Set up a Derby dress code
The Kentucky Derby might be a sporting event, but it's really just an excuse to go all out on southern fashion. Roses, mint green and pastels are the colors to focus on. For clothing, flowy dresses, big hats and linen blazers are the way to go. If you want to make your party more exciting, throw in a little hat contest to get in the spirit.
Plan on making plenty of mint juleps
The mint julep is the official drink of the Kentucky Derby, and it's simpler to make than it sounds. Bourbon, fresh mint, simple syrup and crushed ice — that's it. If you don’t feel like being a bartender all day, set up a DIY station where guests can help themselves.
Keep to finger food and southern-inspired bites
The best part of the Derby party (aside from the fashion) is the food. Go for easy, shareable finger foods like what you’d serve at a Super Bowl party, only slightly more elevated. Pimento cheese on crackers, deviled eggs and tea sandwiches are safe crowd-pleasing classics and easy to prep in advance. Feeling a little extra? Throw a Derby Pie on the dessert table.
Get people in on a betting pool
Here's the secret to making a two-minute race feel like a two-hour event: a betting pool. Print out the list of horses running that day, have each guest pick their favorite based on name alone, settle on a cash amount to throw in the pot and suddenly, horse-racing is something everyone will be invested in.
Set up for a party, not just the race
The Kentucky Derby race itself is famously short — roughly two minutes from start to finish — but the party is what makes it exciting. Tune in a little early for the parade, the singing of "My Old Kentucky Home" and the pre-race pageantry. Make sure your TV is set up with the volume up, and that every guest has a drink in hand before the horses approach the starting gate.
