Reviewing the Kentucky Derby Festival Events -- The Run for the Roses

What happens when you get together a bunch of crazed restaurant servers, local businesses, and Louisville television and radio celebrities and have them run around Waterfront Park carrying trays full of plastic wine glasses while performing several wacky tasks? Well, you'd get a lot of spilled wine and one of the more amusing Kentucky Derby Festival Events, the Run for the Rose'.

History

The Run For the Rose' started in 1979 as the Downtown Derby Strutters. It was started as a way of involving Louisville restaurants in the Derby Festival. The event has since taken place at the county courthouse, a shopping center, the Belvedere, Waterfront Park, and Slugger Field before moving to Waterfront Park in 2007.

The Race

Competitors in each division first have to open and pour out six glasses of wine. Then they race around a 1/2 mile obstacle course balancing these glasses of wine while performing several tasks. The winner is the person who has the fastest time and the most wine left.

Review

The Run for the Rose' is in some ways a perfect Derby Festival event. It brings together competitors from all walks of life, some who take it seriously, others who consider it a badge of honor to lose every single glass of wine on their tray. In last year's event, one competitor was blowing out the field with his six wine glasses and not spilling a drop. Then, as though a ghost had snuck up behind him and pushed, the tray went flying and he suddenly had NO wine. Some restaurants had teams that looked like they'd been through marathon training. Other restaurants had male competitors who dressed up as faux Hooters waiters.

The Run For the Rose is fun because it is so silly and competitive at the same time. One heat could be filled with awe inspiring waiters who never spill a drop. The next heat could be filled with goofy DJs who seem intent on making the task hard on themselves. And while you're waiting for each heat, you can ponder such questions as, "What do they do with the gallons of wine when they're done?" and "Does White Zinfandel kill grass?"

Event Rating -- 7

The Run for the Rose is an enjoyable way to spend your lunch hour, and it is neat to see local celebrities up close and personal. But because the course is so long, it's hard to get a feel for the entire event unless you move frequently. Also, once you've seen a few heats, the novelty wears off. Perhaps if they allowed betting.

Ease of Attendance -- 8

This event is held at Waterfront Park, and there are plenty of parking spaces around, as well as easy access to downtown offices.

Family Friendliness -- 5

This event is more adult that most Derby Festival events, with the wine flowing, and the competitors and the hosts of the events being a bit saltier than in other Kentucky Derby Festival events. While there were some kids lining the course, most of the spectators were adults taking their lunch hour. Because of the repetitive nature of the event, some kids might be bored by the event.