‘The spotlight’s on Louisville’: Celebrations flow during Kentucky Derby week

In Louisville, the week leading up to the Run for the Roses is for funky fashion shows, block parties, glowing hot air balloons, rubber ducks in the Ohio River and mattress races.

On Monday, the Kentucky Derby Festival’s annual Bed Race competition began and ended with some victories, some losses and a few damaged rides.

For each race, a group of five drives a mattress complete with four wheels and a steering wheel like a go-kart. The goal: maneuver through a figure-eight track faster than the other team.

Deon Reese was one of the four “pushers” on his team with the nonprofit I Would Rather Be Reading. The fifth team member sits on the mattress and steers.

“This is my first day at bed racing. It's been fun,” Reese said. “I need to get my helmet on, because we're about to go right here. We're ready.”

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Sara Hannah said her bed racing machine's design was inspired by her favorite movie "Pretty in Pink."

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Five employees from Signature Healthcare in Louisville are returning champion at the bed race competition.

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Each teams lines up at the starting line in the Kentucky Expositon Center

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Racers sprint as fast as they can once the flags wave downwards.

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The Signature Healthcare team had nearly a photo finish with their rival from last year's race.

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Spectators yell and cheer from the stands, rooting for their favorite team.

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Each team must maneuver through cones to cross the finish line, some "pushers" often run them over during the race.

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Some teams have steering wheels on their beds to help steer their team to victory.

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For Julia Minotti with the “Flamazing Fillies” team, bed racing reminds her of her childhood.

“Growing up, being a kid sitting on Broadway watching the parade go by. I feel that all my childhood dreams are coming true as an adult. I get to be in the parade, I get to be in the bed races,” she said. “So I'm just super excited, just to really take it all in as an adult, and I get to relive my childhood memories.”

The bed race is one of many events leading up to Oaks and Derby.

“Nowhere else do we shut down for two whole weeks and see all of the fashion,” said Ohio native Sara Hannah “I'm a former teacher, and the fact that we got a day off for Derby. That was wild.”

Renee Gordon said the people and culture are what makes Derby stand out.

“It's community coming together to celebrate our heritage and all things Derby,” Gordon said.

Derby draws millions of people from all over the country every year. Laurie Freitag is originally from New Jersey and now lives in Louisville.

“I remember hearing about the Derby when I lived up in New York, and I'm like, ‘What is the big deal? Over two minutes,’” Freitag said. “And now I understand it once I moved here, I understood. Went to my Derby the first year I moved here. The spotlight's on Louisville as it should be.”

Oaks Day is Friday, May 2 and the 151st Kentucky Derby is Saturday, May 3. Here’s how to watch the races and what to expect.