How to Host a Kid Friendly Derby Party

When we host Derby parties in our home we love to invite everyone in the family! If you’d like to host a kid-friendly Derby party, I’m sharing all of my best Derby Party ideas with you today! Living in Louisville, Kentucky one thing is for sure, you celebrate the Kentucky Derby every year like it’s a national holiday 🙂

Even though I didn’t grow up here, I feel like I’ve embraced Kentucky as my home and find myself every year looking forward to the Derby and all of the great festivities leading up to it. It’s the most wonderful time of the year… at least here in Louisville.

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Each year we celebrate, sometimes we have people over, sometimes we go places. Last year I found out that 2 of our dear friends who moved away would be in Louisville on Derby Day, and I knew it meant we were having a Derby Party.

Family Friendly Derby Party Ideas

Our Derby parties are pretty informal. Usually just good food and good friends and lots of time to chat and let the children run around wild. Sometimes I imagine my house smiling when it is full of friends.. (even though I know homes can’t smile). Luckily a friend of mine was taking photos last year (as I always forget when people are over), and I “borrowed” them from her blog 🙂

Here are a few photos from our Derby Party- like I said, super informal, along with some Kentucky Derby ideas I’ve shared before on this blog.

(Sparkly Lucky T-Shirt Tutorial)

Derby Part Food

For a knock off recipe for the Derby pie check out Traci’s Blog
Since we’re all teetotalers – no bourbon in our mint juleps, here’s our “kid-friendly” julep recipe.
Hot Brown bites made with this recipe, but with plain toast
Derby Pie-inspired cupcakes! You can thank my 16 yr old daughter for this delicious idea!

Derby Party Games

paper on table cloth and kid holding paper and a bag

To make it fair (especially when dealing with lots of little kids), draw names for horses. Then pass out prize bags to the victors! Put each horse’s name running in the race in a bowl and have each party attendee pick the name out of the bowl.