Patti LaBelle, Chaka Khan headline Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala guest list

The Kentucky Oaks is moving to primetime for the first time this year, with a post time of 8:40 p.m. ET on Friday night. That’s almost three hours later than years past, creating a headache for Louisville restaurant owners and party planners; however, the show will go on at the Barnstable Brown Gala, the biggest Derby Eve bash.

The guest list dropped for the 37th annual Barnstable Brown party this morning. It’s headlined by Patti LaBelle, the Godmother of Soul, who will share the spotlight with several other musical acts, including The War and Treaty, Chaka Khan, Luis Fonsi (famous for the global hit “Despacito”), Lance Bass and Joey Fatone from *NSYNC, and Howie Dorough of the Backstreet Boys. 2017 Masters champion Sergio Garcia will also be there, along with rappers T.I. and Doug E. Fresh and “Southern Charm” star Madison LeCroy. From there, it’s Barnstable Brown regulars like Tanya Tucker, Larry Birkhead, and Dannielynn Birkhead.

• Patti LaBelle
• The War and Treaty (Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter)
• Chaka Khan
• Luis Fonsi (Best known for “Despacito”)
• Dasha
• Lance Bass (*NSYNC)
• Joey Fatone (*NSYNC)
• Howie Dorough (Backstreet Boys)
• Tanya Tucker
• Sergio García (2017 Masters Tournament champion)
• Dana White (CEO of The Ultimate Fighting Championship)
• Odette Annable (Star of Hallmark’s new film “Kentucky Roses”)
• Andrew Walker (Star of Hallmark’s new film “Kentucky Roses”)
• Nate Smith (County musician)
• Doug E. Fresh
• T.I. (rapper)
• Billy Gilman
• Larry Birkhead and Dannielynn Birkhead
• Dalton Davis (country music)
• Brian Quinn  (Best known for “Impractical Jokers”)
• Forrie J. Smith (Best known for “Yellowstone” and “Tombstone”)
• Madison LeCroy (Bravo)
• Numerous players from the NFL

More celebrity announcements may be on the way. If that last bullet point is an indication, that could include Aaron Rodgers, Randall Cobb, and their former Green Bay Packers friends who usually attend. So far, this year’s guest list isn’t nearly as stacked as years past, maybe due to the growing popularity of other parties or the late post time for the Oaks?

The party will start at 8 p.m. ET. Host Patricia Barnstable Brown told the Courier-Journal that they’ll have big screens up to show the Oaks in hopes that guests will watch it there.

“We have a wonderful night planned with so many wonderful guests — plus there will be large screens showing the Kentucky Oaks race during the party, a lavish dinner served all night, and the music lineup we’ve put together this year blows my mind. This mix of artists is just so much fun, it’s going to be an unforgettable party.”

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Hallmark Channel’s “Kentucky Roses” will debut Saturday night after the Derby

Odette Annable and Andrew Walker, the stars of “Kentucky Roses,” the Hallmark Channel’s new movie about the Derby, will be at the Barnstable Brown party on Friday night. The movie was filmed at Churchill Downs and will premiere Saturday night at 8 p.m. ET, after the Derby. If you have other plans for your Saturday night, don’t worry; it will stream the next day on Hallmark+.

The movie takes place at Churchill Downs across two timelines: the present day and 1932. In short, a florist who dreams of creating the garland of roses meets a man working on the Twin Spires, and they fall in love, a tale as old as time. Here’s the official synopsis and a preview:

“Kentucky Roses unfolds across two timelines—present day and 1932—at Churchill Downs. In present-day, Sadie Moore (Odette Annable) works in the Churchill Downs greenhouse, dreaming of becoming a florist and one day contributing to the Derby’s garland of roses, just like her great-grandmother, Gloria (Ally Ledford). As Derby Day approaches, Sadie meets Ash Taylor (Andrew Walker), the son of Churchill Downs’ CEO (Gregg Henry), who’s been asked to do an emergency repair on the iconic Twin Spires after a storm left one damaged. Both Sadie and Ash feel the weight of family legacy and the desire to carve out their own paths. Sparks fly, and their budding romance is complicated by a long-buried connection between their families—a bittersweet love story from the past that threatens to repeat itself.”