Derby Day

All ticket sales are final. No refunds. Event takes place rain or shine. This event is exclusively for guests 21 and over. Party layout is subject to change at the discretion of Pequot Library staff. For every ticket sold, $1 will be donated to Rising Starr Horse Rescue in Wilton, CT.

*Tailgate details: Tailgate spaces are 10’x20′. Tailgate spots are on grass; ground may be uneven or near low-hanging branches. Guests are welcome to visit Pequot Library in person to view potential tailgate locations. All guests who join a tailgate must have a ticket. Food and alcohol is allowed in tailgate spaces, and tailgate ticket holders are allowed to decorate and set up their space with a vehicle, tent, furniture, etc. Please note: There is no electricity in tailgate spaces, and fire/smoking is prohibited.

Celebrate with Fairfield County-and-beyond’s finest! Enjoy a lovely afternoon of mixing and mingling on Pequot Library’s Great Lawn surrounded by festive hats, entertaining guest tailgates, and the liveliest Derby Day outfits this side of Kentucky. Enjoy five hours of an open bar and yummy food in the Main Tent.

The Race: Watch the “greatest two minutes in sports” with other partygoers in Pequot Library’s historic auditorium.

Derby Dollars (DD): Derby Dollars are $5 each and can be purchased in advance online or on the day of the event at the check-in table. DD are for ticketholders’ use only and CANNOT be applied towards tickets. Use your DD to enter to win raffle items (1 DD per entry), take home a bottle of bourbon from the famed “bourbon wall” (8 DD per bottle), or choose your winning horse in the 50/50 raffle (1 DD per entry).

Awards: Join the fun and dress to impress! Prizes will be awarded for Best Tailgate (Win, Place, and Show), Best Hat, Best Dressed Lady, and Best Dressed Gentleman.

Afterparty: Bring the celebration to a grand finale with a dance party featuring the hottest DJ around—DJ Rob—and delicious “gourmet on-the-go” from Melt Mobile.

MOST importantly… bolster this historical institution that offers thousands of books to check out, programs for all ages, educational exhibitions, and more at no cost to our patrons. Your support of Derby Day helps keep Pequot Library “free as air to all,” in the words of our founder, Virginia Marquand Monroe.

3:00 – Pre-Party: Tailgate Ticket Holders Only
4:00 – Derby Day Party on the Great Lawn
6:50 – Watch the Run for the Roses!
7:00 – After-party

Become a Derby Day sponsor! Enjoy a top-tier opportunity for charitable business partners to mix and mingle with Pequot Library’s most highly regarded friends and benefactors while supporting the library and its vital role in the community.