DERBY FEVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by Kelli Pope

Having grown up in Louisville, Ky, working, and still living nearby, you would think I'd become immune to what is known as "Derby Fever". Nope. There's no escaping it. If you're not familiar with what I'm talking about, it's the upcoming Kentucky Derby at Louisville's Churchill Downs. What has been called the greatest 2 minutes in sports. Yes. It's only a 2 minute horse race. The "run for the roses". But around here, that 2 minutes is celebrated for 2 weeks. It starts with Thunder over Louisville, which is a huge air show during the day and MASSIVE fireworks that night. Hundreds of thousands of people flock to the Ohio riverfront between Louisville, Ky and Indiana for this event. It's then followed by music and chow wagons on the river front daily, then the Great Balloon Race, Mini-marathon, Run for the Rose', Pegasus Parade, The Great Steamboat Race, and today will be Oaks day. While driving around you'll see many, many out of state license plates. There are parties, and galas and fund raisers, brunches, and pageants and celebrities .. and oh yes... HATS!!! HATS HATS HATS!!! Everywhere there are hats. It truly is an "event".

And it all leads up to that one thrilling race, that everyone has been talking about for weeks. If you don't go to the Derby, then you have a party, or go to a party. It's just what you do on Derby Day in Louisville, and Southern Indiana. Even if you go to a backyard party (more my speed) you wear a hat. It's just not Derby day without a hat.

Here is my casual Derby "rose".

When I made this one preparing for a show, I just couldn't part with it. I just love the way it hangs and moves. :) The whole piece was inspired by one of Shannon LeVart's "blossoms".

I started with a cut, hammered, antiqued copper disc, then layered it with a "stem" from hammered sterling silver, wrapped with "leaves". Then Shannon's "blossom" and a hammered "swirl" for the center.


Just for fun, thought I'd show you my casual derby hat. Yes, I decorated it myself. Again... tradition. :)

The hat itself I'd had for a few years. Just couldn't resist that catchy line - "Talk Derby to me"

And when "My Old Kentucky Home" is played before the trumpets sound on Saturday, I'll get teary-eyed once again..................... yet another strange side effect of the "Derby Fever".....