TICKETS ON SALE FOR THE FILLIES DERBY BALL
March 11, 2026. Louisville, KY. – Masks, mystery and royal tradition will take center stage March 28 when the Fillies Derby Ball® Presented by Courtesy Cadillac returns to the Omni Louisville Hotel. The black-tie event, themed “A Royal Masquerade,” will bring the elegance of Venice, Italy, to life as guests gather for an evening of celebration and the crowning of the 2026 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen. Tickets are available at KDF.org for the 2026 event.
“The Fillies Derby Ball is more than a long-standing tradition, it’s a way to support the work of the Derby Festival Foundation,” said Dodie Howlett, Executive Director of the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation. “When guests join us for the ‘Ball that starts it all,’ they’re also helping us continue programs that make a positive impact in our community.”
Highlights of the Ball include:
- Gondola Singer
- Cocktail reception where guests can step into the charm of a Venetian marketplace featuring a candy cart, flower shop, premium cigars, specialty cocktails, entertainers, and more.
- Elegant dinner and dessert
- The crowning of the 2026 Kentucky Derby Festival Queen
- Live and silent auctions
- Dancing and live entertainment by The Juice Box Heroes
The Ball starts with cocktails at 6 p.m.; doors opening at 6:45 p.m.; the Queen’s Coronation at 7:15 p.m.; dinner at 8 p.m.; followed by dancing from 9 p.m. to midnight. Ball tickets are $350 each or a VIP table of 10 for $5,000. Tickets available at KDF.org, or call (502) 584-FEST.
The Fillies, Inc., a volunteer organization that works closely with the Kentucky Derby Festival, are hosts of this formal event. The Fillies Derby Ball directly benefits the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, which contributes nearly $250,000 annually to educational programming, scholarships, charitable giving and preservation of the Festival’s history.
Courtesy Cadillac is the Presenting Sponsor of the Fillies Derby Ball. Official Sponsor: Total Wine & More. Contributing Sponsors: Capital Access Corporation – Kentucky, Hectare’s, and Park DuValle Community Health Centers. Official Bourbon: Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. Official Vodka: Tito’s Handmade Vodka. Supporting Sponsors: Black Stallion Estate Winery, Class Act Federal Credit Union and Francis Coppola Prosecco. Media Sponsor: Media Pros.
