Upcoming Kentucky Derby dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
Do you want to see the race or the party?
Answer that first, because Churchill Downs sells two very different Derby Days. If you want to see horses cross the line, buy a reserved seat near the finish, high enough to see the far turn, with a confirmed clear sightline. If you want the crowd, the noise and the lowest entry point, buy infield general admission and accept that you will watch the race itself on a giant screen.
The 2027 Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 1, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The day before brings the Kentucky Oaks, for three-year-old fillies, Friday, April 30. The Derby is a 1¼-mile dirt race for up to 20 three-year-old thoroughbreds, and it lasts about two minutes.
The infield: what you get and what you miss
The infield is the open ground inside the oval, sold as general admission and reached at track level. There is no roof. You can bring a collapsible camping chair without a canopy, or a blanket smaller than 10 by 10 feet. It has long been the party side of the track.
What you miss is the race. Standing at ground level behind the rail and thousands of other fans, your view of the race is the Big Board, a video screen the track promotes as the largest outdoor 4K display in the world. Before 2014, when the board was installed, the infield crowd saw next to nothing. The Infield Final Turn GA area sits in a better spot, but it is still a ground-level view.
Reserved seats in the grandstand and clubhouse
Along the front of the track, assigned seats are stacked in balconies, loges, terraces and clubs carrying names such as the Champions, Plaza and Silks balconies and loges, the Turf Club, the Starting Gate Courtyard and the Turf Bleachers. The rule of thumb: lower seats feel closer but flatten the view; higher seats show more of the one-mile dirt oval.
Three areas compared
- Ford First Turn Reserved: roofed open-air seats one and two floors up at the first turn. They give a strong look at the walkover, as the horses are walked over to the paddock, but view the finish at an angle.
- Homestretch Club: first-floor seats along the homestretch, backed by a climate-controlled indoor club with a buffet. Close to the stretch run, low in height.
- Spires Terrace: upper-level seats under the twin spires, with a higher, wider view.
Watch for posts
The track itself warns that some seats lack a direct view, a side effect of an old building held up by columns. Before you buy, confirm the section and row and favor seats with an unobstructed line to the finish. A slightly worse location with a clear view beats a famous section behind a pole.
Millionaires Row and the premium tier
Up on the clubhouse's fourth level, Millionaires Row pairs an indoor dining room with a roofed terrace facing the racing surface. Food and drink are included, protected from sun and rain, and the dress is distinctly more formal. Being that high gives you the whole race from start to finish, which many fans prefer. What you give up is the sense of being near the horses.
Above and alongside it sit other premium products, including dining rooms, the Woodford Reserve Paddock Club and private suites.
Packages, days and how tickets are sold
Churchill Downs sells Derby tickets through Ticketmaster, while Derby Experiences, the track's package arm, combines seats with travel, lodging and hospitality. For resale, the track uses the Kentucky Derby Ticket Exchange on Ticketmaster, and other secondary sellers list seats too. A few structural points shape every listing:
- Two days, one ticket: the typical reserved seat is sold for Friday and Saturday together, and meals and drinks are usually built into the price of reserved areas. You are buying a seat and two days of catering.
- GA by the day: the infield and certain paddock zones offer standing room or space for your own chair, and you pay for food and drink as you go.
- Demand: Derby Day draws far more demand than Oaks Day, finish-line seats lead at every level, and a wet forecast can soften late demand for uncovered seats and the infield.
If you want the Churchill Downs experience with smaller crowds, Oaks Day is the easier ticket. Every Reserved Seat order is backed by a 100% guarantee.
Derby Day rules, bags and getting to the track
More than 150,000 people attend, and the Derby runs late in a long card of races. In 2026 the gates opened at 9 a.m. on Derby Day, so plan on many hours at the track.
- One bag: as of 2026, no larger than 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Outside food on Oaks and Derby days must be in clear plastic bags or containers within that size.
- No umbrellas during Derby Week. Pack a poncho.
- Water in the infield: two sealed 24-ounce plastic bottles were allowed in 2026.
- No re-entry. Leaving ends your day on that ticket.
- Cash for betting. State law bars wagering with a credit card, while infield concessions have been cashless.
For 2026, reserved lots were presold, and the majority of Derby Week tickets came with a parking spot at the Kentucky Exposition Center, where free shuttles ran to the Black Lot beside the Paddock Gate. Rideshare used Kentucky Derby Drive between Queen and Thornberry, and Central Avenue closed for Oaks and Derby. Rules shift each year, so read the event information page before you go.
Dressing for the Derby, and the traditions behind it
Formal rules are rare, though Churchill Downs notes that outfits get more formal floor by floor as you climb the clubhouse, and a few areas post their own codes. Hats are optional and nearly universal: wide brims and fascinators for women, fedoras and bowlers for men. Shoes matter more than hats, since you will stand and walk for hours, often on grass if you are in the infield.
The first Derby ran on May 17, 1875. Its founder, Meriwether Lewis Clark Jr., was the grandson of explorer William Clark and modeled the race on the Epsom Derby and the Grand Prix de Paris after seeing both. The architects D.X. Murphy & Bro. topped the grandstand with the twin spires in 1895. Since 1921 the University of Louisville Cardinal Marching Band has played My Old Kentucky Home as the horses come onto the track. The winner is draped in 554 red roses, hence the Run for the Roses, and the mint julep is the drink of the day.
Secretariat's 1:59.40 in 1973 remains the race record. The 150th running came in 2024, when a new paddock opened, and the 2017 crowd of 158,070 ranked only seventh in track history. The race opens the Triple Crown series, and the Kentucky Derby Festival, opened by the Thunder Over Louisville air show and fireworks, fills the two weeks beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
Which Kentucky Derby seats have the best view of the finish?
Reserved seats along the homestretch near the finish line, ideally high enough to see the far turn. Confirm the row has a clear view, since Churchill Downs notes some seats are blocked by support poles.
Do infield fans actually see the horses?
Only briefly. The infield is a ground-level standing area behind the rail and the crowd, so most fans watch the race on the Big Board video screen.
Is Oaks Day a good alternative to Derby Day?
Yes, for smaller crowds and easier tickets. Reserved seating usually covers both Friday and Saturday, so you may get both days anyway.
Can you bring an umbrella to the Derby?
No. As of 2026 umbrellas were prohibited during Derby Week, and guests were limited to a single bag within 12 by 6 by 12 inches. Check the current rules before you go.
What should men wear to the Kentucky Derby?
Fedoras and bowlers are the traditional hats for men. Outfits get more formal on the upper clubhouse floors, though most areas set no firm rules. Comfortable shoes matter for a long day.
Is food included with Derby tickets?
Most reserved areas include all-inclusive food and drink. General admission tickets do not, so food and drink are bought separately.