Arlington Park to feature 'Entertainment Extravaganza'

From Days of Wine and Roses, to concerts featuring top acts, to the 29th

running of the legendary Arlington Million, to Chicagoland's Best Fireworks

Show, Arlington Park is proud to announce an 86-day racing schedule that

features nonstop entertainment features throughout the season.

What's new and exciting at Arlington Park in 2011? There are special days

honoring the Chicago Bears, and Northwestern University, highlighted by

appearances by coaches, athletes, celebrities and marching bands. Fans will also

love the "Binny's Taste at the Track" Wine Tasting Event; Military Appreciation

Day, with live aerial and ground demonstrations by the military; Illinois

Teachers Appreciation Day; Girls Day Out; and the Taste of Arlington.

From Memorial Day through Labor Day weekend, summer fun begins at Arlington

Park as Fridays and Saturdays will have a new energy and excitement this year.

The Friday Miller Lite Party in the Park features a new roster of popular local

bands, highlighted by Rod Tuffcurls & the Bench Press, How Far to Austin and He

Said She Said.

The party rolls into Saturday with the brand new "Saturday Summer Bash," also

featuring live music by top bands such as 7th Heaven, Mike & Joe and Suburban

Cowboys. There will also be food specials, such as $2 hot dogs and $4 burgers.

"I am excited to say that there is definitely something for everyone during

this season at Arlington Park," Arlington Park General Manager Tony Petrillo

said. "We will bring first class Thoroughbred racing to Chicagoland as always,

but around that we have put together an entertainment package that is the best

in the long history of Arlington Park and fans will want to get online and

purchase their tickets early."

Tickets go on sale on April 1 for the entire Arlington Park season including

all of the track's Big Event Days. Fans are encouraged to go online for Big

Event Days tickets early, especially Chicagoland's Largest Kentucky Derby party

and Mother's Day, because of high demand.

Arlington's season kicks off with a bang with an Opening Weekend Celebration

May 6-8, featuring "Chicagoland's Largest Kentucky Derby Party" on Saturday, May

7. There is a special "Derby Day" post time of 12:15 p.m. (CDT). This is your

chance to watch and wager on what is described as "the most exciting 2 minutes

in sports," the Kentucky Derby (G1).

"Chicagoland's Largest Kentucky Derby Party" will feature Mint Juleps, bands,

prizes, and contests, including the "$1000 Ultimate Derby Bet," a chance for a

lucky fan to win $1,000 to bet on the Kentucky Derby. New for "Derby Day" this

year is the exclusive "Arlington Derby Day Zone," in which guests will walk the

red carpet and enjoy fabulous food and drink in one all inclusive package.

Treating Mom and the whole family to Mother's Day at the races has become an

Arlington Park tradition and 2011 will be no exception. The first 5,000 ladies

through the gates on Sunday, May 8, will receive a free rose. Gates will open at

11:15 a.m. and Mother's Day post time is 1 p.m. There will be an opportunity to

get a free keepsake photo with the whole family taken by one of Arlington's

roaming photographers, and of course there will also be pony rides and a petting

zoo in the Park area to keep the kids happy.

There will be special Mother's Day Brunch packages in the Million Room and in

the International Room for those looking for an upscale day at the races. For a

less formal way to spend the Mother's Day at the track, check out the Marquee

Tent package. Reservations are required and can be made by calling 847-385-7410

beginning April 1. There are also a wide variety of other dining options

available, and drink specials including Mimosas and Bloody Marys.

The kick off to summer begins Memorial Day weekend, with the start of the

Friday Party in the Park, Saturday Summer Bash, and Sunday Family Days. Of

course there will be a special Monday card of live racing beginning at 1 p.m. on

the Memorial Day holiday itself and a special holiday Family Day. In keeping

with the patriotic theme for the day, the first 3,000 guests will receive a

miniature American Flag. Live music in the Park area will be provided by Red Pop

Fury.

Other entertainment highlights this season include the July 2 "Racing, Music

and Fireworks Extravaganza," wine tastings, and Chicago Blackhawks Legends Day

featuring an autograph session by legendary Blackhawks players.

Arlington's annual celebration of Latino cuisine, music, and culture, Fiesta

in the Park, is July 17, and Military Appreciation Day is July 23, with a

special ceremony honoring our heroes, the recipients of the Medal of Honor.

Arlington Million Day will be held on August 13 this year, bringing together

top horses from all over the world as the eyes of the racing world are focused

on Arlington Park for one of Thoroughbred racing's greatest single day events.

Music, racing, food, drink and party details around Arlington's biggest day will

be announced in the upcoming months.

The Arlington Park season starts Friday, May 6 and runs through Sunday, Sept.

25, with racing four days a week. In May and June, the track will operate on

Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as Monday, May 30 for Memorial

Day. Beginning July 1, the schedule will change to Thursday through Sunday (plus

Monday, July 4 and Monday, Sept. 5) for the rest of the season.

Stay tuned for a major announcement soon regarding a concert to be held at

Arlington Park on October 1.

General admission to Arlington Park is $8 most Fridays, Saturdays and Sunday

with special $6 Value Day general admission offered on Wednesdays in May and

June and Thursdays in July through the end of the season.

In addition, the popular Seniors Day promotion returns for the 2011 season.

Each Wednesday in May and June and each Thursday from July through the end if

the meet, guests aged 55 and older can purchase general admission for just $4.

General admission to Arlington Park for Million Day is $15. Additional

upgrade options are available on line.

General admission for other premium dates (Kentucky Derby Day, Mother's Day,

Father's Day and Saturday, July 2) will be $10. Packages combining general

admission with a reserved seat for each of these premium days range from

$12-$20, available on line.

Tickets for all 86 days of the 2011 season go on sale on April 1. For a

complete rundown of admission prices and available packages, as well as a

complete listing of Arlington Park events, visit

www.arlingtonpark.com

Key Event Days:

Date		Event
Saturday, May 7:		Chicagoland's Largest Kentucky Derby Party
Sunday, May 8:		Mother's Day at Arlington Park
Monday, May 30:		Memorial Day -- Special Monday Live Racing/Special Holiday Family Day
Saturday, July 2:		Racing, Music and Fireworks Extravaganza
Sunday, July 17:		Fiesta in the Park
Saturday, July 23:		Military Appreciation Day
Saturday, August 13:		Arlington Million