The Kentucky Derby is a bucket list event for many people, including the rich and famous. Each year, celebrities flock to historic Churchill Downs to watch the Run for the Roses, and this year is no different.
Kentucky Derby Weekend in Louisville has welcomed celebrities that run the gamut, from the late Queen Elizabeth II and former President Richard Nixon to Olympians including Bode Miller, Tara Lipinski and Michael Phelps. Super Bowl Champions have also made an appearance, including Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Peyton Manning, along with numerous other famous faces from movies, sports, television and music.
But before those celebrities step through the gates of Churchill Downs on the first Saturday in May, many plan to attend one of the city’s illustrious Derby Eve galas and walk the red carpet at events including the Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala and Unbridled Eve Derby Gala, both of which are hosted by Louisville families and raise money for a variety of charities.
Celebrities who plan to attend the Barnstable Brown Gala, which is in its 36th year, include Simone Biles, who has the honor of saying “Riders Up” ahead of the 2025 Kentucky Derby, MGK (formerly known as Machine Gun Kelly), Dierks Bentley, the aforementioned Rodgers, Tracy Morgan, Selma Blair, Wilmer Valderrama, Joey Fatone and many more. Across town, the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala plans to welcome Richie Sambora, Yung Gravy, Gary Clark, Jr., Mike Mills, Nora Roberts and more.
In its second year, the Revel at the Races party hosted by Sports Illustrated plans to welcome gymnast Livvy Dunne and former MLB star and Derby horse Flying Mohawk partial owner Jayson Werth, who will both host events at Churchill Downs‘ exclusive Club SI during the 2025 Kentucky Derby weekend.
Don’t have a ticket to one of the fancy soirees? Don’t worry! Reporters Kirby Adams, Keely Doll, Matthew Glowicki and Kathryn Gregory will cover all the glamorous red carpet appearances. Follow along for live feeds from the Kentucky Derby Eve celebrity galas in Louisville.
Happy Derby!
Just before 1 a.m., attendees young and old crowded the dance floor at the Revel at the Races party as Diplo blasted Doecheii’s recent single “Anxiety over the speakers.
Some outfits suggested partygoers came straight from the Churchill Downs track, while others were dressed to dance. Guests filtered in and out with Tito’s cups and cans of Celsius, moving between the outdoor bar and dance floor.
Content creator Allison Kucharczyk and former NFL defensive end Isaac Rochell said they loved the culture and atmosphere in Louisville around Derby. Allison said she bought her hat locally and is excited for her Derby outfit, while husband Isaac said he still has no idea what he’s wearing for tomorrow’s race.
“I went with comfortability, color and then I was like ‘I have to find a good hat for it,'” Kucharczyk said of choosing her Derby Day outfit on the Revel at the Races red carpet, adding when it came to her hat, “I came unprepared. Yeah. I was unprepared. But I was like, let’s stimulate the local economy. So I bought it here.”
TikTok star Alix Earle said she’s also excited to break out her hat for tomorrow’s race and feels more confident about placing a bet on her return trip to the Derby.
“I feel like last year was listening to like what everyone else was saying, so just like sticking to my gut for now,” she said.
When asked who she plans to pick, Earle said, “I don’t know yet. I’m going to see how I feel in the moment.”
— Keely Doll
Heidi Montag said she’s relying on Amazon this year for her Derby and Oaks outfits. “The Hills” star was in head-to-toe items from the online retailer for Sports Illustrated’s Revel at the Races party.
Tennessee Titans quarterback Will Levis and Wan’Dale Robinson, wide receiver for the NY Giants, walked the party’s carpet together. Both said they haven’t finalized their Derby picks yet and will rely on friends and “vibes” to make their decisions tomorrow.
A short time later, Guy Fieri arrived with his son, Hunter, who’s attending his first Derby this year. Fieri’s pick for a racehorse name? Flavortown.
— Keely Doll
Sports Illustrated’s Revel at the Races party began welcoming guests ahead of 11 p.m., including former LSU gymnast Livvy Dunne.
Elsewhere, red carpets at the Barnstable Brown and Unbridled galas were winding down, but the parties carried on.
Among the festivities, Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men fame took the stage at the Barnstable gala to sing “Come Together” by the Beatles, and Joey Fatone sang the Green Day hit “Basket Case.”
— Kathryn Gregory, Keely Doll
Gymnast and Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles arrived at the Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala alongside her husband, Chicago Bears safety Jonathan Owens. Biles will call “Riders up” at the Kentucky Derby.
Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb, Davante Adams, Jimmy Graham, AJ Hawk, Corey Linsley, David Bakhtiari and others also attended the gala. The NFL players brought a package of Oscar Meyer bologna to the red carpet, saying they may need a snack and some protein later.
Also appearing at the party were country stars Travis Tritt and Brantley Gilbert, in addition to actress Selma Blair. Gilbert said he’s never attended before but is excited to be in Kentucky for the party and to support the cause.
Singer Shawn Stockman of Boyz II Men said “it’s been a minute since I’ve been here. But I’m glad to be back here. It’s like a homecoming.”
— Kathryn Gregory, Connor Giffin
The McFarland family, Louisville TikTok stars, are a house divided over their Derby picks but said they were happy to be back at the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala, where they always meet new people.
“It’s Derby Eve,” Colin McFarland said. “Where else would you want to be?”
Meanwhile, stars continued to parade the red carpet at the Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala, including Larry and Dannielynn Birkhead, also Louisville locals.
Dannielynn said wearing her mom’s dress to the Barnstable party is the “closest she can get to a hug” from her mom. Larry met her mother, Anna Nicole Smith, at a previous Barnstable party.
Patricia Barnstable-Brown appeared with her two granddaughters, Caroline and Catherine, while actors Tracy Morgan and Wilmer Valderrama were also spotted at the Barnstable event.
“I have diabetes, so I am for the cause,” Morgan said. “I know what it feels like to have a high, have a low, so it’s a good cause.”
Following Morgan on the red carpet was country music star Dierks Bentley.
He was in town a few months ago to do a signing for his whiskey and said he loved being here and meeting his fans.
“It’s really fun. It’s a great bourbon, and it’s from the Green River and it’s good stuff,” he said, adding it’s cool to have his bourbon featured at the Barnstable party. “It should be fun.”
— Matthew Glowicki, Kathryn Gregory
Country music star Mickey Guyton appeared on the red carpet at the Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala just before 9 p.m. Friday.
“I love the horse racing,” she said. “I get really emotional seeing how happy they are” on the track.
Actor Blair Underwood also made an appearance. He brought his sister and his wife Josie and said he loves coming back to Kentucky for the Derby.
“This party is laid back and easy and fun and … it raises money for a good cause,” Underwood said, “and is full of southern charm.”
RaeLynn, a former contestant of The Voice and a country music artist, meanwhile, is making her first appearance at the Barnstable party and the Derby. The singer said she has type 1 diabetes, so she was honored to be at a party that benefits such a good cause.
Fellow Voice alum Billy Gilman walked the red carpet with his partner, saying his green jacket and his partner’s jacket were channeling the musical “Wicked.”
“A little Glinda, a little Elphaba,” Gilman said.
Of the party, he added, “you can’t describe it. It’s magical.”
— Kathryn Gregory
Jack Hues, lead vocalist and co-founder of Wang Chung, who is set to take the Unbridled stage later tonight, said while he’s played in many casinos, he’s not much of a gambler and doesn’t have a Derby favorite.
Hues has been asked before if he has his eyes on any particular horse in the Run for the Roses, but he said with a laugh, “I don’t really know anything about it.”
Former NFL quarterback Warren Moon is an Unbridled regular and is marking his 24th Kentucky Derby. Like Hues, he said he’s also undecided on a Derby winner.
“The hospitality of the people here in Louisville, they do a great job of welcoming everybody from all over the world,” Moon said. “… Some of my closest friends in the world I met here at Derby.”
— Matthew Glowicki, Connor Giffin
Catherine Barnstable-Brown and her father Christopher stopped on the red carpet at the Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala and talked about the charity component of the party, which is in its 36th year.
The University of Kentucky Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center has raised $21 million for diabetes research over the years. Numerous celebrities coming to the party this evening also have a connection to diabetes, including actor Tracy Morgan and Olympian Simone Biles, whose mother suffers from the disease.
Guests were arriving at the gala as of 8:30 p.m., and a lengthy list of stars is expected.
— Kathryn Gregory
Kentucky Derby 1970 winning jockey Michael Manganello (aboard Dust Commander) is betting on Coal Battle, an underdog, he said on the red carpet of the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala.
“I’m rooting for Coal Battle,” Manganello said. “I’d like to see that guy win it.”
Manganello’s 1970 victory was an upset, according to the Greater Cleveland Sports Hall of Fame, which said “the margin of victory was five lengths, thanks largely in part to Manganello’s rail-hugging ride.”
— Matthew Glowicki
A red carpet for the Unbridled Eve Derby Gala at the Galt House Hotel was empty early Saturday night. But it won’t be long. Celebrities will be walking the red carpet ahead of the call to dinner and dancing by Churchill Downs’ official bugler Steve Buttleman.
Guests at Unbridled Eve will be able to bid on dozens of items at a silent auction, with proceeds benefiting a handful of area charities, including Blessings in a Backpack. Guitars signed by Taylor Swift and Paul McCartney are among the items up for auction.
— Matthew Glowicki
Courier Journal reporters got a sneak peek inside Patricia Barnstable-Brown’s home in the Highlands, where the star-studded Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala will take place this evening.
The lofty display cake was made by Adrienne and Co., a family-owned bakery in southern Indiana. It’s not edible — the inside is styrofoam — but it makes for a popular photo op for party attendees, and there are plenty of other edible treats around.
“I would say it’s probably the biggest, coolest thing I do each year,” baker Adrienne Holland previously told The Courier Journal. Attending the gala has become a tradition for Holland, who often spots celebrities ogling her towering creation.
— Kathryn Gregory
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.courier-journal.com ’
