In honor of Summer Solstice being last weekend – here’s a look at the fundraiser that helps this event take place. It was so much fun to be a part of – so don’t forget to mark your calendars for next year!

The town of Blacksburg puts on several great events through out the year for the town, Steppin Out, Summer Solstice, and more. In order to continue to support the town of Blacksburg, DBI, or Downtown Blacksburg Incorporated throws the most amazing fundraiser called Horseshoes & Hats. Since April of Amodeo Photography is a member of DBI I had the pleasure of attending and shooting the event in her stead. And it was SO much fun. Planned on the same day as the Kentucky Derby this fundraiser brings out all the stops. There is delicious food, casino games, and very large hats. Every one pulls out all the stops for the best hat/best dressed prizes and the competition was fierce. Here’s a look at some of the fabulous hats and best dressed men:

In addition to the casino games there is also a silent auction and the prize packages were fabulous. Donations from several local businesses and you could win anything from a massage, to downtown Blacksburg t-shirts, to wine, a photo session, and even a TV.

My favorite event of the night was the horse racing. They line up these horses and you can place bets and then they “race” based on how the dice roll. But at the end of the night they switched the horses out for people and it was hilarious.

Overall I’d say the event was a huge success and I can’t wait to attend next year! May 2nd is the day of the Kentucky Derby so stay tuned for when tickets go on sale!

Above is a look at the nights top casino winners!

A big thank you to all the sponsors:

Cumulus Radio- The Bear, Mix 100.7 & NASH FM 107.1
Alligator Alley
Blacksburg Newcomers Club
Bollo’s
Cabo Fish Taco
Champs Sports Bar & Grill
Flying Hammers
Fringe Benefit
Gillie’s Vegetarian Restaurant
Holiday Inn- University Blvd
Kent Jewelers
Kent Square Parking
Main Street Inn
Matrix Gallery
Mish Mish
Next Door Bake Shop
NextThreeDays.com
Nice Dreams Home Brewing
NRV Superbowl
Pointe West Management
Positive Radio
Streamlined Strategies