Home » Derby hat contest winners now on display at Kentucky Derby Museum

Derby hat contest winners now on display at Kentucky Derby Museum

Twenty winning hats selected from over 60 entries now installed

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 19, 2018) — Big hats and fashionable ensembles are as much a part of the Kentucky Derby as the race itself. The museum’s It’s My Derby exhibit captures the elegance, quirkiness and flair of this year’s best dressed Derby-goers. The museum changes out the showcase display each year to reflect the style and fashion of the most recent Derby.

Twenty hats selected from a record 60 entries in the museum’s annual hat contest are now on display. The recently installed hats will be displayed for guests to enjoy for one year.

It was a challenge for the contest’s judges’ panel to narrow down the winners from so many creative, unique, elegant and over-the-top entries which ranged from understated, stylish fascinators to one hat featuring lights and a Barbie doll.

Congratulations to all the winners, listed below, as well as the three entrants that were designated with a specialty award including Most Representative of Derby, Judges’ Choice and Employee.

There’s still one more award up for grabs, Social Media Fan Favorite. Visit the museum’s Facebook page and click like on your favorite hat. The hat with the most likes will be awarded the social media favorite. Contest runs through Friday, June 22.

You can view a Flickr album of all of the 2018 Hat Contest winners here.

2018 Hat Contest winners:

• Jenny Overfield, Judges’ Choice
• Nancee Jelsema, Most Representative of Derby
• Sara Contreas, Employees’ Choice
• Susan Leslie
• Sherry Ledford
• Shakeera Thomas
• Rose Monzyk
• Roger Lopez
• Melissa Huff
• Kimberly Llwellyn
• Ketura Isarel
• Jordan Skeen
• Jennifer Copeland
• Gena Conti
• Ernest Trent
• Elizabeth Russell
• Carolyn Day
• April Hendry
• Allison Aldred