The first weekend in May means it is Kentucky Derby time, and that my friends means Kentucky Derby party ideas.
Horse racing enthusiasts, socialites and celebrities will flock to Churchill Downs this Saturday to view the Run for the Roses.
Known as the most exciting two minutes in sports, the Kentucky Derby as well as Churchill Downs is grand in history where tradition and excitement run first place.
For those of us not making the jaunt, an excellent opportunity to get down and get derby is just a jaunt to the dollar and hobby store away.
In other words, you can create your own Kentucky Derby extravaganza with a little imagination and one or more of these Kentucky Derby party ideas.
Begin with the basics- decorating ideas revolving around traditions, red roses, mint juleps and fascinating fashions.
Working with a theme makes coming up with ideas an easy exercise in Derby decorating.
Horse races are run on dirt courses and turf races.
Dirt is not something I recommend dressing out a lovely party food table in. I mean come on, who wants to decorate a party food table with dirt?
Anywho…
Emulate the look of a turf race with a faux grass table runner. Spanish and/or reindeer moss pairs well or as stand alone centerpiece additions.
Gallop on down to the local fabric store or shopping site of choice and pick up a yard or two of horse-racing-equestrian-jockey-rose themed fabric and proceed to create tablecloth, runner, and cocktail napkins keepers.
I can’t sew to save my life, but I am a whiz with a roll of hem tape. Mark your hemlines, heat up the iron, roll out the desired amount of tape, and voilà, table linen magic is made.
Sullivans Horse Vase 16″H Bronze
Red roses rule the Run for the Roses and make a strong show the next day as an introduction to Mother’s Day week.
See where this getting a lot of bang for your buck decorating logic is going?
Good things come in pairs and give good decor accent beauty past party day.
Centerpiece equation solved with one horse head sculpture/statue sitting in the middle of a red rose floral wreath is Kentucky Derby divine.
Several faux stems of roses will work to fill in bare areas.
Simply dismantle the centerpiece after your Derby party and use the wreath for your Mother’s Day brunch-lunch-dinner centerpiece.
Look at you, you decorating smarty designing and decorating a smashing Derby party.
Over on the Kentucky Derby website is this tutorial for making a DIY Garland of Roses Table Runner.
Horse Racing Roses Kentucky Derby Table Runner
Over on Amazon is this horse racing/Kentucky Derby themed table runner.
For extra Run for the Roses Derby flair, I clip several roses from my flower bed, clip the stems short, and float blooms in clear bowls.
Clip stems at an angle to promote optimum water absorption.
Warm water works best, and I drop a low dose aspirin into the water to prolong the life of the roses.
No real roses?
No real problem.
Better Homes & Gardens – Photography by Michael Partenio
Faux rose bouquets placed in inexpensive vases, champagne buckets, on trays, or in trophy cups works beautifully as well.
Gather stems together tight and wrap with decorative ribbon.
Incorporating the traditional aspects of horse racing into my Kentucky Derby party ideas such as riding boots, horseshoes, and a riding helmet or two is not as difficult as one would think.
Spring is a great time of the year in retail sales to locate a pair of riding boots on sale or clearance. Riding boots will work perfect in my Kentucky Derby party ideas scheme.
Saturday’s centerpiece will become fall’s fashion boots.
Now that’s getting your money’s worth.
Charlotte Moss – Photography by Brittany Ambridge
Several small arrangements of cut roses set on tabletops continues the Run for the Roses theme.
A combination arrangement of red and white roses perfectly fits in with the Run for the Roses motif.
HGTV
Party decorating goes with a clever DIY project, and my list of Kentucky Derby party ideas includes one that is relatively simple to execute.
Fully sanded-ready to paint wood cutouts painted in your choice of color(s) carry out the horse racing theme.
Growing Tree Gallery on Etsy
Scatter about tabletops, prop and position around serving trays, centerpiece embellishments, cake toppers, monogram with party attendees initials as take home favors- you get the idea.
Tastes and Traditions
Garden & Gun- Photography by Margaret Houston
Horse racing reigns supreme in Louisville, and the traditional beverage of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby is the Mint Julep.
Ingredients
½ oz. superfine sugar
1 oz. hot water
8 mint leaves, plus one mint sprig
2 oz. bourbon
Directions
Dissolve the sugar in the water in an old-fashioned glass or Mint Julep cup.
Add mint leaves and gently press with a spoon.
Add the bourbon of your choice, fill the glass with crushed ice, and stir.
Place mint sprig in the ice alongside a short straw, and serve.
Lavender-Lemonade Mint Julep
For 1 cocktail
Ingredients
2 ounces bourbon
1.5 ounces Lavender Simple Syrup (recipe follows)
1 ounce fresh lemon juice
Ice
Garnish: fresh lavender sprig, fresh mint sprig, lemon slice
Directions
In a glass, combine bourbon, Lavender Simple Syrup, and lemon juice. Add ice. Garnish with lavender, mint, and lemon, if desired.
Lavender Simple Syrup
Ingredients
1 cup water
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lavender buds
1 ounce fresh mint sprigs
Directions
In a small pot, combine 1 cup water and sugar, stirring to combine. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and add lavender and mint. Cool completely. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
Acopa Alchemy 16 oz. Stainless Steel Mint Julep Cup with Beaded Detailing
Mock Mint Julep (non-alcoholic julep)
Ingredients
2 cups cold water
2 cups granulated sugar
8 fresh mint sprigs (for syrup)
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
32 ounces Ginger Ale soda, chilled
8 cups crushed ice
8 fresh mint sprigs for garnish or more to desired taste
Directions
In a large saucepan, bring, water, sugar, lemon juice and mint leaves to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until sugar is completely dissolved.
Allow mixture to cool.
Strain cooled simple mint syrup and discard mint leaves.
Fill your mint julep cups with crushed ice, ½ cup Ginger Ale soda, and ½ cup mint syrup. Stir to incorporate flavors.
Garnish with fresh mint sprigs.
Makes 8 servings.
Vintage Jim Beam Kentucky Derby Decanter
Keep an eye out for vintage decanters and Derby glassware on resale sites and vintage shops.
The Novogratz Leather Ice Bucket with Lid
Derby Day Horse Racing Game
Here’s a fun serving idea for other beverages requiring ice cubes- rose petal and fresh mint ice cubes.
Gently remove rose petals and fresh mints leaves from stems and lightly wash to remove any debris.
Place rose petals into each water filled compartment.
Enhance the flavor of mint ice cubes by also adding a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice to the water.
Better yet, use sweet iced tea infused with fresh lemon juice instead of water.
Freeze and enjoy.
Pick up several nickel-plated serving trays from Dollar Tree in assorted shapes and sizes to use for servings mint juleps and appetizers.
Southern Living Roasted Brown-Butter Pecans
Pimento cheese is a Derby delicacy.
Adding a dash of Creole seasoning or Louisiana hot sauce along with a handful or two of chopped walnuts to store bought pimento cheese brings the c’est si bon to the party.
Derby Day at the Races Set of 4 Canape Plates
Faux Leather Decorative Charger
Spode Woodland Thoroughbred Horse Dinner Plate
Encore presentation worthy for sure, I feel confident in suggesting the use of vintage beauties such as this one for Kentucky Derby party pieces.
The Kentucky Hot Brown sandwich, a Kentucky original recipe created in 1926 at the Brown Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky, is a perfect Derby Day menu choice.
This recipe from SheKnows plates turkey, bacon, Parmesan cheese, tomatoes and a heavy-handed dollop of bechamel sauce together in all its delicious, rich and Kentucky tradition glory.
Click HERE for recipe.
Heather of Sprinkle Bakes recipe fame comes in first place in the winner’s circle with her recipe for Butter Pecan Praline Cake.
If baking does not fit into your party schedule or itinerary, consider picking up your favorite cake at a local or grocery store bakery and adding embellishments of choice.
Pecan Delight pie works, too.
Add riding helmets and equestrian accents to your treasure hunting list when shopping antiques and resale shops.
Vintage Velvet Horse Show Riding Cap Helmet
Perhaps a tip of the hat to a more formal affair prop.
Beige Merino Wool Throw
Kentucky Derby Party Ideas Checklist:
Scrapbook paper in 12×12 sheets found at craft stores make perfect Derby party placemats
Fresh or faux roses.
Rose Trim-Tulle
Mint julep cups – a Derby must.
Lovely!
Fresh mint clippings for mint juleps.
Simple and fragrant, float fresh mint sprigs in clear cut glass bowls slightly filled with warm water.
Dollar store trays with the look of silver and the ease of clean up deliver a big and beautiful return on your decorating investment.
Tractor Supply meets the Derby need with nickel plated horse bits to use as napkin rings and horseshoes in packs of 4.
Here’s to traditions and celebrating the Run for the Roses with win, place and show-stopping Kentucky Derby party ideas.
