Opening Night Powered by LG&E-KU

The first green energy partner of Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby

Saturday, April 29th, 2023 | Gates Open at 5 PM | Post Time is 6 PM ET

Opening Night is the perfect chance to join in the spectacle that is Kentucky Derby Week.

See and be seen at Opening Night as you preview 2023 Kentucky Derby trends with a fashion preview from Rodes For Him & For Her, experience artistic creations from KMAC Couture designers, gain style tips from featured Kentucky Derby Milliners and enjoy an evening of heart-pounding racing.

Kick off Derby Week with the most stylish night in horse racing!

For groups of 12+, please contact group sales at 502-636-4450 or fill out our Group Request Form

Must be 18+ to enter, or accompanied by a responsible adult.

Buy Tickets


Opening Night (Saturday) Suites or Dining Rooms Include 4 Hours of All-Inclusive (Food, Alcoholic & Non-Alcoholic Beverages)

*Only available if suites or dining rooms are open and available for the particular day. Service begins when gates open for the amount of hours listed. 

Suites:

  • Jockey Club Suites
  • Starting Gate Suites
  • Winners Circle Suites
  • Turf Suites

Dining:

  • Matt Winn’s Steakhouse
  • Homestretch Club
  • Starting Gate Suites Dining
  • Triple Crown Room
  • Trophy Room
  • Oaks & Derby Rooms
  • Grand Foyer
  • Finish Line Suites Balcony

General Admission starting prices are $24 per customer.

Parking Notice: 

For any Derby Week days, excluding Dawn at the Downs days and the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky Oaks days, parking may be purchased by going to Ticketmaster. Please note that if onsite parking is no longer available for a particular day, it will not be listed.

Any onsite parking for Derby Week must be pre-purchased before April 15th. Your parking pass will be mailed to your address on file via USPS prior to the event. Churchill Downs will not be selling any additional parking onsite after this date as free parking and shuttles will be available at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

Parking for Opening Night on Saturday, April 29th, 2023

  • Limited onsite parking must be pre-purchased prior to Saturday, April 15th.  There is no mobile delivery of parking passes.  Your parking pass will be mailed to your address on file via USPS prior to the event.
  • Entry to your specific lot is unique and directions to your lot should be followed closely. 
  • Onsite parking lots will open at 4:00 pm on Opening Night. 
  • Bus and Limo parking are available for pre-purchase in our Pink Lot while supplies last.
  • If you did not purchase onsite parking, there is parking at the Kentucky Exposition Center which is included with your ticket. Please present your ticket upon entry. This includes FREE shuttle service to and from Churchill Downs with drop-off and pick-up in the Black Lot outside of the Paddock Gate. 
  • Shuttles will begin running at 3:30 pm on Opening Night, and will drop guests off in the Black Lot. 
  • There will be ADA-accessible shuttles available.  Please note:  we are not able to provide wheelchair assistance once a guest is dropped off at Churchill Downs. 
  • There is no offsite taxi or rideshare pick-up and drop-off on this day. All taxi or rideshare pick-up and drop-off will happen onsite at Kentucky Derby Drive.
  • There is no parking at L&N Federal Credit Union Stadium on this day.  For Derby Week 2023, many of our Premium Dining Rooms will include food, non-alcoholic beverages and alcoholic beverages. See the list below for the rooms intended to have All-Inclusive this year by day. 

All onsite parking at Churchill Downs is reserved in advance and available for pre-purchase in March through April 15th as long as inventory is available. Parking within each reserved lot is first-come, first-served including ADA spaces. If you do not have pre-purchased parking, you will not be able to purchase it onsite. Please pay careful attention to your specific lot’s instructions for parking and be sure you understand the directions as entry for each lot is unique. At the Kentucky Exposition Center we will have free parking with free shuttles going to and from Churchill Downs on Opening Night, 502’sDay, Champions Day, and Thurby. On the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby days if you do not already have onsite parking, but have reserved seating with frontside access, there is parking at the Kentucky Exposition Center which is included with your ticket. Please present your ticket upon entry. This includes FREE shuttle service to and from Churchill Downs with drop-off and pick-up in the Black Lot outside of the Paddock Gate.

Buy Opening Night Parking