THE FESTIVAL HEADS TO THE TRACK FOR THURSDAY’S ‘DAY AT THE DOWNS’
April 29, 2026. LOUISVILLE, KY – The Kentucky Derby Festival is taking the party trackside to the iconic Twin Spires. Join the celebration on Thursday, April 30, for the Kentuckiana Honda Dealers Festival Day at the Downs, hosted in the exclusive 4th floor Skye Terrace. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. and the post-time for the first race is 12:40 p.m.
Guests can enjoy a premier view of the races with this all-inclusive ticket that features a sophisticated afternoon at the historic racetrack. The day’s third race is named for the Kentucky Derby Festival. 2026 KDF Chair Louis Waterman, along with the Derby Festival Queen and Royal Court, will present a 14-inch engraved silver tray to the winning jockey, trainer and owner.
Kentuckiana Honda Dealers Festival Day at the Downs also features reserved seating, a tiered, covered balcony to view the races, an open bar, chef’s table buffet and an Official Race Day Program. This year’s event is sold out. Visit KDF.org for more info.
Sponsor: Kentuckiana Honda Dealers. Contributing Sponsors: Kentucky Proud, PC3 and Waystar. Media Sponsors: MIX 106.9 and The Voice-Tribune.
About Kentucky Derby Festival
2026 marks the 71st year for the Kentucky Derby Festival, a month-long celebration packed with 70+ events leading up to the first Saturday in May. As an independent community organization, it’s supported by 4,000 volunteers, more than 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. It entertains more than 1.5 million people every spring and has a local economic impact of more than $200 million. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single-attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
