The 151st Kentucky Derby brought announced performances and ceremonial roles, Derby-week events, and a high-profile race-day scene at Churchill Downs in Louisville on Saturday, May 3, 2025. Grace Potter sang the national anthem and Simone Biles gave the “Riders Up” call; post-event red-carpet coverage also named entertainers, athletes, creators and Kentucky public officials seen at the track. Party guest predictions are a separate matter: they do not establish who attended private events.
Who performed or had an official role at the 2025 Kentucky Derby?
Churchill Downs announced on April 16 that singer-songwriter Grace Potter would perform the national anthem just after 5 p.m. EDT, with the performance included in NBC’s Derby coverage. Simone Biles was announced to present the ceremonial “Riders Up” call. These were official on-program roles, not simply rumored appearances.
Mike Anderson, President of Churchill Downs Racetrack, said of Potter: “Her powerful stage presence and electrifying performances embody the spirit and spectacle of Derby Day, and we’re thrilled for Grace to bring her powerhouse voice to Churchill Downs.” Churchill Downs’ announcement set out the planned timing and roles.
Which celebrities appeared during Derby week?
Taste of Derby on May 1
Derby-week celebrity activity began before race day. Taste of Derby was held Thursday, May 1, at the Kentucky International Convention Center. Churchill Downs announced special appearances by television personality and restaurateur Guy Fieri and NBC correspondent Dylan Dreyer.
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The event announcement also listed participating chefs Akira Back, Maneet Chauhan, Dylan Dreyer, Todd English, Robert Lopez, Aaron May, Marc Murphy, Shota Nakajima and Damaris Phillips. Derby 151 artist Tyler Robertson was scheduled to sign official artwork. That supports an event-related art and souvenir connection, but does not establish a particular poster’s edition, authenticity or current availability. See the Taste of Derby announcement from Churchill Downs.
Club SI hosts
Churchill Downs partnership search-result material announced Olivia “Livvy” Dunne and Jayson Werth as celebrity hosts for Sports Illustrated Club SI on May 2 and May 3. That is an announced hosting role; it should not be treated as a complete record of their activities or as proof of attendance at other Derby events.
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Who was seen at Churchill Downs on race day?
Post-event red-carpet coverage by the Lexington Herald-Leader documented a broad mix of people at Churchill Downs. Its named appearances included Riley Green, Taylor Sheridan, Tianna Robillard, Will Levis, Andy Beshear, Abbie Stockard, Guy Fieri, JD Shelburne, Alix Earle, Gail Simmons, Oscar Tshiebwe, Ian Rapoport, Allison Kucharczyk and Isaac Rochell. The coverage also identified Jayson Werth and Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
This is a selected red-carpet report, not a complete attendee ledger for Churchill Downs. A separate post-event highlights roundup also noted Guy Fieri and Simone Biles among red-carpet appearances, but its summary was AI-assisted; named details are best taken from original reporting rather than treating the roundup as a definitive roster.
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Which celebrities attended the Derby parties?
Some of the best-known Derby-week parties operate independently of Churchill Downs. The track’s Special Events page describes the Barnstable Brown Gala as a star-studded gathering at Patricia Barnstable-Brown’s Louisville home, and Unbridled Eve as a Derby gala featuring celebrity musical guests and live entertainment. The page says these events are not hosted by Churchill Downs; each host sets its own ticket availability and pricing. Its current listings include later-year dates, so they should not be mistaken for the 2025 schedule.
Before the 2025 event, the Herald-Leader reported that Machine Gun Kelly, Travis Tritt, Tracy Morgan and Aaron Rodgers were among celebrities expected at the Barnstable Brown Gala. Those were pre-event guest expectations, not independent confirmation that each person attended. The same pre-event coverage cautioned that its wider red-carpet list included speculation, predictions and hopes. Available reporting does not establish a comprehensive final attendance list for the private parties.
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What defined the 2025 Derby’s celebrity scene?
The day’s public-facing mix was broader than performers alone: official ceremonial roles sat alongside food and hospitality events, red-carpet appearances and local public figures. Fashion was also part of the visible scene, with hats and fascinators prominent in attendee coverage. That makes Derby headwear relevant as a general style feature, but it does not support attributing a particular hat or fascinator to a celebrity without a source showing that specific item.
No named statistic establishes how many celebrities attended the 2025 Derby or its parties. The available evidence supports specific announced roles and selected reported appearances, not a celebrity attendance count.
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