When Is the Kentucky Derby 2027? Free Countdown

When is the Kentucky Derby 2027?

The first Saturday in May, at Churchill Downs in Louisville. The Kentucky Derby is a race for three-year-old thoroughbreds over 1¼ miles at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky. First run in 1875, it is the first leg of the Triple Crown and is known as "the most exciting two minutes in sports" and "the Run for the Roses".

In 2027, Kentucky Derby falls on a Saturday. In 2026 it was on a Saturday, May 2. In 2028 it will be on a Saturday, May 6.

How the Kentucky Derby date is worked out

Churchill Downs runs the Derby on the first Saturday in May, so it always falls between May 1 and May 7. The only modern exception was 2020, when it moved to September. From 2026 to 2055 it falls between May 1 and May 7. How we calculate every date.

How many days until the Kentucky Derby in weeks, weekdays and sleeps

The countdown counts calendar days from today to the Kentucky Derby, so on the day before it shows 1. The weeks box splits that into whole weeks and days, the weekdays box counts Monday to Friday (useful for work and school planning, though public holidays are not taken out), and sleeps are the nights left. The timer counts down to midnight at the start of Kentucky Derby in your own time zone.

Kentucky Derby dates for the next 7 years

Year	Date	Day of the week
2026	May 2, 2026	Saturday
2027	May 1, 2027	Saturday
2028	May 6, 2028	Saturday
2029	May 5, 2029	Saturday
2030	May 4, 2030	Saturday
2031	May 3, 2031	Saturday
2032	May 1, 2032	Saturday

Future dates follow the first-Saturday-in-May rule; Churchill Downs confirms each year.

Is the Kentucky Derby a public holiday?

No. The Kentucky Derby is run on a Saturday and is not a public holiday. In Louisville, Jefferson County Public Schools close on Kentucky Oaks Day, the Friday before.

Planning tip

Post time for the Derby itself is usually in the early evening Eastern time, at the end of a long day of races. Hotels in Louisville fill up months ahead.

Frequently asked questions

When is the Kentucky Derby 2027?

The Kentucky Derby 2027 is on Saturday, May 1, 2027. The rule: The first Saturday in May, at Churchill Downs in Louisville.

How many days until the Kentucky Derby?

The countdown at the top of this page shows the exact number of days, hours, minutes and seconds until the Kentucky Derby 2027 (Saturday, May 1, 2027), worked out live in your own time zone.

How many weeks until the Kentucky Derby?

Divide the days in the countdown by seven: the "Weeks" box above shows the whole weeks and the days left over, so you can plan week by week.

Is the Kentucky Derby a public holiday?

No. The Kentucky Derby is run on a Saturday and is not a public holiday. In Louisville, Jefferson County Public Schools close on Kentucky Oaks Day, the Friday before.

Has the Kentucky Derby ever moved from May?

Yes. In 2020 it was postponed to September 5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In normal years it is held on the first Saturday in May.

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