Ticket Sales for Down & Derby Fundraiser Go Live March 5 at 10 a.m.

General admission tickets for the highly-anticipated Down & Derby Fundraiser will go on sale Wednesday, March 5, at 10 a.m. Tickets cost $250 each and will be issued on first-ordered, first-reserved basis. Last year, general admission tickets sold out in less than five minutes. Event tickets can be purchased here.

Back by popular demand, the Down & Derby fundraiser is hosted by the Milton Friends of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. The Jenny Doyle Group is returning for their third year as Presenting Sponsor, and the event will return to Chukkar Farm on Saturday, May 3, from 5:30-10 p.m. The event will be held rain or shine.

Each year, funds raised by the Milton Friends benefit a specific priority at Children's. This year, proceeds will support capital improvements for a very special area of the Scottish Rite facility called, "The Zone." This fun, amusement space provides patients with a safe place to put their cares behind them. The Zone is filled with interactive games, televisions, activity tables, a movie theater, an Xbox and Wii room, arts and crafts, college and professional athlete visits, a basketball court, a Putt-Putt golf area and much more!

The Zone is also equipped with a Child Life Program that provides patients and their siblings with individual and group therapeutic activities. These activities help build positive coping techniques and promote optimal development during hospitalization.Initially gifted to the hospital by Garth Brooks’ foundation, "Teammates for Kids," The Zone is now 100% donor funded and is reliant on the donations and contributions from our community.

The Down & Derby has quickly ascended to to the top of Atlanta's philanthropic social scene, bringing together high fashion, incredible live music, mouth watering Southern cuisine, a live polo match, race wagering, live and silent auctions and, of course, a live running of the Kentucky Derby projected on a massive outdoor screen.

The event raised more than a half million dollars in its first two years and consistently fills Chukkar Farm to capacity. The more than 500 guests who attend each year all share a common desire to support Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, which is consistently ranked among the top children's hospitals in the United States by US News & World Report.

This year, the planning committee is building upon the success of the first two years, with several exciting new additions. Guests can look forward to elevated decor featuring additional photo opportunities, elevated bar and food options, and a curated live and silent auction. A Patron Lounge will return with premium alcohol selections. Activities include a live polo match, derby wagering, a rose pull to win wine, a new "Ring for Rose" station, stunning photo booths scattered around the property, and more!

Two special guests, "Hope and Will," will also be in attendance. "Hope and Will," (in the context of Children's Healthcare of Atlanta) refer to the organization's mascots, a girl named "Hope" and a boy named "Will." These two iconic mascots embody the positive attitude and strong determination of CHOA's patients and families who face medical challenges; essentially symbolizing the hope for a better future and the willpower to overcome difficulties.

A variety of incredible musicians will also carry the evening. Guests will once again be welcomed to the farm's check-in area by award-winning French Horn players from Cambridge High School who will play a variety of Kentucky favorites, as well as local celebrity musician Rocco Gorelik who will keep guests engaged until the evening's main musical at, "Color the Night."

The Third Annual Down & Derby Fundraiser is being planned by a handful of busy Milton moms who are active participants in the Milton Friends of Children's, a volunteer, grassroots fundraising group based in Milton, GA. This year's event chairs are Mrs. Ashley Edmonds and Mrs. Kimberly Ritter.

There is no fee to become a Milton Friend of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. Participants just need to possess a heartfelt desire to volunteer their time, talent, and treasure. The Milton Friends of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta is part of a larger Friends network, with various groups in and around Atlanta supporting the work of Children’s Healthcare through volunteer fundraising events.

To learn more about the Milton Friends, or to explore how you can support this group's fundraising efforts, which include events throughout the year, please click here.