Put on your hats and place your bets because it’s Derby Day! We’ve put together a list of watch parties, doggy dashes, drink specials, and more to help you watch the two most exciting minutes in sports.

Kentucky Derby Watch Party at Lefty’s Brick Bar

Drink Mint Juleps all day for $10 while watching the Kentucky Derby at Lefty’s Brick Bar. The Derby will be televised beginning at 4PM, with post time set at approximately 5:45PM. Guests will receive a ticket to vote for a horse for every drink bought and will have the chance to win a free drink on the house if your horse wins! There will also be a Best Hat Contest with prizes for the top 3 winners.


Derby Day at TRACE Patio at The W Hotel 

Enjoy watching the Kentucky Derby at TRACE with a free bourbon tasting with Angel’s Envy, curated by their brand ambassadors. Come wearing your best Derby Day attire for a chance to win a bottle of Angel’s Envy Bourbon and a Mint Julep Kit.


Skinny’s Triple Crown: Kentucky Derby presented by Maker’s Mark

Experience horse racing the Austin-way at Skinny’s Off Track Bar with a Maker’s Mark trailer, horse racing carnival game, hats, lawn games, mint juleps, photo ops and a free crawfish boil from Eastside Boilers and a performance by Night Cap at 3pm. Derby hats and attire encouraged!


Kentucky Derby Day at Haymaker 

Haymaker will have Makers Mark Mint Juleps and Still Austin Frozen Bourbon Mint Juleps available all day. There will also be a hat making station from 3-5 p.m. There will be racing forms and best dressed contests with prizes to be awarded.


3rd Annual Dachshund Dash and Kentucky Derby Watch Party at Jackalope South Shore

On your marks, get set, GO! To the cutest 30 second race you’ll ever see down at The Jackalope South Shore’s Third Annual Dachshund Dash and Kentucky Derby Watch Party. We’ll have frozen mint juleps, $1 coneys, a Best Derby Hat contest for the humans, and of course the much anticipated dachshund race where one lucky pup will be awarded Best Weiner!


Duck Camp Crawfish Derby

Stop by Duck Camp’s Austin Showroom from 2-6 p.m. for free crawfish provided by Goode Co, beer provided by Lone Star, and live music by Sunrosa. You might even get to see some crawfish races, who knows? They’ll also be offering live screen printing with a limited edition Crawfish Derby t-shirt. Crawfish will only be offered while supplies last!


Kentucky Derby Party at Black Sheep Lodge

Black Sheep Lodge is celebrating Derby Day with $10 Maker’s Mark Mint Juleps, lager beer specials, a hat making station from 3-5 p.m. and a best dressed contest with prizes!


Kentucky Derby Garden Party at Tiger Den

CandiLace Productions presents the 2nd annual Derby Day Party at the Tiger Den! Expect fancy lounge seating in Tiger Den’s intimate garden courtyard, along with fresh blooms, festive tents, yard games, tarot readings, Churchill Downs themed selfie photo booth, couture cocktails, and a complimentary snack bar! Catch all the race action projected onto our indoor large screen. Tickets are $35.


CANtucky Derby at Blue Owl

Take a gamble on your favorite horse (aka beer) at the CANtucky Derby at Blue Owl Brewing! From noon-5 p.m., swing by to select which beer you think will be most popular and watch as these beer-can-horses make their way down the track. Whichever beer is ordered the most by customers during the CANtucky Derby will be named the champ! With eight beer CANtenders to choose from, swing by with your friends, order some beer and try your luck.


Four Seasons Hotel Kentucky Derby Day

The two most exciting minutes in sports will once again bring four full hours of fun for guests thanks to the much-anticipated return of The Four Seasons’ Derby Day Party in Live Oak. As in the past, guests will enjoy multiple televisions showing the race live, festive cocktails, costume contests and much more. Admission includes a complimentary mint julep and one race chit to predict the day’s top three finishers, with a portion of proceeds benefitting local non-profit, Palomino Ridge Ranch Horse Rescue. Tickets are $55.


Watch Party at Wax Myrtles

Join Wax Myrtles for a Kentucky Derby viewing party this Saturday. They’ll have refreshing @bladeandbowwhiskey mint juleps and rumor has it the best dressed will win some rad prizes so bust out those big hats.

Emily Grant
Born and raised in Austin, Emily thrives off sunlight and a good happy hour. In her free time she enjoys finding hidden spots along the greenbelt and frequent trips to Austin Pets Alive! She graduated with a degree in PR and has spent the past four years as a social media manager and writer.