Overview
- Organizers released the 2026 guest list for the Derby-eve fundraiser, naming Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan, Luis Fonsi, members of *NSYNC and the Backstreet Boys, and country icon Tanya Tucker.
- The black-tie party is scheduled for 8 p.m. Friday, May 1, 2026, at host Patricia Barnstable Brown’s home in Louisville.
- Proceeds benefit the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at the University of Kentucky, which has received more than $22 million from the gala over the years.
- The event is known for live performances by celebrity attendees, turning the red-carpet gathering into an on-stage music showcase.
- Organizers teased more surprise celebrity and athlete additions before the gala, continuing a 37-year Louisville tradition founded by the Barnstable Brown family.