Get ready to celebrate the greatest two minutes in sports at the Kentucky Derby Party at Liberty Science Center’s LSC After Dark event on Thursday, May 2 from 6-10 p.m.
The actual Kentucky Derby isn’t until Saturday (May 4), but people can head to LSC After Dark and check out Vegan Horse Racing. There is also XYZZY, an illustration-to-animation film created by New Zealand artists just for planetariums.
Plus: Derby hats and mint juleps, laser shows, music, dancing, and more. Tickets are $25 at the door. Save $3 per ticket when you buy online in advance.
Vegan Horse Racing
Vegan Horse Racing, also known as Hobby Horse Racing, uses stick horses instead of real horses. Riders compete in events like cross-country, dressage, and show jumping.
The stick horses used are intended to have realistic heads and tails, and perform movements similar to those in equestrian sports, according to media reports. Founded in Finland, the annual Finnish Hobby Horse Championship in Seinäjoki is the largest known hobby horse event.
Experience Artists From New Zealand
The XYZZY psychedelic musical odyssey show was created by New Zealand artists Jess Johnson and Sam Ward. Johnson was a guest at LSC After Dark on April 25 for a screening and Q&A. The last day for the show is May 9.
Designed for planetariums, XYZZY is a 40-minute illustration-to-animation film offering a “fulldome cinematic experience.” Created by animating hand-drawn compositions, viewers are immersed in “360 degrees of alien landscapes, self-replicating structures, and hallucinogenic patterns that challenge perception.”
The experience is set to a 90’s-inspired electronic synthesizer soundtrack by musicians Andrew Clarke, Luke Rowell, Stef Animal, and Lachlan Anderson.
The LSC After Dark Kentucky Derby Party
- Themed food and drink menu
- Vegan Horse Racing
- Live DJ
- Dance floor
- Queen Laser Show (+$8)
- Billy Joel Laser Show (+$8)
- XYZZY psychedelic musical odyssey show (+$8)
- Wonders of the Night Sky planetarium show (+$8)
- The Science Behind Pixar — premium exhibition (+$10)
The suggested arrival time is anytime between 6 and 10 p.m. Order tickets here.
LSC After Dark: Every Thursday
Exclusively for guests 21 and over, LSC After Dark takes place every Thursday and features a different theme and complementary food and drink menu. Regardless of the theme, there is always a full bar, dance floor, live DJ, and addons like planetariums and laser shows.
In addition, guests can explore all exhibits at LSC and add the premium exhibition —The Science Behind Pixar — which closes on Sunday, May 5.
May Schedule for LSC After Dark
On Thursday, May 9, the theme is “Viva Las Vegas”:
- Casino Games
- Free Space Talk presentation: “Strange New Worlds” by John Winn, professor of astrophysics at Princeton University (7 p.m.)
- Themed food and drink menu
- Live DJ and dance floor
- Prince Laser Show (+$8)
- Beyoncé Laser Show (+$8)
- XYZZY psychedelic musical odyssey show (+$8)
On Thursday, May 16, “Welcome to Miami”:
- Bad Bunny Laser Show (+$8)
- Pitbull Laser Show (+$8)
- Space Trip planetarium show (+$8)
- Themed food and drink menu
- Live DJ and dance floor
About the Liberty Science Center
LSC is a 300,000-square-foot learning center located in Liberty State Park on the Jersey City bank of the Hudson near the Statue of Liberty. The LSC houses:
- 12 museum exhibition halls
- live animal collection with 110 species
- giant aquariums
- 3D theater
- live simulcast surgeries
- hurricane- and tornado-force wind simulators
- K-12 classrooms and labs
- teacher-development programs
- the Western Hemisphere’s biggest planetarium — the Jennifer Chalsty Planetarium and LSC Giant Dome Theater
LSC has free onsite parking and is steps from the Liberty State Park Hudson-Bergen Light Rail station. Directions, public transportation, and other information can be found here.
