Happy Derby! Try these 7 tips to throw the perfect Kentucky Derby party at home

Anyone who lives in Kentucky knows the Kentucky Derby race may only last a couple of minutes but the party goes on and on and on. If you plan to throw a party — or parties — this Kentucky Derby season, you better start planning. The 150th running of the Kentucky Derby is Saturday, May 4.

From the perfect mint julep to festive decor, here's everything you need to throw a truly memorable Kentucky Derby party.

How to set up a Kentucky Derby party at home

If you have the space, an outdoor Kentucky Derby party is a perfect way to celebrate the springtime event when the weather is nice.

It's also easier to keep your company outside (and out of the kitchen) if you set up the food and drink tables on the patio, deck, in the garage, or under a tent. The outdoors provides more opportunities for Kentucky Derby-related activities too, like horseshoes, badminton, cornhole or stick horse races for the kids.

A small tent that you can purchase or rent will provide shade if it's sunny. But don't put all your eggs in that basket. Be sure to have a plan in mind ahead of your party for how you can shift your event indoors if the weather turns to rain. Seasoned Kentucky Derby fans know all too well that rain is always an option on race day.

How to create a winning Kentucky Derby bar

Because the Kentucky Derby and mint julep go hand in hand, let's first consider how you'll serve cocktails and mocktails at your party.

Entertaining expert Peggy Noe Stevens likes to pull out her collection of official Kentucky Derby glassware to serve her Kentucky Derby Day drinks.

Each year, Churchill Downs Racetrack issues a new official glass listing the winning thoroughbreds all the way back to the first Kentucky Derby in 1875. The traditional drink of the Kentucky Derby, the mint julep, is served throughout the day at the track in the official glass that guests take home at the end of the day.

"An at-home Derby party is the perfect reason to bring out your collection and a colorful way to help your guests keep track of their own glass when you throw a Kentucky Derby party," Stevens said.

And Stevens knows what she's talking about as the world's first female Master Bourbon Taster and co-author of "Which Fork Do I Use With My Bourbon," with Susan Reigler, a former restaurant critic for The Courier Journal and a correspondent for Bourbon+ and American Whiskey magazines.

If you don't have an extensive collection like hers, you can make up your own glass labeling method using names of past Kentucky Derby winners and use whatever drinking glasses you have on hand. This method helps eliminate disposable cup waste and helps your guests hang onto the same glass for the entire day. And that means less clean-up for you after the final race.

Why you should pre-mix cocktails for your Kentucky Derby party

It's a safe bet that most party hosts don't want to spend their entire Kentucky Derby Day mixing cocktails one by one for their guests, which makes batch-made cocktails a great choice and a clever alternative to the self-service approach of setting a few liquor bottles and mixers out on the counter.

"I suggest you premix drinks like your mint juleps into batches which you will fill into large decanters," Stevens said.

Not only are your guests able to serve themselves but the premade drinks eliminate the need for someone to play bartender during your party.

Cocktail, drink ideas for a Kentucky Derby party

The mint julep is the classic cocktail of the Kentucky Derby. It's made simply of muddled mint, sugar, and bourbon with ample crushed ice. If you want to go for the "win," Stevens says to include a variety of flavored juleps made with ingredients like strawberries, orange marmalade or peaches.

Be sure to serve your juleps with a big bouquet of fresh mint. The experience of bringing the julep up to your mouth to sip and greeting your nose with the fragrance of mint is part of the experience.

You can also offer an alcohol-free version by simply substituting iced tea for bourbon.

But if the harsh bourbon taste is too much for your guests, a lighter and fruiter option is the Oaks Lily, which Tim Laird, co-author of "Bourbon Country Cuisine," created in 2006 for Churchill Downs is a nice option.

With thousands served at the track each year, the pale pink vodka-based cocktail has become the signature drink of the Kentucky Oaks, which is run the Friday before the Kentucky Derby. But really, it is delicious any day of Derby week.

By late afternoon, your guests may tire of the traditional Kentucky Derby Day cocktails so that's when Stevens serves up her "Dark and Bloody Mary."

"It's always nice to have something besides mint juleps to sip and enjoy during the afternoon on Derby Day," she said.

What are some traditional dishes to serve at a Kentucky Derby party?

Honoring traditions on the track and at the table is important during the weekend of the Kentucky Derby. To that end, serving Southern-style recipes made with ingredients such as country ham, grits, Benedictine spread, pimento cheese, tenderloin and bread or corn pudding are always winners.

"You know on Derby Day we graze like the horses when it comes to food," Stevens said.

Great appetizers include finger sandwiches, a throwback from the 1950s, with a southern twist such as Pimento cheese, Benedictine spread, and sliced tomato with basil.

Sides can include lighter fare such as a beet and strawberry salad served in individual serving dishes.

"Beef Tenderloin sandwiches are always a hit and can be served wrapped as sliders with the famous Henry Bain Sauce. Make it yourself or buy it at your local market," said Laird. "Another clever idea is to serve individual servings of shrimp and grits and mini-Hot Brown sandwiches in small porcelain or glass dishes."

Finally, for dessert, Bread Pudding is a Kentucky favorite.

"I’m serving it as a parfait and layering it in a mason jar with the pudding on the bottom, then a layer of Bourbon Whipped Cream, and repeating the layers until the jar is full," Laird said.

Another expert tip is a clever solution to pairing food and bourbon.

"I like to pre-plate appetizers and put the plate over a small pour of bourbon for each of my guests," said Stevens. "This way they pick up their glass and their food at the same time."

How to decorate for an at-home Kentucky Derby party

Nothing says Kentucky Derby Day quite like jockey silks and red roses, so pay attention to your decor to add a pop to your social gathering.

"Decorating your front door is a festive way to greet your guests," said Stevens. Local stores have plenty of decorative options, so look for door decor like red rose garlands and colorful jockey silks or make them yourself for a more DIY flair.

When it comes to dressing up your food and drink tables, red roses are a must-have Derby decoration, since the Derby is also referred to as "The Run for the Roses."

Place your roses in a silver bowl or vase for the ultimate Derby-inspired centerpiece. Stevens also recommends using your best-polished silver (real or faux) for displaying your food and drinks for an additional twist of Southern charm.

Floral arrangements don't have to be limited to roses, either. Filling empty bourbon bottles with flowers from your garden adds a beautiful touch. If not much is in bloom in your garden, pick up some at the florist or grocery store like Hydrangeas, sunflowers and zinnias. Stargazer lilies, the traditional flower of the Kentucky Oaks are also weekend favorites.

What are some Kentucky Derby-themed party game ideas?

Keep in mind you are hosting a party to actually watch the Kentucky Derby on May 4.

Before the call to the post, you might want to hand out a list of surprising Kentucky Derby facts to add to the fun. If your guests are dressing in their "Derby Best," hold a contest for "Best Hat" and "Best Outfit."

If you or your guests are planning to bet on the horse races during Kentucky Derby Week, you can wager through the racetrack's online wagering platform, twinspires.com. You're required to create a username and password, but signing up is free and doesn't take much time. You can transfer money from your bank account into your twinspires account and then place your bets. The twinspires app is also available on smartphones.

Reach Kirby Adams at kadams@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Try these 7 tips to throw the perfect Kentucky Derby party at home