The CAA Carriage Festival, a weekend focused on the sport of showing antique carriages and testing the skill of those driving and restoring them, will be held at Lexington’s Kentucky Horse Park on the final weekend in June. The Festival is held once a year by the Carriage Association of America (CAA) which is headquartered at the Park. Antique carriages and exhibitors from throughout the nation are expected to attend the festival, one of the largest displays in the US.
The highlight of the Festival will be a two-day carriage pleasure driving show including classes not found at other carriage shows in America such as carriage dog classes (the dogs, dressed in attire appropriate costume for the carriage trade, will be carried on the vehicle), the Old Guard Working class (open to exhibitors 65 years of age and older) and the fancy dress class (costumes for the horse, carriage, driver and on-board grooms).
Beginning the weekend (June 25 at 7 p.m.) will be the grand opening of the CAA’s new headquarters building at the Park. The pleasure show will begin June 26 at 9 a.m. in the arena and will conclude June 28 with Presentation Pleasure Drive in which all entries in the weekend show leave the stables at 9 a.m. and follow a parade route throughout the park and visiting some of the historic private farm which have opened their gates and roads to the festival drivers. The parade creates an opportunity for spectators to view all of the entries in full splendor as the vehicles pass.
Interspersed over the weekend will be the Carriage Showcase, a competition and static display of carriages restored by both professional and amateur restorers and entered into a competition resulting in awards for vehicles judged to be the best in the nation. The static display of the Carriage Showcase will be held on the main level in the Alltech Arena through the weekend. Judging and detailed commentary by the judges regarding their reasoning will be held June 27 at noon in the arena.
In addition to the show, several vendors offering carriage related goods have announced they will be set up at the festival.