Family-Friendly Kentucky Derby Party
The other day, I had a FaceTime call with my 6 year-old niece. “Saturday is May 1st,” she said, “that means it’s also Derby Day!” She then invited me to her Kentucky Derby party, which she’s holding with her sister and my parents. I’m still strongly considering her invitation, even if it is three hours away.
This isn’t a Derby when I’m up for going to the track. I’m so glad the race is on for people who want to attend, but my Covid experience has left me both still wary of crowds and not fully able to wear a mask for long periods of time. I’m skipping the track this year, but a fun, family-friendly Kentucky Derby party sounds fabulous. I’ve put together some ideas for a fun outdoorsy party — I love that there’s nothing fancy or overwhelming about it, it’s full of Kentucky traditions, and it’s as much fun for a 6 year-old as it is for the rest of us!
I kept the decorations simple, using things that could withstand a spill or a drop. I love this inexpensive pin display banner for the bourbon/mint julep and Derby Festival pins I’ve acquired over the years. It tells a fun story of past events we’ve loved and adds a cute little vintage touch to a tree!
I used an old quilt as a tablecloth and grabbed a few kids’ jockey hats in the Derby Party section at Kroger to use as party favors. I also found a vintage Louisville Stoneware Derby-themed flower pot that was perfect for the occasion!
I kept the menu simple as well — mini Derby Pies from Kern’s Kitchen, pimiento cheese and Benedictine sandwiches, crudités with Hall’s Beer Cheese, and Woodford Reserve Bourbon Balls. All of these dishes are traditional Kentucky favorites, and all I had to do was assemble the sandwiches and cut up the vegetables. I used my Stoneware & Co Bachelor Button dishes to continue the theme of a traditional Kentucky event!
Of course, I had to have mint julep ingredients on hand — including bottles of Woodford Reserve and Old Forester for those who choose to imbibe and Ale-8-one for those who don’t. I love freezing some Ale-8 until it’s a slushy consistency then serving over crushed ice with a mint sprig for a julep mocktail that everyone can enjoy!
If you’re looking for recipes, or if you want to take a sure-to-be-appreciated hostess gift, Chef Ouita Michel’s new cookbook, Just a Few Miles South, is the absolute best! Ouita is one of my very favorite people, and her first-ever cookbook is filled with the Kentucky Comfort Food we all love at her restaurants! It would also be a great prize if your party does a Derby Horse Pool or other games!
Cheers to Derby, however you choose to celebrate this year!
