Mage captures the 149th running of the Kentucky Derby (Daniella Ricci/Past The Wire)
Churchill Downs Press Release
LOUISVILLE, Ky.— Tickets for Kentucky Derby Week and the entire 43-day Spring Meet at Churchill Downs go on sale Thursday at noon. The 150th Spring Meet at the historic Louisville racetrack spans nine weeks from April 27-June 30.
Kentucky Derby Week special events go on sale at https://www.kentuckyderby.com/derbyweek and they include:
- Opening Night: Derby Through the Decades (Saturday, April 27) – Opening Night is the perfect chance to join in the spectacle that is Kentucky Derby Week, and it just got bigger. The post position draws for the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks have been moved to this date and they’ll be staged between races while open to the public.
- Dawn at the Downs Dining (Sunday, April 28 and Monday, April 29) – A favorite for decades, guests can watch the Thoroughbreds train while enjoying a delicious buffet breakfast in the Stakes Room or Millionaires Row. Gates open at 7 a.m. and there is an exclusive training window only for Derby (yellow saddle towels) and Oaks (pink saddle towels) participants from 7:30-7:45 a.m. Training continues for all other horses until 10 a.m., notwithstanding renovation breaks from 7-7:30 a.m. and 8:30-9 a.m.
- 502’sDay Celebrating 150 Years of Louisville Businesses (Tuesday, April 30) – 502’sDay – a nod to Louisville’s area code and Tuesday of Derby Week – returns for its second year and will keep the spotlight on what makes Kentucky Derby Week special: the local community. As Churchill Downs commemorates its 150th Kentucky Derby, 502’sDay will recognize the enduring contributions of Louisville businesses that have been at the heart of the city for more than a century and a half. General admission will be just $5 and the day is dedicated to the 502 with the best of Louisville on full display.
- Champions Day: Celebrating Kentucky’s Champions (Wednesday, May 1) – This year’s Champions Day will not only shine the spotlight on the rich history of the Kentucky Derby and Thoroughbred racing but will expand to pay tribute to the extraordinary Kentucky champions who have excelled across a diverse spectrum of sports. Select premium dining tickets on Champions Day are all-inclusive of food and drinks.
- Thurby presented by Old Forester (Thursday, May 2) – Featuring Bluegrass music in the Paddock Plaza, the finest bourbon and top-level horse racing, the 11th edition of Thurby will again celebrate Kentucky’s best. Select premium dining tickets on Thurby are all-inclusive of food and drinks.
- Taste of Derby (Thursday, May 2) – The annual Taste of Derby culinary experience is an evening of exquisite cuisine and exceptional Jackson Family wines paired and created by nationally-renowned chefs from 7-10 p.m.
Derby Week general admission tickets are $24 on Opening Night and Champions Day; $39 on Thurby; and a special $5 offering for 502’sDay. Reserved box seats range from $26-$39 for Derby Week and $49-$69 for Thurby depending on the location.
Guests attending Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby Week will see the debut of the transformative $200 million Paddock redevelopment project that will enhance the experience for nearly every guest who enters the gates of the historic racetrack.
The two-year redesign will enhance visibility of the iconic Twin Spires, streamline guest circulation paths, update the audio-visual experience and create additional value for guests by updating existing ticket products and amenities. More than 3,600 permanent all-inclusive seats and an additional 7,000 sq. ft. of guest space will be introduced, including two premium clubs, premium reserved dining and rail boxes, along with more than 3,200 standing room only tickets. The project will also update select existing ticket inventory and improve Paddock views for front-side guests with the addition of elevated viewing platforms.
Tickets in the new Paddock spaces have been tailored to a variety of price points on Kentucky Derby Week to accommodate all different budgets. Many premium dining spaces offer an all-inclusive experience which includes your food and both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages from gates opening to last call. For more information, visit: https://www.kentuckyderby.com/visit/derby-week-events/.
Tickets for the 150th Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby on May 3-4 have seen unprecedented demand with limited premium and luxury experiences still available. Fans are encouraged to secure tickets by visiting www.KentuckyDerby.com, www.Derby150.com and www.DerbyExperiences.com or by calling (502) 636-4447 to be a part of the most extraordinary Kentucky Derby yet.
Churchill Downs also provides a secure, official resale marketplace to purchase Derby and Oaks tickets via the Churchill Downs Ticketmaster Ticket Exchange on www.KentuckyDerby.com.
In addition to Kentucky Derby Week events, tickets for all other Spring Meet racing days will go on sale at https://www.churchilldowns.com/day-at-the-races/. Other key Spring Meet dates of note include:
- Twilight Thursdays featuring $2 select domestic beer, live music and food trucks (every Thursday, May 9-June 27)
- Mother’s Day (Sunday, May 12)
- Preakness Stakes Simulcast and Downs After Dark (Saturday, May 18)
- Stephen Foster Preview Day (Saturday, June 1)
- Belmont Stakes Simulcast (Saturday, June 8)
- Downs After Dark (Saturday, June 15)
- Father’s Day (Sunday, June 16)
- Stephen Foster Day (Saturday, June 29)
