First gala of the season held Friday at Kentucky Derby Museum

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The first Derby gala of the season was held Friday at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

The formal affair is the 35th annual gala for the museum. It's the nonprofit's largest fundraising event of the year.

The night started with a cocktail hour, then dinner and dancing at the museum.

IMAGES | Kentucky Derby Museum Gala

The event is always the first gala of Derby season, and it's the only gala to take place at Churchill Downs.

"We are the history keepers and the storytellers of the Kentucky Derby," Rachel Collier, with the Kentucky Derby Museum, said. "So to be able to have our gala with close to 400 people tonight is a huge deal for us, to be able to raise funds to tell the story of the Kentucky Derby."

The Kentucky Derby Trophy was also on-hand for the event.