Kentucky Derby Milestone Birthday Party

Recently, I stumbled upon clever text for a Kentucky Derby milestone birthday party.  With a little more research, I assembled a few ideas to bring this celebration to life; see my event design with lots of links below.  

These plans may be modified for any milestone birthday, man or woman, or remove 'birthday' from the equation and you have a fun Kentucky Derby (or closer to home, Virginia Gold Cup) gathering.  So, let the races begin ...

INVITATION

Jane’s out of the gates and into her 30’s!

We cordially request the pleasure of your company for the

30th Birthday of Jane and the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby

Saturday, the first of May, two thousand and ten at four o’clock in the afternoon

She’s leaving her 20’s behind and rounding the corner to her 30’s

Let’s send her down the stretch in Derby fashion for her photo finish!

DRESS ATTIRE

The Kentucky Derby is both dressy and casual but for women, it's all about the hat!  The bigger the better!  Color, shape, and embellishments make each hat a standout.  Visit these hat shoppes for inspiration - Maggie Mae Designs (I think the official hat sponsor of the Kentucky Derby) or Hat-a-tude, recently recommended on Facebook by my friend Carolyn!

DECOR
You don't have to be on Millionaire's Row to celebrate like one!

Create a festive atmosphere with a few special touches:

China, silver and crystal

Crisp table linens (select a spring color or complementary 'silk' color)

Equestrian home decor

Roses - lots of them!

FOOD and DRINKS

Burgoo, Hot Brown Sandwiches, Benedictine Spread, Cheesy Grits, Pecan Pie, Bourbon Balls and of course, Mint Julips, are the official fare of the Kentucky Derby.

Recipes are available at KentuckyDerby.com and KentuckyDerby.info

ENTERTAINMENT

A Large TV with ample seating (and room to jump and down) is a must,
as are Racing Forms and a Betting Board.

For guidance on how to set up in-home betting, click here
For derby trivia and handicapping advice, click here

Photo credits: invite, pecan pies and mint julip from http://www.kentuckyderby.com/; hat from http://www.maggiemaedesigns.com/; race, horse sniffing flowers and Members Hills gathering from http://www.vagoldcup.com/.