LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The Thursday before Derby has become its own tradition, now known as Thurby Day, and thousands of local fans from Louisville and around the country visit historic Churchill Downs for a day at the races.
It started six years ago as a local pre-Derby celebration, and the crowds have continued to grow every year. Churchill Downs calls it the "official start of Derby weekend."
Kathy Wilcox and a group of friends have been coming to the track on the Thursday before Derby since the Thurby tradition started.
"Oaks will probably be bigger and more people, but Thurby is as large as the Oaks almost anymore," Wilcox said. "It used to be just locals, but now you see people from everywhere, so it's great for the town."
IMAGES | 'Thurby' is growing in popularity with Louisville horse racing fans
As exciting as Thurby is, getting to Churchill Downs can be challenging with parking restrictions and road closures. Many lucky guests have found free parking on the street, but that can mean walking a good distance to get to the gates.
Other options for parking Thurby and the rest of the weekend include the Expo Center and Cardinal Stadium. Officials say it's best to have a good plan in place before heading to the track, especially on Oaks and Derby days since there will be even more restrictions in place.
Below are the planned street closures for this year's Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby:
Here's a list of places where parking will not be allowed:
The post time for the first Thurby race was 12:45 p.m.
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