April 10, 2014 Louisville, KY.   – Over 500 guests will attend the first ball of the Derby season – the 58th annual Fillies Derby Ball.  Set for Friday, April 11th in the Archibald Cochran Room of the Galt House Hotel, this ball is one of the Kentucky Derby Festival’s longest standing traditions and most elegant events.

The Fillies, Inc., a volunteer organization that works closely with the Kentucky Derby Festival, are hosts of this formal event, which is themed “A Black and White Affaire.” The Derby Festival Queen will be chosen by the traditional spin of the wheel, and the Royal Court established with the four remaining Princesses, two Handmaidens, two Pages to the Court and three newly knighted outstanding citizens of the community.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with cocktails, followed by dinner at 8:15. Programming and the Queen’s Coronation will begin at 7:45 p.m. Dinner music will be provided by Louisville’s own Robbie Bartlett.  For dancing, live musical entertainment will be provided by Burning Las Vegas. 2014 Fillies President Suzann Thompson will spin the wheel that will determine the 2014 Derby Festival Queen.

The selection of the Kentucky Derby Festival Royal Princesses is a self-nominating procedure. After submitting applications, the young women then go through a judging process before being chosen to serve as ambassadors to the community for the Festival. Along with the newly crowned Queen, the Court will attend nearly all events associated with the Kentucky Derby Festival and the Kentucky Derby itself.

The Fillies Derby Ball is the largest fundraiser for the Kentucky Derby Festival Foundation, KDF’s charitable arm. A portion of proceeds from the ball benefits the Foundation.

The Fillies, Inc. was established to help support the Kentucky Derby Festival. Their mission is to organize and produce the traditional Derby Ball, coordinate the “Princess Program,” and publish the Official Derby Festival Program. Membership is limited to 250 ladies of our community.

Contributing Sponsors:  Brown-Forman Corporation and Easy Rock 105.1