is kind of a calling, it’s a vocation,” Rose explained. “I think a lot of musicians would say that because there’s so much insanity that goes into doing what we do and touring and trying to juggle personal life and creative life. But I think it’s such a privilege that I get to do this. So knowing that…I don’t let the infrastructure around me validate what I’m doing.”

The star shared that partnering with George Dickel Whisky made sense because both endeavors are about building community. “I know that what I’m doing connects with people now, and I know I have a base of listeners who keep showing up and that’s authentic and that won’t go away,” she said.

“That’s what I also like about Dickel–I’ve spent half my life here in Tennessee and I think they’re good people. I’ve gotten to work with them for the last couple years. It’s not about slamming shots–it’s about community and communing over some really well-made bourbon. It’s also the official bourbon of the festival and this is the first time I’ve ever played here. Dickel is about celebrating and exchanging ideas and this world definitely needs more of that right now.”

Nicole Austin, who serves as Dickel’s “Director, American Whiskey Liquid Development and Capabilities,” echoed this sentiment in a broader sort of way. According to her, there are levels to crafting an impressive whiskey–especially in a unique setting like Pilgrimage.

“American whiskey is meant to be inviting and social, but also it’s an art. Like making whiskey is an art and it deserves to be appreciated,” Austin passionately stated. “It deserves all of the trappings of the finest things that scotch, whiskey and every other form of art making deserves. So I want to do both and nothing made me more determined to do both than the implication that maybe American whiskey didn’t deserve that.”

At the festival, attendees sipped on Dickel’s “Peach Lemonade,” “Pecan Sour” and “Tullahoma Breeze” at the namesake bar. Austin understands that the savory allure is what draws people to the brand but she wants to make sure it stays around for fans to enjoy.

“Ultimately, I want to make sure that the industry is stable. Like the thing I want to achieve is to make sure that craft distillers have a place and that they can–that we can–all make this art and still pay our mortgage. That’s what I want,” she said.

Whiskey making is a huge endeavor, especially when it comes to satisfying consumers at a large-scale musical festival. However, Austin believes it’s worth the investment.

[“Making whiskey] is a lot of money. It’s a lot of time. It’s risky, like it ages for a really long time. It’s just…there’s a big barrier to entry and that makes it hard. It’s labor intensive and it’s heavily taxed. I spend a lot of time working in the legislative arena. I like to try and make a little more of a level playing field for small producers. That’s really important to me.”

Pilgrimage reiterated that while music is fun, live performance is inherently celebratory–and nothing goes better with it than a well-crafted and refreshing cocktail. Dickel effortlessly held up its end of the bargain–it’ll be a joy to see what they do for next year’s installment.