What Is Derby Day?

CLICK HERE TO VIEW SPACE COAST DERBY DAY VIDEO

We’re excited to announce the Rockledge Rotary Foundation’s 2021 Space Coast Derby Day. Coinciding with the running of the Kentucky Derby on May 1, this year’s charitable fundraiser features a few changes. The event will combine in-person and virtual participation (of course, we’ll be adhering to all social-distancing requirements). Beneficiaries include The Salvation Army in Brevard, Crosswinds Youth Services, and Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds (HART).

We’re going to start with a golf tournament at the Turtle Creek Golf Club followed by our Derby Day After Party at The Twisted Birch featuring a live & silent auction and a party with heavy gourmet hors d’oeuvres. Get ready for a bourbon tasting area along with all the other fun activities you’ve come to enjoy at our event–a live stream of the Kentucky Derby, the wheelbarrow of cheer raffle, hat contest, 50/50 raffle, charitable wagering, food, drinks, and more.

The golf tournament will be a shotgun start at 12:30 pm at Turtle Creek Golf Club in Rockledge. The Derby Day After Party, live & silent auction and the rest of the fun takes place from 4 – 8 pm. Join us for the Golf Tournament and Derby Day After Party or just the After Party!

From this website, you can register for the online auction, buy a 50/50 raffle ticket, and/or be a sponsor for the event.

History

Space Coast Derby Day started as Rockledge Rotary’s main fundraiser in 2004. Known as Rockledge Rotary Derby Day, the event was originally held at the Rockledge Country Club. It grew over the next few years until that venue was no longer large enough. We later became a fixture at the Holiday Inn Viera from 2007-2014. With the gaining popularity of the event, we chose a venue with virtually unlimited growth opportunities and moved to Wickham Park. At that time, we rebranded the event to be known as Space Coast Derby Day. As an indoor/outdoor event with live horse racing, we were able to almost double our capacity and provide Central Florida’s premier Kentucky Derby experience hence increasing the support we were able to provide our charitable organizations. In 2020, due to COVID-19, we transitioned to a live, virtual event which enabled us to continue to support the charitable organizations despite the new challenges the year brought many. This year, we have opted for an open air event that includes the Golf Tournament and Derby Day After Party. We will offer virtual and live access to the event. Due to safety precautions, we are limiting participation in the live portion of the event so please sign up quickly to save your space.

Beneficiaries

The Salvation Army exists to meet human need wherever, whenever, and however it can. The organization assesses the needs of each community it serves and builds programs designed to offer immediate relief, short-term care, and long-term growth in the areas that will best benefit the community.

Crosswinds Youth Services creates opportunities for young people to succeed. Crosswinds provides an emergency shelter for runaway and homeless youths, along with additional services like educational, vocational, and recreational services designed to strengthen skills and individual, group, and family counseling.

Hidden Acres Rescue for Thoroughbreds (HART) is a foster facility for retiring OTTBs (Off-the-Track-Thoroughbreds), many of which sometimes face lonely, unproductive, or even unthinkable lives after retiring from racing. HART also provides opportunities for area youth to learn more about equestrian pursuits.

The Rockledge Rotary Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit entity that raises funds and makes charitable donations in alignment with the mission and goals of Rockledge Rotary Club. Our mission is to enable Rotarians to advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace by improving health, supporting education, and alleviating poverty.