Louisiana Derby Infield Festival
March 30, 2012

A month before the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival takes over the infield at the Fair Grounds Race Course, a musical and culinary "mini-fest" will be held in the same locale.

Officials from the historic thoroughbred racetrack and their parent company, Churchill Downs, announced plans for the Fair Grounds to host the First Annual Louisiana Derby Infield Festival. It will be held on the same day as the Louisiana Derby, March 30, starting around the same time as the first race at 2:00. The festival will feature live music, a dozen or more food trucks, plus food, beverage and merchandise tents and a number of VIP options that will include both mobile suites, identical to those at professional golf tournaments, and tented party areas.

Native New Orleans rockers, Cowboy Mouth, will headline the live entertainment lineup as the Louisiana Derby celebrates its 100th running. Other performers or a live deejay may also be booked and, if so, their names will be announced at a later date.

Louisiana Derby and Infield Festival merchandise will also be for sale onsite. An official Infield Festival poster may be commissioned but nothing has been confirmed as of yet.

The festival will be taking place as the races are going on and attendees will have access to the infield via a bridge that will span the track between the finish line and the first turn. Crossings will be allowed between the individual races. The event will occupy a portion of the infield opposite the grandstands and clubhouse and adjacent to the infield pond. The music tent will be placed behind the tote board and festival attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets.

The Infield Festival and Louisiana Derby are taking place later on same day as the Crescent City Classic 10K race. The race begins early in the morning and wraps up around noon. The Fair Grounds will host two special Crescent City Classic nights at the track during Starlight Racing on dates to be announced. Participating runners will have a chance to purchase discounted Infield Festival tickets when they complete their race registration online. The gates open at 11:00 on Derby Day.

Infield Festival general admission will be $25 with VIP packages starting at $60. Advance tickets will go on sale online in January. For more details visit the Fair Grounds website, www.fairgroundsracecourse.com.

About Cowboy Mouth

Cowboy Mouth

For more than 15 years, the members of Cowboy Mouth have preached and shouted at the top of their lungs the joys of being alive and the joys of being in and from New Orleans, sharing a slice of Mardi Gras heaven with fans around the world. The band's 11 albums include two major-label releases on MCA and one on Atlantic. Their high-octane live shows have been seen by nearly 10 million fans worldwide.

Frequently on the road, they have toured with the likes of Hootie and the Blowfish, Barenaked Ladies, Sister Hazel and Better Than Ezra. The band has made appearances on MTV, VH1, Live! With Regis and Kelly, The Ellen DeGeneres Show and The Late Late Show with Craig Kilborn.

About the Louisiana Derby

The $1 million Louisiana Derby is an important final stop for 3-year-old thoroughbreds on the road to the Kentucky Derby, the world's most famous horse race. The Louisiana Derby is the richest thoroughbred horse race in Louisiana and the Deep South. Horses from the Louisiana Derby have gone on to win all three of racing's Triple Crown events, including Kentucky Derby winners Black Gold (1924) and Grindstone (1996). Every year, gamblers around the world wager about $10 million on the Louisiana Derby Day races.

Clubhouse Dining and Slots

The racetrack offers a wide selection of seating options, ranging from ultra-modern dining facilities in a glass-enclosed clubhouse - complete with video monitors at each table - to no-frills grandstand seating outdoors. "Rail birds" can belly up to the fence at the finish line, cheering on their favorites as they round the final turn in a hoof-thundering finale. A wide range of betting options are available at dozens of pari-mutuel counters and the odds can change for better or worse up to one minute before post time.

Reservations and appropriate attire are required for clubhouse seating.
The Fair Grounds also offers a wide variety of gaming options with 600 of the newest slot machines, featuring some of the most popular reel and video products on the market, including video poker. Hours of operation are 9:00 a.m. – 12 midnight, Monday through Saturday and 10:00 a.m. – 12 midnight on Sunday.