This Saturday, May 3rd, the world’s attention turns to Louisville, Kentucky for the 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby. If you have ever heard the name but weren’t quite sure what all the fuss is about — this post is for you.
We live in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, just 40 miles south of Churchill Downs. The Derby is not just a horse race here. It is an institution. A cultural event. A three-day celebration that draws celebrities, royalty, and racing fans from every corner of the globe.
A Little History
The Kentucky Derby has been run on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky every year since 1875 — making it the longest continuously held major sporting event in the United States. It was founded by Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., grandson of the famous explorer William Clark, who was inspired by the great races he witnessed in England and France.
The race covers one and a quarter miles on a dirt track and is restricted to three-year-old thoroughbred horses. It is the first jewel of the Triple Crown — the series of three prestigious races that also includes the Preakness Stakes in Baltimore and the Belmont Stakes in New York. Winning all three in a single season is one of the rarest and most celebrated achievements in all of sports.
The winner is draped in a garland of red roses — which is why the Derby is known as the Run for the Roses. The race itself lasts approximately two minutes. Everything else — the fashion, the food, the pageantry, the celebrities, the betting — lasts three days.
Three Days, Not One: Thurby, the Oaks, and the Derby
Most people think of the Kentucky Derby as a single day event. It is actually a three-day celebration, and each day has its own distinct character.
Thurby — Thursday
The festivities begin on Thursday with Thurby — a blend of Thursday and Derby that has become an institution in its own right. Churchill Downs is open for racing, and the atmosphere is festive and considerably more relaxed than the weekend. Thurby draws a younger crowd and is known for being one of the best value days of the entire event. It is a wonderful introduction to Churchill Downs for first-timers who want to experience the track without the full intensity of Derby Day.
The Kentucky Oaks — Friday
Friday brings the Kentucky Oaks — a Grade I stakes race for three-year-old fillies, run at one and one-sixteenth miles. The Oaks is sometimes called the Derby for fillies and is a major race in its own right. It draws enormous crowds and significant celebrity attendance. The Oaks has its own signature drink — the Oaks Lily, a pink cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, and simple syrup. It has its own charity component, with pink being the color of the day in support of breast and ovarian cancer awareness. Many Derby fans consider the Oaks the best day of the three — somewhat less crowded than Saturday, with excellent racing and a wonderful atmosphere.
The Kentucky Derby — Saturday
The big one. The pageantry of the Twin Spires. A stirring rendition of “My Old Kentucky Home.” Bold fashion and celebrated hats, and the classic mint julep in hand. Approximately 150,000 people pack Churchill Downs — one of the largest single-day sporting event crowds in the world. Celebrities, athletes, politicians, and royalty from around the globe fill the premium seats. The noise when the horses enter the stretch is something you feel as much as hear. And then, in roughly two minutes, it is over — and the winner stands in the winner’s circle draped in roses while the crowd erupts.
The Fashion: Hats, Color, and Kentucky Style
The Kentucky Derby is as much a fashion event as it is a sporting event, and dressing for it is taken seriously. The tradition of elaborate hats dates back to the earliest days of the race, and today it has evolved into something genuinely spectacular.
Women wear hats — the bigger, the more colorful, the more creative, the better. Fascinators, wide-brimmed picture hats, sculptural creations adorned with flowers, feathers, and ribbons — Derby fashion is a competitive art form. The Kentucky Derby Museum has an outstanding display of historic and contemporary Derby outfits that captures just how extraordinary this tradition is. Walking through those displays, you realize that for many attendees, choosing their Derby outfit is a months-long process.
Men traditionally wear seersucker suits, bow ties, and often a hat or boutonniere. The overall effect on Derby Day is a sea of color and creativity that is unlike anything you will see at any other sporting event in the world.
If you attend, dress for it. You will not be overdressed.
The Mint Julep and Bourbon
No post about the Kentucky Derby is complete without a word about its signature drink — the mint julep.
A mint julep is a simple and elegant cocktail: bourbon whiskey, fresh mint, simple syrup, and crushed ice, served in a silver or pewter cup. It is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby and has been served at Churchill Downs since 1938. Approximately 120,000 mint juleps are served over the Derby weekend — a staggering number that reflects both the drink’s popularity and the size of the event.
And not just any bourbon will do. Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, and it is widely held that a proper Derby Mint Julep must be made with Woodford Reserve. The distillery is located in Versailles, Kentucky — a beautiful property that is well worth a visit. I have toured the Woodford Reserve distillery myself, and it is stunning. Rolling Kentucky countryside, historic stone buildings, and some amazing bourbon.
Kentucky is, after all, the bourbon capital of the world. Home to Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, 1792, and many others. Bourbon tourism is one of Kentucky’s largest and fastest growing industries. We will dedicate a full post to Kentucky’s bourbon country in a future issue — it deserves nothing less.
For now, raise a Woodford Reserve Mint Julep this Saturday and toast the Run for the Roses.
Tickets and Seating: From Accessible to Extraordinary
Churchill Downs offers a wide range of seating options, and the price range is equally wide.
The most accessible entry point is Infield General Admission, which starts at around $120 per person. The infield gives you access to the grounds and the video board but not necessarily a direct view of the track. It is more of a festival atmosphere than a race-watching experience, and it draws a younger, very festive crowd.
Reserved seating options range from First Turn Reserved Seating starting at $1,311, to Homestretch Club Reserved Seating starting at $2,015. From to Clubhouse Box Seating starting at $1,765, to Starting Gate Box Seating starting at $2,241.
For the premium and VIP experience — private suites, Millionaire’s Row, The Mansion — prices are not publicly listed and require direct contact with Churchill Downs’ sales team. These are the seats where celebrities and VIPs congregate, and the prices reflect that exclusivity.
All tickets are accessed digitally through the Churchill Downs app, and tickets are non-refundable. The only authorized place to buy and resell Kentucky Derby and Oaks tickets is the Kentucky Derby Ticket Exchange.
My advice: if budget is a consideration, Thurby on Thursday offers the best value experience of the three days. You get the full Churchill Downs atmosphere, live racing, and the mint juleps — without the Saturday price premium.
The Kentucky Derby Museum: More Than You Expect
Before you ever set foot in the grandstands, I strongly recommend visiting the Kentucky Derby Museum. Located right at Churchill Downs on Central Avenue in Louisville.
I visited the museum expecting a pleasant afternoon. What I found was considerably more impressive than I anticipated.
The museum takes you through the full history of the Kentucky Derby — from its founding in 1875 through 150 years of champions, legendary horses, and unforgettable moments. The displays of Derby fashion are extraordinary — rows of spectacular outfits spanning decades that capture exactly how seriously Kentucky takes its style traditions.
One of the highlights is the horse racing simulator — several horses that visitors can actually ride to compete in a virtual race. It draws smiles from every age group and gives you a tiny sense of what it feels like to be in the saddle.
The true highlight of the museum is the film — a cinematic presentation about the Kentucky Derby that manages to be genuinely moving. It captures the history, the emotion, and the grandeur of the event in a way that sticks with you.
Then there is the track tour.
Our group was led down through the stands, under the grandstands, and right to the edge of the track. Standing there, trackside, with the grandstands rising above you and the Churchill Downs Twin Spires visible against the sky — it is a genuinely powerful moment. We watched horses go by just a few feet away. If you visit on a race day, you may be standing trackside when a race goes off. The thunder of hooves at close range is something you do not forget. Such beautiful animals.
Plan at least two hours for the museum. One hour is not enough to do it justice.
Planning Your Derby Visit
If the Kentucky Derby is on your bucket list — and it should be — here are a few practical tips:
Book accommodation in Louisville well in advance. Derby week hotel rooms in Louisville sell out a year ahead for many properties, and prices increase significantly during Derby week. Consider staying in Elizabethtown or other surrounding communities if Louisville accommodation is unavailable or prohibitively expensive.
Purchase tickets through official channels only. The Kentucky Derby Ticket Exchange is the only authorized fan-to-fan resale marketplace. Avoid unofficial resellers.
If it is your first time, consider attending Thurby or the Oaks before committing to the full Derby Day experience and price point. You get a wonderful sense of Churchill Downs at a more manageable cost and crowd level.
And visit the Kentucky Derby Museum regardless of which day you attend the races. It will deepen your appreciation for everything you are about to witness.
The Fastest Two Minutes in Sports
Two minutes. Yet 150,000 people travel from around the world to witness it, dressed in their finest, mint julep in hand, hearts pounding as the field rounds the final turn and the roar of the crowd builds to something primal and unforgettable.
That is the Kentucky Derby. There is nothing else quite like it.
Go watch it on NBC starting at 2:30 PM ET — and start planning your trip to Churchill Downs.
Buddy and Jordan
The Kentucky Derby Museum is located at 704 Central Avenue, Louisville, Kentucky, right at Churchill Downs. For tickets and information, visit kentuckyderby.com. If you’re planning a trip to Louisville for the Derby, check back soon for our Louisville destination page.