Celebrities hit the red carpet for a cause at the annual Barnstable Brown Derby Eve Gala

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Before the horses hit the track for the 151st Kentucky Derby, celebrities and locals hit the dance floors at some of the nation’s most talked about pre-race parties across Louisville.

Among the biggest events of Derby weekend is the Barnstable Brown Gala, held Friday night in the Highlands. The long-running party has been named one of the top parties in the country by Conde Nast.

The gala raises money for the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Research Center at the University of Kentucky and has so far raised more than $21 million. 

“The Kentucky Derby is wonderful, but this is the Barnstable Brown Party,” Brent Brightwell, a production manager for the event, told WDRB Wednesday. “When you’re doing some good, it really makes you feel good.”

A production crew of nearly 100 worked for weeks to prepare the historic mansion. Large tents fill the front and backyard, and the guest list includes celebrities like Machine Gun Kelly, Simone Biles, Tracy Morgan, Selma Blair, Wilmer Valderrama and Dierks Bentley.

The party is considered one of the biggest events of the season. It was founded 35 years ago by twin sisters Patricia Barnstable Brown and Priscilla Barnstable, along with their mother Wilma Barnstable and Patricia's late husband, Dr. David E. Brown.

Here's a look at the celebrities on the guest list for this year's gala:

• Machine Gun Kelly
• Simone Biles
• Dierks Bentley
• Aaron Rodgers
• Tracy Morgan
• Selma Blair
• Wilmer Valderrama
• Brothers Osborne (TJ and John Osborne)
• Little Big Town's Karen Fairchild and Jimi Westbrook
• Blair Underwood
• Lee Brice
• Boyz II Men
• Mickey Guyton
• Scott Stapp of Creed
• Travis Tritt
• Darryl “DMC” McDaniels
• Davante Adams
• Brantley Gilbert
• Doug E. Fresh
• Larry and Dannielynn Birkhead
• Joey Fatone
• Jordan Smith
• Billy Gilman
• Nappy Roots
• RaeLynn
• Randall Cobb
• Jimmy Graham
• AJ Hawk
• Matt Flynn
• David Bakhtiari
• Bryan Bulaga
• Corey Linsley
• Allen Lazard

This story may be updated.

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