Before you put your Derby hat or fascinator into the closet, curators at the Kentucky Derby Museum want you to think about how it would look as part of an exhibit instead.
Every year, the Derby Museum accepts entries for its annual “My Derby” exhibition. A panel of judges will choose about 20 hats to exhibit. These range from truly beautiful creations, to others that are just — incredibly Kentucky.
A good example is a 2017 entry, described by curator Chris Goodlett:
“The hat we are looking at here, it’s basically three tiers of KFC buckets surrounded by roses and [the brim] is surrounded by miniature bourbon bottles,” Goodlett said.
Past display pieces have also included a hat shaped like a horse’s head — made from horse hair — and a fascinator made using a 3-D printer.
Hats can be nominated for several categories, including “Judges’ Choice” for best overall entry and “Most Representative of Derby,” presented to the hat that best captures the essence of the Kentucky Derby.
Hat shipments and drop-offs will be accepted through May 31, 2019. More information is available here.
