You’ll be off to the races with these beautiful Kentucky Derby party ideas! There’s everything from horse games to rose treats and more. The only thing missing is which horse you should pick in this year’s race! You’ll have to figure that one out on your own.
My mom is a huge horse person. She grew up with horses, had horses while I was growing up, and has horses at their property now with her own arena and everything.
Plus, her job for the past twenty years has been in the therapeutic riding community.
So you’d think I would know something about horses. Unfortunately, that’s just my mom – not me.
But that doesn’t mean I can’t host a mean Kentucky Derby party! And I’ve put together a huge collection of items that you can use to host your own Kentucky Derby party whether you’re going all out with derby hats and roses or just want to have some friends over for some good food and watching the races!
Let’s get to it – the race will be here before you know it!
Kentucky Derby Appetizer Ideas
Just like with any other party, the best way to enjoy horse racing is with a plate full of yummy food.
In this section, you will find a variety of appetizers that are both delicious and elegant enough to be served at an event that requires a top hat.
Don’t worry, I made sure that they are all easy to make and won’t take you twelve hours to assemble, so you can spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the race.
Caprese Salad Skewers
These simple four-ingredient caprese salad skewers combine tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, basil, and balsamic in a deliciously fresh appetizer for an outdoor party. These make the perfect snack to enjoy while party guests watch the big race.
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Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Dates
Bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with cheese and pecans make the perfect appetizer for a Kentucky Derby celebration. This sweet and savory appetizer is guaranteed to be a crowd pleaser.
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Crockpot Grape Jelly Meatballs
These crock pot grape jelly meatballs are a delicious appetizer that takes very little work! Frozen meatballs combined with grape jelly, chili sauce, and a few other ingredients make these an appetizer that’ll disappear fast!
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Cinnamon Sugar Nuts
Skip the popcorn and instead enjoy these delicious candied nuts. They are easy to make in large batches and taste great. Plus, it’s a fun take on serving traditional derby pecans!
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Pimento Cheese
This classic southern cheese works great on a charcuterie board or served on top of crackers. This is an easy recipe that allows you to make your own or you can find it at your local store.
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Deviled Eggs
This classic appetizer can be made for more than just Easter and the Kentucky Derby is the perfect opportunity to make them again. Trade out your go-to appetizers for this easy-deviled eggs recipe that goes along with the elevated theme.
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Pea Pasta Salad
This year’s official Kentucky Derby menu features a refreshing pea pasta salad. Lucky for you with this recipe, you don’t have to be at Churchill Downs to enjoy it. Instead, you can recreate the famous menu right at home. Don’t like peas? Try this creamy pesto pasta instead.
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Shrimp And Avocado Appetizer
Every year the infamous menu features some sort of shrimp dish or appetizer. Instead of grabbing a tray of shrimp cocktails, impress your guests with this delicious shrimp and avocado appetizer.
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Ham And Pear Crostini
This appetizer is proof that you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen to put out tasty and elegant food. These crostinis are an elevated version of toast topped with delicious ham and fresh pears.
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Horseshoe Tea Sandwiches
These adorable horseshoe-shaped sandwiches make for an easy finger food that will leave an impression. Enjoy a classic benedictine sandwich with a fun horse twist that is both tasty and elegant.
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Kentucky Derby Dip Board
This is a unique way to serve a variety of dips and dippers that fit perfectly into the Derby theme. It’s also a great way to include healthy options in your menu.
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Southern Chicken Salad
This traditional southern recipe is light and refreshing with just the right amount of comfort. Add it to a croissant or your favorite bread and you’ve got the perfect sandwich that can easily serve a crowd.
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Watermelon Feta Bites
Enjoy the beginning of the watermelon season with these tasty bites. With just a little more effort you can enjoy this refreshing appetizer that perfectly blends textures and flavors.
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Kentucky Derby Drink Ideas
Even if you know nothing about the Kentucky Derby you’ve heard of their delicious mint julep and other specialty drinks. As always, I want my party ideas to be family-friendly so I’ve collected some of the best family-friendly drink recipes out there. These delicious drinks are perfect for anyone to enjoy during the race.
Mint Lemonade
If you don’t want to go all out with a mint julep, try this sparkling mint lemonade instead. It’s a little simpler but still just as delicious as the classic Kentucky Derby drink!
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Blueberry Lemonade
The combination of blueberries, lemons, and simple syrup makes this blueberry lemonade the perfect drink for the entire family to enjoy while you cheer on the winning horse.
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Strawberry Mojito Mocktail
This strawberry mojito mocktail has the perfect combination of sweet strawberry flavor combined with tart citrus and a hint of mint. It’s a great summer time drink that is both refreshing and delicious.
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Raspberry Punch
This raspberry lime summer punch recipe is slightly tart, slightly sweet, and all delicious. It only takes seconds to make and is great for the whole family to enjoy together. This is a great option for anyone wanting something to go into a punch bowl
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Mint Julep Mocktail
The mint julep is well known for being the official drink of the derby, making it a must-have at any Derby-themed party. Serve this family-friendly version on a drink cart where people can make their own or have a delicious mint julep ready for them to enjoy.
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Sweet Sunrise Mocktail
Orange juice, grenadine, and Sprite blend together to make this visually stunning and addicting mocktail. This tasty mocktail is a great way to replicate the famous drinks of historic Churchill Down track that everyone can enjoy together.
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Grapefruit Thyme Mocktail
Almost every year at the Kentucky Derby you will find some thyme-based drink. This delicious mocktail is tangy with just the right making it an obvious choice for your party.
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Strawberry Mint Julep Mocktail
Mix up a classic with a hint of strawberry for the perfect drink that is both fruity and tart. This flavored mint julep can be served alongside other drinks or as a new version of the classic mint julep. The combination of fresh mint and strawberries brings this drink to the next level.
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Kentucky derby Party Desserts
You can’t have party food without something sweet. This section is full of the best Kentucky Derby-inspired desserts and bite-sized treats. You’ll find the classics like Kentucky Derby pie along with fun strawberry roses, cute hat cookies, and so much more.
Kentucky Butter Cookies
While not technically a derby dessert, these delicious cookies are inspired by ones that hail from Kentucky and are the perfect Kentucky Derby treat!
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Kentucky Butter Cake
Another fun take on Kentucky butter desserts, this butter poke cake combines a butter cake with a creamy topping and lots of pecans – perfect for your Kentucky Derby party!
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Mini Kentucky Derby Pies
Treat your sweet tooth to just the right amount of deliciousness with these mini pies. Pecans and chocolate chips combine with a rich base to make these simple bite-sized treats. Don’t love derby pie? Try something like these pecan pie bars instead that have a similar flavor profile!
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Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
If you have never tasted the southern perfection that is ooey gooey butter cake, you need to make this. It tastes just like it sounds, ooey gooey sweetness is every bite.
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Strawberry Roses
These fresh strawberries get reimagined into the official flower of the Kentucky Derby with some simple cuts. It only gets better as they are planted into a bed of sugar cookie goodness.
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Hat Cookies
Everyone has heard about the amazing hats wore on race day. Not a hat person, don’t worry we’ve got an edible option for you. Skip the head wear and make these delicious cookies instead.
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Derby Pie Truffles
These delicious truffles have all the flavors of Derby pie packed into a bite sized treat. These are great for feeding a large crowd or wanting a quicker option than pie.
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Horse Cupcakes
This may not be the most elegant-looking dessert you can make, but it sure is tasty. It’s also a great option for a party that has kids coming, they will love the silly horses on each of the cupcakes.
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Rose Meringue
These rose-piped meringues are a crisp and light dessert that ties in perfectly with the theme. These are a bit technical to make, this post does a great job breaking it down so almost anyone can do it.
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Derby Cupcakes
One final Derby pie-inspired recipe that can’t be overlooked is these delicious cupcakes. These simple cupcakes are rich in flavor and topped with a silky smooth frosting.
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Kentucky Derby Party Games and Activities
There can be so much more to a Kentucky Derby party than simply watching the race. With this collection of fun games and activities for all ages, everyone is guaranteed to have a great time.
You’ll find great ideas that center around race day and are more unique than simply playing a game of horseshoes.
Ponies
This is a personal favorite of mine. This simple dice game will have everyone cheering or sweating with each roll as they hope for their pony to cross the finish line first. And you don’t have to just break it out for the derby, this one comes out at our house almost every time my extended family gets together!
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Choose Your Horse
Get people excited about the race as they pick their favorite horse and cheer them on. Simply print out each horse’s information and let people choose who they want to win.
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DIY Horse Race Game
This homemade horse race is fast-paced and fun. Simply assign each person a horse and watch them run as you roll the dice to get them across the finish line.
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Kentucky Derby Fact or Fiction
This post has a variety of different printables you can download and play. There are trivia questions, word scrambles, scattergories, and more. They are easy to play, require little setup, and are enjoyable for all ages.
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Pin The Tail On The Horse
This is a simple DIY version of the classic pint he tail on the donkey game, except with a horse of course. It’s a great option for anyone looking to celebrate the race day with kids.
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Floor Horse Race
This floor horse race is a great way to get the whole family involved in the Derby party. Simply create a game board on your floor and have players race to the finish by rolling dice.
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Pool Noodle Horse
Create a race horse out of pool noodles for an easy and budget-friendly activity. This is a great activity for kids at the start of the party then they can spend the rest of the party having their own horse races.
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Tissue Paper Roses
Make your own rose bouquet out of tissue paper with this easy tutorial. It’s a great activity to have on hand for kids to do while the parents socialize. It can also double as easy decor.
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Egg Jockeys
Reuse those Easter eggs and turn them into jockeys. This simple craft works for almost any age and is a great way to talk about the riders not just the horses.
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DIY Derby Hat
Of course, you can’t forget about the hats. This post has a ton of great ideas for making your own Kentucky Derby hats. It’s a great activity for kids and adults alike. You can even turn it into a contest and see whose hat is voted the best at the end.
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Kentucky Derby Decoration Ideas
In this final section, you will find simple Kentucky Derby decorations that anyone can do. These range from things like table settings to photo booths to drink stirrers. These are fun ideas that you can recreate for your own party or use as inspiration.
Rose Table Setting
You can’t go wrong with roses, especially not when decorating the table with them. This is a really simple idea of one tablescape you can do with some fresh rose petals and a silver vase.
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DIY Hat Drink Stirrers
With hats being such an important part of the Derby dress code, these silly drink stirrers are a must. Make them ahead of time or have people make their own. An easy and fun way to keep track of your drink.
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Horse Head Centerpiece
Make your own horse head centerpiece with this easy tutorial. Great way to incorporate some green into the color scheme as well. This works great for a dinner table or as decoration on a food table.
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Roses Garland
Just like the winning horse, you can drape your table or banister in a banner of roses. This is a great post that teaches you how to put it together and gives a few ideas of how to use it to decorate.
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Ribbon Garland
Despite the winner of this race being covered in ribbons, horse events often end in paper prize ribbons. This DIY ribbon garland is a great way to decorate that is budget-friendly and works with the theme.
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Bow Tie Napkins
This is a great option for anyway serving dinner. These bow tie napkins can be done in a matter of minutes but make a big impact on the decor. It’s a fun way to dress up the table settings.
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Run For The Roses Banner
This simple printable banner is a great addition to any party. It is easy to put together and brings to life the Derby mantra in an elegant way.
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Race Horse Mason Jars
Turn those mason jars you have lying around into the perfect party decoration with this idea. These fun numbered horses can be filled and given out as prizes or used to simply decorate around your party.
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Race Horse Tablescape
This table setting skips the red roses and instead focuses on the garden party vibe that is often associated with the Kentucky Derby. While this is a great example of a table setting, it can easily translate into a dessert or appetizer table decoration with just a few modifications.
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Horse Balloon Arch
A balloon arch is an easy way to make a statement on a budget and using minimal party supplies. It’s great as a photo drop, table decor, or general decoration around the party space.
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Throwing a Kentucky Derby party doesn’t have to be stressful, especially when you have so many great ideas to pick and choose from. I would love to hear about how your party went and if you used any of the ideas above. Let me know in the comments below.
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