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LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The premier Derby Eve Party with a Purpose has signed up one of the nation’s best-loved dance bands.

Party-goers wanting to get their groove on will find exactly what they want at The Julep Ball, dancing to the music of the Bob Hardwick Sound.

Long established as setting the standard for Derby-related galas, The Julep Ball provides a celebrity-studded night to remember with a multi-course seated dinner, a knock-your-socks-off auction, multiple open specialty bars, complimentary valet parking, and dancing until the wee hours of Derby morning. The gala will be held Friday, May 2, at the KFC Yum! Center.

The Bob Hardwick Sound is one of the leading dance orchestras in the country, with an average of over 200 engagements per year in the United States in addition to England, France, Italy, Ireland and Bermuda and the Caribbean. With native Louisvillian Bob Hardwick’s dazzling piano artistry, the orchestra’s irresistible beat, and a repertoire that delights all ages, the Bob Hardwick Sound makes every party a success, including Presidential Inaugurals, private parties, benefit galas, corporate events, debutante balls and weddings of all sizes.

Town & Country Magazine has designated the orchestra as the “Best of the Best” and one of the top three dance orchestras in the country. Quest magazine raved, “… a band so good you can’t sit down, even if you have two left feet.” Liz Smith, the nation’s top society chronicler, dubbed Bob Hardwick “our favorite baton-lifter.”

The Hardwick Sound succeeds because of its versatility. The band smoothly switches from hits by Maroon 5 and the Dave Matthew’s Band to Aretha Franklin, Frank Sinatra and the Beatles, knowing exactly what their audiences want. “There is a give and take between an audience and an orchestra; they react to one another in real time. That’s the magic: We feed off the energy of the crowd and the crowd feeds off our energy,” says Hardwick.

Approximately 1,300 Julep Ball party-goers will see – and hear – for themselves. The ball again will feature all the fun and excitement of past years – with a few new surprises in the mix. Attendees should arrive dressed ready to party in full glam cocktail attire or come straight from Churchill Downs in all their best Millionaires Row finery.

Local and national business leaders, horse industry professionals and celebrities from sports, music, cinema and television again will be on hand. The celebrity red carpet entrance will return, as will gourmet dining and specialty cocktails. Special moments of The Julep Ball again will come when the physicians, scientists and most importantly, patients at the forefront of cancer treatment and delivery are honored and saluted for their efforts.

The event sells out early each year, so party-goers should get their tickets now. The full evening’s entertainment is $600 per person, $5,000 for a table of 10, and $100 per person for dance–only tickets. For further information and to buy tickets, go to The Julep Ball website, .

The Julep Ball is an Official Event of the 140th Kentucky Derby® and is sponsored in part by Advanced Cancer Therapeutics, Ashton Advertising, Boutique Serendipity, Dillards, Headz Salon, Heaven Hill, InGrid Design, Kroger, Jaust Consulting Partners, Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, Louisville Magazine, Maker’s Mark, Bob Montgomery Dixie Honda, Morgan Stanley, MPI Printing, Nfocus, Tito’s Handmade Vodka and WHAS11.