Churchill Downs’ Friday Happy Hours sponsored by Budweiser Select will be
taken to new levels during the 2011 spring meet as the home of the Kentucky
Derby adds a post-race Paddock Concert Series to the already popular racing
days.
For five consecutive Fridays between May 13 and June 10, Churchill Downs will
present concerts in the paddock area after the races that showcase rising
regional artists:
* May 13 — The Villebillies (eclectic rap, rock and other
genres)
* May 20 — Keller Williams (combines the elements of
bluegrass, folk, alternative rock and other genres)
* May 27 — Dawn Landes and the Hounds (country/folk and indie-rock)
* June 3 — Cory Chisel and the Wandering Sons (indie-rock)
* June 10 — Wax Fang (experimental psychedelic rock)
The first of 11 live races on each of those Fridays will be 2:45 p.m. (EDT).
Typically, the last live race is run just before 8 p.m. and the concerts will
begin shortly after the finale.
General admission will be its usual $3 until 7 p.m., but will increase to $10
thereafter.
“We want to incent the area’s casual fan-base and entertainment seekers to
come to Churchill Downs early to experience our live racing and Friday Happy
Hours scene,” Churchill Downs racetrack president Kevin Flanery said. “Those
late arrivals that are only interested in the music will be charged a premium,
which is very reasonable to see the caliber of these artists.”
To kick-start the series, Churchill Downs will offer free general admission
throughout the day on Friday, May 13, as The Villbillies, who performed at last
summer’s HullabaLOU Music Festival, take center stage after the races. Their
performance will double as an official CD release party.
Admission gates will open on those Fridays at 1:30 p.m. and the first race
will be 2:45 p.m. An opening band will perform between live races starting just
before 5 p.m. through 8 p.m.
Friday Happy Hours sponsored by Budweiser Select has been repositioned from
the old 4-6 p.m. time slot to 6-8:15 p.m. so patrons have ample time to enjoy
food and drink specials after a long day at work. Twelve-ounce Budweiser
products and hot dogs will be specially priced at $2 in the paddock area during
that time frame.
The downbeat for the featured performance is expected around 8:15 p.m. and
each post-race concert will last approximately 90 minutes. The first 500 people
in attendance for the concert will be allowed access into the saddling paddock
to watch the concert up close in a VIP Watch Area free of charge.
Reserved ticket packages for the Paddock Concert Series and all Spring Meet
events are available for purchase online at
Tickets.ChurchillDowns.com
— Churchill Downs’ convenient online box office platform. Customers also can
call the Churchill Downs switchboard at (502) 636-4400. A $20 package on the
Budweiser Select Balcony will include access to an undercover balcony
overlooking the Paddock and the stage, plus extended drink specials throughout
the evening and special gift from Budweiser Select.