The Best Kentucky Derby Party in Charlotte & Lake Norman — Bin 110's 9th Annual
May 2, 2026 at Bin 110 in Cornelius. Hats, mint juleps, Woodford Spires, live music, and a packed house for the 152nd Kentucky Derby — nine years of the best Derby party in Charlotte and Lake Norman.
If you're looking for the best Kentucky Derby party in Charlotte or the Lake Norman area, you've found it. For nine years running, Bin 110 has thrown one of the largest Derby Day celebrations in the region — and the 10th annual returns on Derby Day 2027.
Derby Day is the Super Bowl for a bourbon bar. It's the one day a year when bourbon isn't just a spirit — it's the entire event. In years past we've welcomed more than 250 guests through the doors. The 9th annual was a packed house again: hats, juleps, the race on the big screen, and live music after the roses. If you've been searching for a Derby party near Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson, Mooresville, or up from Charlotte, this is the one.
There's nothing more quintessential Kentucky than the Derby and Bourbon. Each May, we bring them both together as authentically as possible from right here in the Carolinas!
— Andy Upchurch, Owner, Bin 110
Derby hats, a Woodford bottle, and the whiskey wall — 9th annual, May 2, 2026.
Derby Fashion, Hat Contests & Atmosphere
Half the fun of the Derby is the fashion, and our guests go all out. Wide-brim hats and fascinators, floral sundresses, seersucker suits, bow ties, pastels for days — it's the one afternoon a year our front door looks more like Churchill Downs than Catawba Avenue.
We host our annual contests for Best Hat and Best Dressed, with prizes for the winners. Whether you're a first-timer or a Derby Day veteran, the dress code is simple: show up ready to be photographed. Bring your hat game. Bring your crew.
Mint Juleps built with Old Forester, served the traditional way.
Mint Juleps, Woodford Spires & More
You can't have a Kentucky Derby Party without classic Churchill Downs libations. This begins with the Mint Julep. Ours are built the right way — Old Forester bourbon, fresh mint, served in the traditional copper cup over crushed ice. It's the official drink of the Kentucky Derby for good reason, and we pour them the way they're meant to be poured.
We're also serving Woodford Spires — a refreshing Woodford Reserve cocktail that blends bourbon, lemonade, and cranberry juice. Spires have been a favorite at our Derby parties for years. Between the Juleps, the Spires, and one of the best bourbon selections in North Carolina, whiskey drinkers will be right at home.
Not a whiskey person? No problem. Our full craft cocktail menu is running, along with our curated wine list and sparkling selection. Everyone finds their drink at Bin 110.
A packed house for the 152nd Kentucky Derby. BIN 110 on the window.
The Race, the Roses & Live Music All Night
The 152nd running of the Kentucky Derby went off just before 7 PM, on the big screen and up loud over our professional-quality sound system. Whether you came for the bourbon or the horses, that was the moment the whole room leaned in together — two minutes of pure Kentucky camaraderie.
And when the race was over? The party was just getting started. Live music kicked off at 9 PM, with one of Charlotte's best — Chasing Phoenix — keeping the celebration rolling late into the night. If you've never experienced a packed Bin 110 on a Saturday night with a live band, Derby Day is the best possible introduction.
Why Bin 110 Is the Best Kentucky Derby Party Near Charlotte
There are plenty of places to watch the Derby in the Charlotte metro — but there are very few built around bourbon the way Bin 110 is. With 550+ whiskeys on the shelf, deep relationships with some of Kentucky's finest distilleries, and nine years of refining what a Derby Day should feel like, this isn't just a watch party with some cocktail specials tacked on.
It's a full Derby experience — elevated, authentic, and unmistakably Kentucky — brought to life right here in the Carolinas. Upscale, but never pretentious. Exactly the way we do everything at Bin 110.
The 10th annual returns on Derby Day 2027. Date TBA — always the first Saturday in May. If you're driving up from Charlotte, we're about 25 minutes north on I-77. If you're local to Cornelius, Huntersville, Davidson, or Mooresville, you already know. Come early to get a seat at the bar. Stay late for the live music. And wear the hat.
Scenes from our 2026 Derby Day Party
See You Derby Day 2027
The 10th annual Kentucky Derby Party at Bin 110 lands on Derby Day 2027 — always the first Saturday in May. Date and details TBA. No cover. No ticket. Wear the hat. Tables and bar seats fill up fast, so plan to get there early. Weather permitting, the patio's open too.
See what else is happening: Upcoming Tastings & Events →Come for a drink. Stay for the experience. Welcome to Bin 110.