Long Island event producer, Starfish Junction, will once again host the bourbon tasting event at Belmont Park Racetrack on Saturday May 4, from 3 to 7 p.m.
Bourbon at Belmont, hosted in conjunction with the New York Racing Association, will feature more than 30 bourbons for tasting, a selection of craft beers that have been bourbon barrel-aged, a live simulcast of the Kentucky Derby race, grandstand viewing of the track to enjoy live event day thoroughbred racing, and convenient betting windows.
“Bourbon whiskey and horse racing may be associated with Kentucky, but there’s an older tradition of whiskey making and horse racing in New York that goes back all the way to the 1600s,” said Colin Spoelman, co-founder of Kings County Distillery, New York City’s oldest and largest craft distillery. “We think it’s fitting to serve New York bourbon at Belmont for the Kentucky Derby as it is a New York spin on a Kentucky tradition. With bourbon popular right now, this event is a great way to try some of the classics and some creative whiskeys from newer local distilleries, too.”
The bourbons that will be served include prestigious brands, such as Woodford Reserve, Larceny, Wild Turkey, Whistle Pig, and Elijah Craig, plus highly-praised local producers like Brooklyn’s Kings County Distillery and Widow Jane Distillery and Long Island’s newest, Montauk Hard Label.
“This event will be an afternoon filled with extraordinary bourbon and beer tastings, live racing, a simulcast of the running of the Kentucky Derby, and for those feeling lucky, convenient betting windows inside the event footprint,” said Andy Calimano, owner of Starfish Junction. “This Kentucky Derby day celebration will be a truly unforgettable experience for all who attend. It combines the love of bourbon and the love of horse racing, two passions shared by many.”
Tickets, which are $65 per person, are on sale now and include the bourbon and beer sampling, grandstand viewing of the day’s live scheduled races, the simulcast of the Kentucky Derby, and a souvenir taster glass. The event will be held in the North Shore Terrace viewing pavilion on the fourth floor of Belmont Park Racetrack.
Food will be available for purchase from venue concessions. This is a 21 and older event. Designated driver tickets are also available for $12 each. No one under 21, including designated drivers, will be admitted and photo ID is required for entry. Parking is $3 per car.
Belmont Park Racetrack, home of the Belmont Stakes, the third leg of the Triple Crown, is located at 2150 Hempstead Turnpike in Elmont. Ticket links and more information about the festival are available at www.BourbonAtBelmont.com.
