Tickets Now Available: Dare to Care hosts 36th annual Taste of Derby Festival on April 15

LOUISVILLE, KY (March 13, 2025) – Dare to Care Food Bank is thrilled to announce that tickets are now available for the highly anticipated 36th Annual Taste of Derby Festival presented by Brown-Forman. This beloved annual event will take place at 5:30 p.m. on April 15 at Louisville Slugger Field. After record demand in 2024, the event will feature additional space to host more than 75 of Kentuckiana’s finest food and beverage artisans. 1200 people are expected to attend.

To purchase tickets, visit daretocare.org/taste-of-derby-festival/.

“We’re excited to celebrate culinary excellence in our community while raising crucial funds in our fight against hunger,” Dare to Care President and CEO Vincent James said. “There’s no better way to celebrate the kick-off of Derby season!”

Event Highlights:

  • Gourmet Tastings: Taste exquisite dishes and beverages from Kentuckiana’s best.
  • Photo Moments: Strike a pose at several Instagram-worthy spots.
  • Raffle Prizes: Beat the Derby odds and try your luck for wine, spirits and Oaks box seats, and Watson’s new patio furniture.
  • A Good Cause: Support Dare to Care’s vision of a nourished community where everyone can thrive.

 

Across Dare to Care’s 13-county service area, one in eight people experience food insecurity according to Map the Meal Gap. The USDA defines food insecurity as a lack of consistent access to food for every person in a household to live an active, healthy life. This can be a temporary or long-term situation. In Jefferson County alone, 101,980 people experience food insecurity. About 40% of these neighbors are above the threshold for SNAP benefits, increasing the demand for Dare to Care and its partners to offer support where the federal government has pulled back.

 

Partners like Feed Louisville are stepping up in a major way. This year Feed Louisville has committed to rescuing all leftover food from the event. The food will be repurposed for distribution to our neighbors facing food insecurity including several shelters and pantries.

Taste of Derby Festival sponsors include:

Presenting Sponsor
Brown-Forman

Additional Sponsors
Bulleit Bourbon
C2 Strategic Communications
GE Appliances, a Haier company

Kroger

LG&E and KU Foundation
Louisville Slugger
Moore
Nationwide

Oliver Winery
Stock Yards Bank & Trust

Louisville Business First