Louisville restaurant's Kentucky Derby party has Pappy Van Winkle giveaway. What to know

Amanda Hancock, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read

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The colorful silks spark quite the view walking in. No, this scene is not seen from down the stretch at Churchill Downs, but hanging from above at The B.A. Colonial.

Ahead of the 150th Kentucky Derby, the bar and restaurant at Colonial Gardens, 818 Kenwood Drive, held an inaugural jockey silk painting party. More than 100 people showed up to show their skills and the resulting wooden silks now hang from the ceiling to create fitting Derby-themed decorations.

And The B.A. Colonial has a Derby party scheduled to match on Saturday when many in the Louisville area will host events and food/drink specials.

The B.A. Colonial serves mint juleps made with mint grown on the property.
The B.A. Colonial serves mint juleps made with mint grown on the property.

On Saturday, patrons can vote on their favorite silk to enter the chance to win a bottle of 12-year-old Pappy Van Winkle. While there is no fee to enter the drawing, donations are encouraged to raise money for the Casting for Recovery charity.

The menu features several smashburgers topped with pimento cheese, mushrooms or house-made cheese sauce, along with chicken wings, sandwiches such as a Cubano and Philly cheesesteak, salads, seafood dishes and appetizers including deviled eggs, jalapeno cheddar hush puppies and buffalo cauliflower bites.

The B.A. Colonial, one of several restaurants at Colonial Gardens at 818 Kenwood Drive, is hosting a Derby party on Saturday. The restaurant's menu features smashburgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood dishes and chicken wings, along with classic cocktails, beer and wine.
The B.A. Colonial, one of several restaurants at Colonial Gardens at 818 Kenwood Drive, is hosting a Derby party on Saturday. The restaurant's menu features smashburgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood dishes and chicken wings, along with classic cocktails, beer and wine.

On the drinks side, a list of 11 signature cocktails covers a mix of classics (an old fashioned and a margarita) to unique (The Fleur De Lis is made with spiced rum and blueberry puree) concoctions. During the Kentucky Derby season, you can order a mint julep made with mint grown at the bar and on the patio. Some beers on tap, including the B.A. Brew from Falls City Brewing, are available as well as bottles and cans and a small selection of wine and nonalcoholic cocktails.

If you choose to celebrate at the historic and renovated property on Saturday, you’ll be partying at the same place where icons Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis once performed. Colonial Gardens is also home to restaurants such as Costa del Sol, Craft House Pizza, and Hokkaido Ramen & Sushi.

The B.A. Colonial is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday, and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday. Brunch is available from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday. We featured it in the latest installment of our video series, “Best Thing I Ate This Week,” which you can follow by visiting instagram.com/courierjournal.

Reach food reporter Amanda Hancock at ahancock@courier-journal.com.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: B.A. Colonial Kentucky Derby party includes Pappy Van Winkle giveaway