LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- One of the biggest parties of the year is took place Friday night in Louisville as the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala returned for its 33rd year.

The gala started at 8 p.m. to at the home of Patricia Barnstable Brown in Louisville's Bonnycastle neighborhood. It's known for its celebrity guest list and surprise music performances.

IMAGES | A look inside the 2022 Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala

Highlighting the guest list was Janet Jackson, who is scheduled to perform a concert Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium. Her opener is New Edition, which includes Bobby Brown, Johnny Gill, Ronnie DeVoe, Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins, and Ralph Tresvant. All were invited Friday night.

"Tonight, I'm wearing just black, but tomorrow, I'm going to wear a little bit of a different number," Stephen Dorff said. "I don't know, everybody goes crazy here."

A number of country musicians were on the guest list, including Jason Aldean, Travis Tritt, Darius Rucker and Tanya Tucker. Singers Taylor Dayne and Joey Fatone were there too, as well as rocker Richie Sambora.

Actors Justin Hartley from "This is Us," Sam Hunt, Orlando Bloom and Blair Underwood are in town along with NFL QB Lamar Jackson, who went to the University of Louisville. Larry Birkhead and daughter Dannielynn Birkhead were also on the guest list.

"You know, every year that pressures on me for some reason to produce like a cool outfit for her and I don't know any cooler outfit than if you can get Janet Jackson's outfit that she wore to this party in 2003," Larry Birkhead said.

The star-studded bash was founded by twin sisters Patricia Barnstable Brown and Priscilla Barnstable, along with Patricia's late husband, Dr. David E. Brown. It raises money for the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center at the University of Kentucky. Over the past 13 years, the party has donated approximately $17,000,000 to the cause.

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