April 27, 2016 Louisville, KY. – The stars are coming out for this year’s Kentucky Derby Festival events. KDF is releasing this year’s celebrity guest list. Many will take part in both the Celebrity Day at the Downs event on Thursday, May 5, as well as the Republic Bank Pegasus Parade later that same day. The theme of this year’s parade is “Fun for the Arts.”
“This year’s parade will be the biggest hit on Louisville’s Broadway,” said Stacey Robinson, Kentucky Derby Festival Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff. “The Festival is paying tribute to all those groups who bring the arts to us – and that’s what many of our guests are best known for.”
Guests scheduled to appear include:
- Jordan Smith, Republic Records recording artist and The Voice Season 9 winner (from Harlan, KY)
- Actor Will Chase of ABC’s hit show “Nashville” (born in Frankfort, KY)
- University of Louisville Seniors Damion Lee and Trey Lewis
- Adriana Madix, Tom Sandoval, Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor of Bravo TV’s “Vanderpump Rules”
- Monte Durham of “Say Yes To The Dress: ATL”
- Ray J & Princess Love from VH1’s “Love and Hip Hop: Hollywood”
- Miss America 2016 Betty Cantrell
- Miss Kentucky 2015 Clark Davis
- Star Jones – Business Exec, Attorney, Best Selling Author and TV personality
- Carson Kressley an Emmy-winning television star, celebrity stylist, author and fashion designer (Luncheon guest only)
- Zach Lindsey of “Project Runway Junior” Season 1 (DuPont Manual High School Junior) (Luncheon guest only)
- Country music star J.D. Shelburne (Luncheon guest only)
Celebrity Day at the Downs will begin at 11:30 a.m. on the sixth floor at Churchill Downs, featuring a traditional Kentucky luncheon and a day of racing on Millionaire’s Row. The event is sponsored by Kentuckiana Honda Dealers, with contributing sponsor Macy’s, and Media Sponsors NFocus Magazine and 106.9 PLAY.
The Republic Bank Pegasus Parade steps off on Broadway at 5 p.m. The parade is sponsored by Republic Bank. Tickets for the parade are still available online at KDF.org or by calling the Derby Festival Hotline at (502) 584-FEST. Ticket prices are $10 for bleacher seats and $12 for chair seating.
Since 1956, the Derby Festival has worked to bring the community together in celebration. The Festival is an independent community organization supported by 4,000 volunteers, 400 businesses and civic groups, Pegasus Pin sponsorships and event participation. This involvement has made the Festival the largest single attended event in Kentucky and one of the leading community celebrations in the world.
