YMCA’s Kentucky Derby Gala brings raceday to Wilkes-Barre

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WILKES-BARRE – The Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA held its fifth Annual Kentucky Derby Gala on Saturday night at the Westmoreland Club.

The gala was once again held on the day of the Derby, after last year’s event was held the day before.

Gala guests turned the Westmoreland Club into a packed house. Attendees included horse racing fans, local business leaders, elected officials and, of course, a slew of flamboyant hats.

But the key to the evening’s festivities was clearly the 150th Kentucky Derby, which was made abundantly clear for guests upon their arrival at the gala. Sawyer, a race horse from the Back Mountain, and his rider Sylvia greeted guests as they strode into the Westmoreland Club.

“Last year we had a pony, but the pony was a little spirited,” gala co-chair Lissa Bryan-Smith said, before noting that the pony in question had tried to bite a few of last year’s guests. “So we brought the big horse this year, an actual race horse.”

A cocktail hour preceded the race, with themed cocktails, hors d’oeuvres and the big band stylings of Kenny McGraw with The Brass & Ivory Orchestra creating a retro atmosphere fit for the Derby’s 150th iteration.

“People are glad that it’s back on the race day,” said Bryan-Smith of the early reaction from the public on this year’s event. “Two years ago we had it. … One of the horses that was least expected to even finish won the race, and so that was crazy. I’m hoping we have that kind of action this year.”

The race from two years ago was the 2022 Kentucky Derby, which saw Rich Strike win with 80-1 odds.

As hoped by the organizers, this year’s derby lived up to the high expectations. Mystik Dan won in a photo finish, inspiring an audible reaction from the crowd that had gathered around the projected telecast of the race.

Once the dust of the race had settled, guests moved to the Club Tent area for dinner, dancing and pre-recorded horse races with a live caller. The dinner tables were decorated with rose centerpieces, a reference to the Kentucky Derby’s oft-used nickname, “The Run for the Roses.”

One of the evening’s signature events was a hat-wearing contest, overseen and judged for the first time by Derby enthusiast and frequent YMCA committee member Linda Rowe.

“I’m known for a keen eye of fashion sense, so (Bryan-Smith) came to me and asked me if I would be the judge and I’m happy to do so,” Rowe said of her role.

Hat contest winners, in categories honoring the best in handmade (“Hat-A-Tude”), store-bought (“Too Hot To Trot”) and male-worn (“Dapper Dan”) headwear, were announced following the dinner.

Bryan-Smith predicted the event raised over $100,000. As in year’s past, the proceeds are used to support the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA’s child-care programs. Gala co-chair Connie Scott spoke directly to the gala’s importance in the YMCA’s fundraising efforts.

“Last year, we served, I think, over 150 meals and snacks to over 900 kids, so that’s the relevance. It tells you the need in our area for them to have that,” said Scott.

Specifics regarding the child-care programs offered by the Greater Wyoming Valley Area YMCA can be found at https://wvymca.org/.