Celebrity guests set for Derby Eve Gala, supporting UK’s Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (April 29, 2026) — Derby Week in Kentucky is known for its signature mix of pageantry, celebrity and philanthropy, and few events capture that blend quite like the Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala. Each year, on the night before the first leg of American thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown, stars from across the world gather in Louisville for one of Derby Week’s most exclusive celebrations — all in support of a cause rooted far beyond the spotlight.
The annual gala benefits UK HealthCare’s Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center, a nationally recognized center founded in 2008 by sisters Patricia Barnstable Brown and Priscilla Barnstable, along with their late mother, Wilma. The celebrity packed gala, known for its musical extravaganza, has raised and donated over $22 million for the center. The family’s mission was deeply personal: to honor Patricia’s husband, David Brown, who died in 2003 from complications related to diabetes, by creating a legacy in the fight against a disease that continues to disproportionately affect Kentuckians.
“The Barnstable Brown family’s extraordinary commitment continues to transform what we can do for patients across Kentucky,” said Simon Fisher, M.D., Ph.D., director of the Barnstable Brown Diabetes Center. “With support from the Barnstable Brown Gala, we are expanding specialized care, recruiting world-class faculty and advancing research that allows us to make an impact across the Commonwealth.”
The 37th annual Barnstable Brown Kentucky Derby Eve Gala, internationally recognized as the premier Kentucky Derby gala and counted among the “Ten Best Parties in the World” by Condé Nast, is May 1 at Patricia Barnstable Brown’s home in Louisville, Kentucky, and boasts an all-star celebrity lineup including:
- Patti LaBelle
- Chaka Khan
- The War and Treaty (Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, Grammy-nominated duo)
- Dasha (“Austin” singer and ACM Best New Artist nominee)
- Luis Fonsi (“Despacito” singer and global pop star)
- Lance Bass (*NSYNC)
- Joey Fatone (*NSYNC)
- Howie Dorough (Backstreet Boys)
- Tanya Tucker (country music legend)
- Dannielynn and Larry Birkhead
- Dana White (CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship)
- Doug E. Fresh (hip-hop pioneer and “Human Beatbox”)
- Sergio García (2017 Masters champion)
- T.I. (Grammy Award-winning rapper and actor)
- Brian Quinn (“Impractical Jokers” star)
- Madison LeCroy (Bravo’s “Southern Charm”)
- Odette Annable (Hallmark’s “Kentucky Roses”)
- Andrew Walker (Hallmark’s “Kentucky Roses”)
- Nate Smith (country artist)
- Billy Gilman (“The Voice” finalist and singer)
- Forrie J. Smith (“Yellowstone” actor)
- Dalton Davis (country artist)
There will be additional surprise celebrity guests and athletes to be announced
“Our historic 37th year will be extraordinary,” said Barnstable Brown. “We’re so excited to celebrate with all of our friends.”
UK HealthCare is the hospitals and clinics of the University of Kentucky. But it is so much more. It is more than 10,000 dedicated healthcare professionals committed to providing advanced subspecialty care for the most critically injured and ill patients from the Commonwealth and beyond. It also is the home of the state’s only National Cancer Institute (NCI)-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit that cares for the tiniest and sickest newborns and the region’s only Level 1 trauma center.
As an academic research institution, we are continuously pursuing the next generation of cures, treatments, protocols and policies. Our discoveries have the potential to change what’s medically possible within our lifetimes. Our educators and thought leaders are transforming the healthcare landscape as our six health professions colleges teach the next generation of doctors, nurses, pharmacists and other healthcare professionals, spreading the highest standards of care. UK HealthCare is the power of advanced medicine committed to creating a healthier Kentucky, now and for generations to come.