The Galt House Hotel, Louisville’s legendary grand-dame property, is proud to unveil a lineup of exclusive new programming and activations in honor of this year’s 146th annual Kentucky Derby, taking place on September 5, 2020.
As the official host hotel of Churchill Downs, The Galt House will offer immersive, one-of-a-kind Kentucky Derby experiences leading up to the grand event, for both guests and locals to enjoy. From an exclusive partnership with famed milliner Christine A. Moore, to an intimate bourbon tasting experience with the elusive Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon brand, to a private dinner and wine tasting with wine and racing royalty Jess Stonestreet Jackson’s acclaimed Stonestreet Wines, The Galt House will offer the most coveted ticket in town for bourbon, wine and racing aficionados alike.
146-Year Retrospect of Kentucky Derby Hats Exhibit
Kicking off on August 28, 2020, The Galt House will be home to an immersive nine-day hat exhibit by Christine A. Moore – featured milliner of the Kentucky Derby for the past three years. The unique experience will showcase a collection of 26 original designs, each inspired by a specific decade and the evolving fashion of the Kentucky Derby since its inception in 1875.
The one-of-a-kind exhibit will take place in The Galt House Hotel’s newly renovated West Tower, which recently completed a full reimagining as part of the hotel’s $80 million property-wide renovation. Guests will have the opportunity to travel through each distinct decade of derby fashion as they browse the collection, while learning about the history of hats and fascinators through an interactive self-guided video tour written by local historian Stephen W. Brown. During the exhibit, guests can register to win a custom designed hat from Christine and an overnight stay at the Galt House. In addition to the on-property exhibit, Christine will host a special meet-and-greet appearance followed by a reception on August 28, 2020. The meet-and-greet event, taking place at the exhibit from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., will offer guests a glimpse into the creative process behind Christine’s renowned creations.
The hats on exhibit will also be available for purchase through an event-long silent auction with a portion of the proceeds going to the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance – an industry-wide initiative dedicated to the humane retiring and rehoming of thoroughbreds.
Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon Tasting
Located in the heart of Bourbon City, The Galt House is thrilled to invite guests and locals to experience some of the finest bourbon craftsmanship with an intimate tasting from one of the world’s most decorated distilleries and the company behind the acclaimed Van Winkle Collection, Buffalo Trace Distillery. The exclusive experience will include a private tasting with a special guest from the Buffalo Trace Distillery, who will guide bourbon fans through a tasting flight of some of the most highly sought-after bourbons, Weller and Pappy Van Winkle. Reservations will be required for this one-time-only experience, which will take place on Friday, September 4 at the hotel’s new vintage supper club-style 25th floor revolving restaurant, Swizzle Dinner and Drinks.
Pappy Van Winkle Tasting on Friday, September 4 is $400 per person, exclusive of tax and gratuity; Seatings from 5:00 p.m. to midnight. To find out more details and to book this experience, please visit: www.swizzle25.com/events/.
Dinner & Wine Pairing with Stonestreet Wines
On the evening of Saturday, September 5, The Galt House will welcome wine and racing royalty Jess Stonestreet Jackson’s highly acclaimed Stonestreet Wines for an exclusive four-course dinner and wine pairing. Locals and guests can celebrate their winnings and continue the celebrations all night long with a one-of-a-kind wine and dine affair at Swizzle Dinner and Drinks. Throughout the experience, guests will enjoy a guided tasting led by Stonestreet Wines’ National Ambassador, Craig Ellick who will walk through the history of the acclaimed Alexander Valley estate and its connections to Thoroughbred racing royalty at Kentucky-based Stonestreet Farms, while showcasing four estate wines, paired side-by-side with each dinner course.
The Stonestreet Wines Dinner on Saturday, September 5 is $165 per person for seatings between 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and, $200 per person for seatings between 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., exclusive of tax and gratuity. To find out more details and to book this experience, please visit: www.swizzle25.com/events/.
Galt House Derby 146 Package & Call to the Post Welcome Reception
Guests wishing to experience the 2020 Kentucky Derby taking place on September 5 can book the Galt House Derby 146 Package which includes a three-night stay, special in-room welcome amenity and access to the Call to the Post Welcome Reception on Thursday, September 3. Held on the third floor of the newly revamped West Tower, the Call to the Post reception will treat guests to a variety of Derby-themed on-property activations to help kick-start the celebrations. From a how to make your own mint julep station, exclusive bourbon and wine tastings, to bow tie tying and horse handicapping workshops, live entertainment and more.
The Call to the Post Welcome Reception will take place on Thursday, September 3 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and is a complimentary event for hotel guests only. To find out more details on the Galt House Derby 146 Package and the Call to the Post Welcome Reception, please visit: www.galthouse.com/event/derby-at-the-galt/.
While this year’s Kentucky Derby is confirmed to proceed with spectators – making it one of the first major sporting events to take place with fans since COVID-19 – the look and feel of the legendary event will be vastly different from years past as a way to ensure proper safety precautions and ample social distancing. Among the many mandatory safety measures, some of the most notable will be required face masks for all guests; guest capacity reductions for all areas; constant and rotating cleaning procedures over the course of the event; guest access will be limited to the section of the facility for which guests are ticketed; and reduced food & beverage selections with individual servings at all times. In addition to Churchill Downs’ safety precautions, The Galt House Hotel will be upholding the same rigorous safety precautions they’ve been implementing which includes required face masks, thorough cleaning of public spaces and guest rooms, and will be ensuring all events are attended on a flow to ensure ample social distancing.
Serving as the heartbeat of Louisville for decades, The Galt House Hotel is primely located on the banks of the Ohio River, just minutes away from the city’s must-see attractions from Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory and the Muhammad Ali Center to Whiskey Row. The property is also a one-stop shop to celebrate countless events including Thunder Over Louisville – the largest firework display in the nation – and The Kentucky Derby – America’s longest running sporting event in America — as the derby’s official hotel partner.
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