Posted on May 2, 2016 12:23 PM
Kentucky Derby revelers are celebrating the most exciting two minutes in sports, and Kentucky Proud is there with farm-fresh local foods and award-winning Kentucky wines.
"Kentucky Proud has become a regular feature at the Kentucky Derby Festival as well as the Derby and Oaks themselves," Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles said. "This time of year gives Kentucky farmers and small food businesses a golden opportunity to share their products with a global audience."
The Kentucky Proud WineFest May 3-4 at The Belvedere in Louisville will feature 16 Kentucky Proud wines along with several Kentucky Proud foods for guests to sample and enjoy. An estimated $60,000 worth of Kentucky Proud wines will be sampled and sold during the two-day event. Kentucky Proud treats will include cheese from Boone Creek Creamery in Lexington, ice cream from The Comfy Cow in Louisville, popcorn from Mr. G's Kettle Corn in Louisville, chocolate-covered pecans made with Cellar Door Chocolates from Louisville and Kight's Pecans from Kevil, and jams, jellies, and honey from Lucky Clover Farm in Richmond. WineFest VIP tickets will provide guests a reserved entrance and other extras. For more information and tickets to WineFest and WineFest VIP, go to http://discover.kdf.org/winefest/.
Kentucky Proud products also will be featured at BeerFest May 4, Celebrity Day at the Downs May 5, Kroger's Fest-a-Ville every day through May 6, and other KDF events. To find out more about the Kentucky Derby Festival, go to kdf.org.
Race goers at the Kentucky Oaks on May 6 and the Kentucky Derby on May 7 will see in their racing program the Kentucky Proud logo by the names of horses on each day's race card that were bred in Kentucky.
The festival kicked off with the annual They're Off! Luncheon April 22, where guests were treated to a few words from Commissioner Quarles and keynote speaker Kenny Mayne as well as beef from Davis Creek in Walton, pork loin from Marksbury Farm Market in Lancaster, green beans from Gallrein Farms in Shelbyville, cheese from Boone Creek Creamery, pecans from Kight's Pecan Orchard, and sorghum from Townsend Sorghum Mill in Jeffersonville.
Nearly $200,000 worth of Kentucky Proud products have been purchased, sold, or served at KDF events in the past four years, including 2016.
A 2014 study found that recognition of the Kentucky Proud brand was 80 percent in the Jefferson County market, the highest of any market in the state. For more information about Kentucky Proud, or to find Kentucky Proud businesses, go to www.kyproud.com.