Join us for the BVBS gala event of the season! We will gather at The Kimbell in downtown Bryan to watch the Preakness Stakes. Expect cocktails by Everett, dinner, the bottle race game, camaraderie, and an unbelievable bottle share.

The Preakness Stakes is a less formal event than the Kentucky Derby, and traditional dress includes vibrant colors and spring-inspired florals. Women usually wear bright dresses or floral jumpsuits, accentuated--of course--by flamboyant hats. Men wear sport coats in bright colors or pastels, often over shirts in fun patterns. Bold bow ties and/or pocket squares are appropriate.

We'll have cocktail hour before the race and dinner afterward. During the race, you'll have the chance to cheer for a horse by playing the bottle race game. We'll send further details soon, but the basic idea is this: You can bring a bottle to enter the game; if you do, you'll randomly draw a horse. After the race, the players whose horses finish at the top will get their pick of the bottles. The last-place horse usually gets a consolation bottle, too. Good times.

The cocktail menu will feature springtime favorites, including the Preakness, a Manhattan variant that's traditional at Pimlico, and the Black-Eyed Susan, which is the official drink of the race. You can contribute to the quality of the libations at the party by bringing a bottle or two for the bottle share table. Bring a tasting glass, too!

Members attend the event free of charge as part of their yearly dues. Tickets for plus-ones are $75, which covers their dinner and contributes to paying for the venue, bartender, etc. BVBS does not make a profit on this event. I cannot recommend strongly enough that you RSVP from a computer, not from your phone. Wild Apricot's phone app does not handle ticketing for paid events intuitively, and it's easy to miss the option to add your plus-one. Also, payment for plus-ones is due immediately online when you complete registration.

Get your Preak on!