Featured Horse Racing Theme Party >> Original Watercolour painting by NicoleBarrosArt
Mark your calendars. It is never too early to begin planning your Triple Crown horse racing theme party.
Kentucky Derby – Saturday, May 6, 2023
Preakness Stakes – Saturday May 20, 2023
Belmont Stakes -Saturday June 10, 2023
Join the Festivities. Attend the Races! Book Your Hotel TODAY!
A Day at the Races Theme Horse Racing Party
By: Amanda
This year get your friends rallied up for race day by hosting a ‘Day at the Races’ themed horse racing party. This post is dedicated to providing you with all the ideas, tips and supplies you will need to throw your own ‘A Day at the Races’ bash! Our friends over at PartyIdeaPros have done the research for you to find the very best invitations, party decor, entertainment, traditional recipes and more. Explore the best horse racing party ideas & supplies needed to throw your own fabulous Kentucky Derby bash and to create an extravagant event you and your guests will never forget!
Official Kentucky Derby 146 Party Supplies will be available directly from the Kentucky Derby Store and from their parent company, Fanatics. Fanatics runs lots of promotions, so it is probably worth checking both out to see which is offering a better deal.
A Day at the Races Theme Party Invitations
Choosing your invitation is the equivalent of the title of a paper … it sets the tone for the entire party! There are so many great horse racing theme invitations, Party Idea Pros had trouble picking just one. Here are our favorites …
Talk Derby to Me Invitations | Argyle Horse Racing Invitations
Place Your Bets Invitations | Derby Horse Racing Party invitation
Kentucky Derby Invitations | Horse & Jockey Invitations
Cute Little Jockey Invitation | Three Horses Racing – Neck and Neck to Finish
Kentucky Derby Hat Bridal Shower Invitation | Off and Running Invitation
Fun Invitation To Host a Kentucky Derby Party | Thoroughbred Race Horse Invitation
Kentucky Derby Decorations
We are so excited – Shindigz has just released new Kentucky Derby theme decorations
A Day at the Races – Spring Carnival DIY Party Printable
A Day at the Races Horse Racing Theme Party Paper Goods
148th Kentucky Derby Party Supplies coming soon! | Other sources >> Kentucky Derby Party Pack
Order these Kentucky Derby Icon Party Supplies directly from the Kentucky Derby Store
Loving these plastic plates and cups!
Horse Racing Party Day at the Races Plates and Napkins
148th Kentucky Derby Drinkware & Glassware coming soon! >> Kentucky Derby Glasses
A Day at the Races Theme Party Centerpieces
The Kentucky Derby has become synonymous with red roses. Each year a garland of 554 roses is presented to the winner! So think roses, roses, everywhere. Use different sizes on different tables.
Red Roses | 100 Premium Red Roses in a Vase – 100 Red Roses in a Vase | Ultimate Elegance Premium Long Stem Red Roses – Four Dozen Red Roses | Silk Rose Flowers w/Raindrops
We generally prefer red roses for this theme, but we must admit these elegant julep cups filled with assorted roses and flowers work well, also...
Consider DIY if you prefer to stick with a more classic derby look. Simply add red roses to these lovely julep cups.
Arthur Court Engravable Stainless Steel Mint Julep Cup | More Mint Julep Cups
The Preakness Stakes, on the other hand, is associated with Black Eyed Susans. Since Black Eyed Susans are not readily available, consider using simple yellow daisies as a nod to the real thing.
Barbie Kentucky Derby Doll | Trail of Painted Ponies Godspeed Figurine
A Day at the Races Theme Party Place Cards and Place Card Holders
Assign each table a jockey silk or hat and then write your guests’ names directly on the silk with a metallic pen. Both the coasters and the larger hats can work — it is a matter of preference. Out of the 3 options, we would probably go with the jockey hat coasters.
Derby Day Plastic Jockey Helmets Party Accessory | Jockey Helmet Cutouts
A Day at the Races Horse Racing Theme Party Favors
Any of the napkin rings or place cards can double as party favors but if if you wish to lavish even more gifts upon your guests, you can’t go wrong with either of these party favors. They will also add another dimension to your table setting. Order 1 party favor for each couple, 1 for each single.
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Balls | Horse Racing Coasters
A Day at the Races Theme Party Decorations
Festive Derby Bead Necklace with Jockey Caps | Brown Horse Balloon
Kentucky Derby Banner | 145th Kentucky Derby Flag
Horse Racing Home Accents
A Day at the Races Food & Drink Ideas
In the Kentucky Kitchen
There are a few born-and-bred-in-Kentucky dishes that you’ll see on every Derby party menu. The first is Henry Bain sauce. It was named after its inventor, who was the head waiter at Louisville’s Pendennis Club. Bain made the sauce in 1881 as an accompaniment to wild game, and it’s been a Louisville tradition ever since. A sweet, tangy, spicy concoction, this sauce is best served with beef tenderloin.
Another cornerstone of Louisville cuisine is the Hot Brown sandwich. Created by the chef of the Brown Hotel, this open-faced sandwich consists of two slices of toast topped with juicy roast turkey, tomato slices, crispy bacon and a blanket of Cheddar-Parmesan cheese sauce. The sandwich is then broiled until the cheese sauce turns golden brown.
From Louisville’s Benedict Hotel comes the Benedictine, a cucumber canapé spread.
Recipes >> Henry Bain Sauce | Easy Barbeque Beef Tenderloin Steak | Kentucky Hot Brown | Party Cucumber Sandwiches
Derby Desserts
Dessert on Derby day can only be one thing: a rich, dense chocolate-nut pie flavored with Kentucky bourbon. The original version of this pie is trademarked and fiercely protected by its inventors, but there are several unofficial versions of it: Run for the Roses Pie, Eighth Race Pie, Thoroughbred Pie and Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie.
Recipes >> Run For The Roses Pie III | Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie | Eighth Race Pie
Derby Drinks
There is only one proper drink to have at a Kentucky Derby party, and that’s a mint julep. A traditional mint julep is made with bourbon, muddled mint leaves and sugar, finely crushed ice and a generous sprig of mint for garnish. Almost every state in the South claims to have invented it. The time-honored way to serve a julep is in a frosty silver goblet, but you can use whatever festive cups you like. An extra-nice touch is to trim straws so they just slightly stick out of the cup. When guests sip from the short straws, their noses will be close to the refreshing mint garnish.
While it’s certainly not traditional, consider serving an alternate cocktail for the bourbon-averse: a tart, minty Mojito or a nonalcoholic Mint Tea Punch.
Recipes >> Mint Juleps | Alcohol-Free Mint Julep | Mojito | Minty Tea Punch | Mint Julep Cups
Loving these wines with horses in the name and on the labels! And best yet, if you live in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Chicago, Sacramento or Oakland, you might be able to get them delivered to your door in just 30 minutes! How cool is that. And if you live elsewhere, Saucey most likely can arrange for delivery right to your door. No need to drive around town looking for these wines which would be so great to serve at your derby party!
Candy, Cakes, and Cookies
Woodford Reserve Bourbon Balls | Horse Shoe Cake Pans | Horse Racing Cake Topper Figure
Handmade Fondant Kentucky Derby Toppers | Glitter Horse Cake Topper
Horse Racing Party Entertainment
Music and DVD
The First Saturday in May | My Old Kentucky Home (Pop)
The Sounds of Kentucky CD | The Race is On Kentucky Derby Music
Games
Update – look what we found! A beautifully crafted game you can play all year long!
Wooden Tabletop Horseracing Game
Plastic Horse and Jockey Figures (Assorted Colors)
The Racing Horse Game | Desktop Derby 6-Horse Racing Game
A Day at the Races Horse Racing Party Props
Party Clothing, Shoes, and Accessories
Hats
Nothing says you are spending a day at the races more than a hat — wear one!
DIY Derby Hat
Courtesy of Allrecipes Staff
The Derby hat is as longstanding and important a tradition as the Kentucky Derby itself. Almost everyone at the race or any Derby party will be wearing a spectacular hat, whether costly and custom-designed or made at home with a glue gun and imagination. Ask your Derby day guests to come wearing Derby hats, and offer prizes for the most ornate, the most stylish, the most creative and the most bizarre.
Or turn hat-decorating into a party activity: ask everyone to bring plain hats and a selection of ribbons, flowers, lace, tulle, feathers, plastic horse figurines, and any other hat decorations they can dream up. There is no such thing as too big, too bold, too elaborate or too outlandish. Provide glue guns, wire, tape, staplers and scissors, and let the fun begin!
Bright Butterfly Decorations | Pastel Butterfly Decorations | Jewels | Boas | Trigger-Fed Glue Gun | Glue Gun Glue Sticks | Joann
Kentucky Derby T-shirts & Suits
WOW! Look what was showing up all over #KentuckyDerby143. Loving it!
Horse Racing Books
The Kentucky Derby Museum Cookbook | Derby Entertaining
The Kentucky Derby: 101 Reasons to Love America’s Favorite Horse Race | History of Horse Racing
Heels down. Eyes Up. Ride the Corners.
