The infield party at the Preakness Stakes is often referred to as “the people’s party” but there’s no reason you can’t create your own house party customized to the people with whom you’ll be watching the big race. Plus, that also gives you free rein to create as much debauchery as you want, without having it exposed in public.

Let’s start out with decor. The traditional colors of the Preakness are black and gold. This year, with the emergence of Kentucky Derby winner, Nyquist, you might want to throw in a few pops of purple and white to reflect the horse’s silk colors. Black-eyed Susans are ever-present on Preakness week (it is the state flower, after all), so placing a few around the house wouldn’t hurt.

When it comes to food, crab and crab cake are a must. You’re probably not going to find high-quality crab cake delivery in most areas, so you’ll want to get some premium jumbo lump crab meat at the freshest fish market near you and start working on your own cakes. You can find hundreds, maybe even thousands, of crab cake recipes online. Here’s one for “Baltimore Style Crab Cakes” that looks pretty good from Food & Wine. 

To top it off, impress your guests by stocking up on some Bergers Cookies. If you haven’t ever had one, it’s a small cookie-shaped and -sized cake piece topped with an insanely addictive thick chocolate fudge. These cookies are part of the fabric of Baltimore and would add a really nice touch to any party. You can order them online here.

Of course, you’ll want to wash down your food with the official drink of the Preakness: the Black-Eyed Susan. There are wide-ranging variations on the drink but Preakness offers its recipe here, which is essentially a mix of bourbon, vodka, orange juice and sour mix. Other recipes, like this one, leave the bourbon behind in Louisville and instead mix in rum.

When we looked at last-minute Derby party ideas last week, we suggested some games that could be a lot of fun for your guests; you can do everything from offering Super Bowl-style boxes to small pools where your guests can bet a few bucks between themselves on who they think might win the Preakness. You can also encourage your guests to dress up by offering prizes for the best hat and best bow tie.

Finally, don’t forget the basics. Make sure your guests are going to be comfortable watching the races on a TV that’s large enough for everyone to crowd around. If you’re throwing a really big party, renting a large monitor could be the way to go.

If you need additional inspiration, Pinterest is loaded with Preakness party-related boards. Here are a few really good ones:

https://www.pinterest.com/ginacramer/preakness-party-ideas/

https://www.pinterest.com/smartconcierge/preakness/

https://www.pinterest.com/karendee413/preakness-party/