From floral fascinators to sensational sun hats, see the most colorful headwear at the 2021 Kentucky Derby.
W ith considerably fewer spectators expected for this year’s Kentucky Derby weekend, there is one unintended benefit: Those massive, wide-brimmed hats and towering feathered fascinators probably won’t block many fans’ view of the track. Churchill Downs can accommodate 165,000 but less than 50,000 are expected due to Covid restrictions, which means there’s more room for the show ponies to show off their fine (and often homemade) headwear. Dressing up for the Derby is a tradition as old as the race itself. When Colonel Merriwether Lewis Clark Jr.—grandson of the famed explorer—helped establish the race in 1875, he was inspired by England’s Epsom Derby, which had strict dress codes for spectators, including hats.
