Two straight weeks or more of celebrating everything going on with the Kentucky Derby Festival can get expensive. When Derby Day arrives, after you set aside your betting money, you may well be broke (until your big exacta hits, anyway).
I was thrifting the other day and thinking about how much some folks spend on Derby parties with all the frills. But it doesn't have to be that way. Now is the perfect time to hit the thrift stores around town to pick up a few cheap supplies. I found all of these examples in local thrift stores. I'm not going to tell you exactly where because the hunt for the right bargains is the fun of thrifting. Get out there and get creative; this is only a tiny fraction of what you might find.
First up is glassware. Gather up as many race glasses as you can find. Mixing and matching is the plan. You may even find a really old one worth quite a few bucks to collectors, so check dates. If you don't find one of those, these glasses will be so cheap and fun, you can let your guests take them home as party favors. They'll love them.
I found this tin wine bucket that someone had already hand-decorated for a race theme. Cute and kitschy and I don't have to get out the glue.
Check the artwork for equestrian-themed pieces. This pretty print is part of a set of four, fully framed and appropriate for hanging long after the party is over.
Never pay retail for a Derby hat. Let somebody else do that and then buy it secondhand. At one store, I found stacks and stacks of stylish black and white hats, ready to wear as-is or to be embellished further. At a couple of bucks each, you can't beat that deal.
Let me know in the comments what treasures you're finding thrifting around Louisville for Derby parties.
Photos: Kachina Shaw
