The perfect Mint Julep? Check. ✔️
Here is all you need to know to celebrate the Kentucky Derby here in Dayton from the fashion, to the cocktails, to some of the best local events that will make you feel like you are at Churchill Downs.
1. WHAT TO WEAR
>>The recipe for an amazing Derby Day party: Bourbon, tasty treats and a fabulous hat
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
A Kentucky Derby party can best be described as Southern preppy, said Amelia O’Dowd, the owner of BRIM on Fifth, 464 E. Fifth St., in Dayton’s Oregon District .
Floral patterns rule the day, and the kookier the color combinations (fuchsia and navy, anyone) the better.
“It is kind of about these color combinations that a lot of people won’t wear in normal life,” O’Dowd said. “It’s that excuse. For men, the day calls for a sports coat with a bright pop of color and dress pants. Don’t forget your pocket square or bow tie.”
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Credit: Tom Gilliam
Hats are key, especially for women, O’Dowd said. She suggests hats with shoulder-width brims.
“There is almost no such thing as too big,” she said of women’s Kentucky Derby hats. “When you look at what they wear to the Derby, (it is) huge, huge hats.”
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2. WHAT TO DRINK
You can't have a derby party without the mint julep. The quintessential sit in the sun and drink drink has been sold at the Kentucky Derby for about a century.
We asked some of our favorite bartenders for some advice on how to create the perfect mint julep:
Tess Vella-Collette with Corner Kitchen tells us there are two components that make the Mint Julep so awesome: Crushed ice and a silver julep cup. Basically, it’s a bourbon slushy for grown-ups:
MINT JULEP RECIPE
2 oz. Bourbon (Yes, it has to be bourbon)
1 oz. simple syrup
2 oz. crushed ice
Mint sprigs for garnish
>> The recipe for an amazing Derby Day party
Or, you can follow this Mint Julep recipe from Emily Mendenhall of Lily's Bistro:
Here is the official Mint Julep recipe from KentuckyDerby.com:
OLD FORESTER MINT JULEP
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- Sprigs of fresh mint
- Crushed ice
- Old Forester Kentucky Bourbon
- Silver Julep Cups
Directions: Make a simple syrup by boiling sugar and water together for five minutes. Cool and place in a covered container with six or eight sprigs of fresh mint, then refrigerate overnight. Make one julep at a time by filling a julep cup with crushed ice, adding one tablespoon mint syrup and two ounces of Old Forester Kentucky Bourbon. Stir rapidly with a spoon to frost the outside of the cup. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
3. WHERE TO CELEBRATE
Dayton has plenty of ways to celebrate on Derby Day. One of our favorites? Dachshunds will be racing at Trolley Stop. But there's more! The Oregon District's event, organized by Dames of the District, includes other fun activities like making your own lucky horseshoe, Matchbox car races, adult Big Wheel races and giant Jenga and giant Connect Four, to name a few.
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