Kendall-Jackson Hosts Inaugural Kentucky Derby® Party — Saturday, May 7th
Join the Largest West Coast Celebration for the 148th Run for the Roses™, Benefitting Sonoma County’s Meals on Wheels
March 18th – As the Preferred Wine of the Kentucky Derby®, Kendall-Jackson will host the largest West Coast Kentucky Derby party at the Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens on Saturday, May 7th. Kendall-Jackson’s stunning four-acre culinary garden, expansive lawn and al fresco patio provide the perfect setting for the fun-filled day of wine, food, fashion, and entertainment. Event proceeds will benefit Sonoma County’s Meals on Wheels program.
Derby Day festivities at Kendall-Jackson include large-screen viewing of Kentucky Derby day races, fashion contests, an on-site milliner creating unique hats, and Derby-inspired Southern cuisine paired with award-winning Kendall-Jackson wines, including the limited edition co-branded Kendall-Jackson and Kentucky Derby® commemorative wines. The event wouldn’t be complete without iconic Mint Juleps. Young & Yonder Spirits, an artisan craft distillery from Healdsburg, will showcase their Straight Bourbon Whiskey in the signature cocktails, local favorite Seismic Brewing Company will be pouring their new release brews, Ferrero Golden Gallery Signature will offer sweet treats, and local restaurant partners will be offering small bites. Additional entertainment includes a raffle, live music, a bugle player, a coffee truck, a caricature artist and more.
WHY: The Jackson family’s storied legacy in winemaking runs deep, and while many wine enthusiasts across the nation recognize Kendall-Jackson as the makers of America’s favorite Chardonnay since 1992, the family’s endeavors in the elite horse racing world are lesser known. Inspired by the world of horse racing, founder Jess Jackson ignited a life-long dream in 2005, when he and wife Barbara Banke established Stonestreet Farm on premium farmland in the famous Bluegrass hills of Lexington, Ky. Since then, Stonestreet Farm has been named the leading North American commercial breeder of Thoroughbred yearlings 10 times. Stonestreet has enjoyed racing Thoroughbred horses in the Kentucky Derby; most notably, Curlin finished third in 2007 and Good Magic finished second in 2018. Stonestreet also bred & raised Malathaat who won the Kentucky Oaks in 2021.
ATTIRE: Kentucky Derby® fashion is a long-standing tradition to embrace Southern spring fashion like none other. Spring dresses with colorful hats and fascinators take center stage just as much as the horses on Derby Day. Seersucker suits in vibrant colors and unique bowties are accessorized with fedoras and bowler hats. Derby Day fashion is a great opportunity to have fun and express your fashion style in a bold way. Join us dressed to the nines as there will be fashion contents for best dressed throughout Derby Day.
WHEN: Saturday, May 7, 11 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
WHERE: Kendall-Jackson Wine Estate & Gardens. 5007 Fulton Road, Fulton, CA 95439, (800) 769-3649
COST: General Admission: $125 per person, Wine Club Member Admission: $100 per person. Purchase Tickets: www.kj.com/events/kentucky-derby-party
ABOUT KENDALL-JACKSON
Kendall-Jackson is one of America’s most beloved family-owned and operated wineries. Founded by entrepreneur and visionary Jess Jackson in 1982, and now led by his wife Barbara Banke and their children, Kendall-Jackson is based in Sonoma County and offers a range of acclaimed wines grown on the family’s estate vineyards along the coastal ridges of California. A leader in sustainable vineyard and winery practices, including water and energy conservation and natural pest control, 100 percent of Kendall-Jackson’s vineyards in California are third party certified by SIP (Sustainable in Practice) and CCSW (Certified California Sustainable Winegrowing). Kendall-Jackson was recently named 2017 winery of the year by Wine Enthusiast Magazine, recognized as a benchmark in the California wine industry. The winery’s seminal wine, the Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay, has been America’s favorite Chardonnay since 1992. Learn more online at www.kj.com, and follow Kendall-Jackson on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
ABOUT KENTUCKY DERBY
The $3 million Kentucky Derby takes place on the first Saturday in May at historic Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. Inaugurated in 1875, the legendary 1 ¼-mile race for 3-year-olds is the oldest continuously held major sporting event in the United States and the first leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown series. Known as “The Run for the Roses,” “The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports” and “America’s Race,” the Kentucky Derby is the most attended horse race in the nation.
